Gerson Uaripi Tjihenuna
Last Wednesday, I was part of a three-member panel that was interviewed by NBC Omurari radio station on the life of Mitiri Ujaha. The other panellists were his younger sister, Seuaa and his former student who was later to become a fellow teacher at Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School, Veseevete.
I also had the honour to read his eulogy at the memorial service that was held in his honour on 13 July. Mitiri Tjinaa Rehabeam Ujaha was born on 4 July 1951 and passed on, on 8 July 2023; four days after his 72nd birthday.
At the memorial service, held at Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School, his former colleagues and former students weighed in on the life of this Mathematics “wizard.” Among his notable former students who graced the occasion were Dr Alfredo Hengari (Press Secretary to the Presidency) and Uhuru Dempers (a renowned civil society activist).
The revered former principal of Immanuel Shifidi, Mitiri Nambahu, was the keynote speaker. He described the late Ujaha in rich tones as one of the most dedicated teachers to have served under him.
One of Ujaha’s former colleagues who spoke on that sombre occasion, was former Brave Warrior coach, Rusten Mogane. A visibly emotional Mogane, among others, described how the late Ujaha had given him a mathematical formula that helped the team to win.
Mogane went on to say that after he had become the headmaster of A Shipena High School years later, he requested Ujaha to take a young Mathematics teacher at the school under his wing as a mentee. That particular teacher later won the Best Mathematics Teacher of the Year award.
Another former Ujaha student, who is now a teacher at Concordia High School, testified that he had won the Best Teacher of the Year award on two different occasions, thanks to the inspiration of his former teacher, Mitiri Ujaha.
At a personal level, the friendship between the two of us started in 1970 when we were part of the second cohort of pupils to complete Standard Six (then the highest grade at primary school) at Otjinene.
We registered at Augustineum High School in 1971. This was where he met his childhood sweetheart, another classmate of ours, Margaret Ndjoze, with whom he had two daughters, of which one became a medical doctor.
Apart from schooling together, the two of us also stayed in the then Longtale area of Katutura.
This was where I got to know his late stepfather, Hijanjoka Tjejamba. The latter was an ardent Swapo activist, during the most difficult of times.
Ujaha was not a political activist, in the way we understood activism then, but as a friend he was concerned about my safety as a Swapo activist.
He was like a big brother to me and his concern for my safety, both in terms of possible arrest at the hands of the notorious security police or possible physical attacks at the hands of DTA supporters, was a concern about what he considered a “naïve younger brother.”
After his official retirement in 2011, schools in Okakarara constituency often tapped on his knowledge of mathematics to prepare their pupils for examinations; a community service which he willingly rendered tirelessly.
Mitiri Ujaha had a very caring and generous spirit; but he was also very reserved and soft-spoken. However, he could also draw a proverbial line in the sand which he would not allow people to cross.
Many of his former students who spoke at the memorial service testified to that.
Heroes come in many shapes and sizes, and wear different kinds of “uniforms.” They are selfless and genuinely good and yet some of them, are unassuming backroom movers and shakers.
The late Mitiri Ujaha was the embodiment of most of the above qualities.
Rest in peace brother, you are a hero to many people.