EENHANA – With his frail hands gripping a walking stick and eyesight failing, a 94-year-old man made the long journey from Okadidiya village in far-eastern Ohangwena to bid farewell to Namibia’s founding father.
Alfeus Amwele was going to attend Founding President Sam Nujoma’s memorial, come rain or shine, and he did, with his last available minuscule resources.
Using the last of his savings, he arrived in Eenhana, determined to pay his final respects to the man he calls a commander, a leader and a brother.
For him, this journey was not just about honouring a leader, but about saying goodbye to a comrade, a mentor and a friend.
When in the mix at the memorial service held on Friday at Eenhana Stadium in Ohangwena, Amwele sat quietly among mourners, reflecting on a lifetime shaped by the struggle for independence and the leadership of Nujoma.
“I would feel guilty if I did not attend his memorial service. I would choose to be here over anything because I am who I am today because of him,” said the pensioner, who is just a year younger than the late Nujoma.
Despite being almost peers, Amwele considers Nujoma his senior as he was the man who always had great national responsibilities.
He said he was their commander, his voice filled with emotion.
“In 1977, I went into exile for the liberation struggle. I worked closely with Nujoma in Luanda,” he said.
One of his most treasured memories is of a day when he lay sick in bed, in Angola, and Nujoma paid him a visit.
“He sat by my bed, encouraging me, telling me everything I needed to hear. I will never finish praising Nujoma. He was the kind of man a nation would always need,” Amwele fondly said about his comrade and commander.
All ages
In contrast, as the streets of Eenhana filled with mourners, a grade 5 learner at Eenhana Primary School, Rauha Hafeni, watched in silence as the coffin carrying Namibia’s founding father, passed by.
It signalled that young and old, Namibians in their diversity united in grief, to pay homage and celebrate the legacy of a man considered the founding father of the Namibian nation.
For her, it was a moment of deep reflection.
She had hoped to one day see the man whose name is written in Namibia’s history.
“Too bad I did not get a chance to see him; I only saw his coffin touring the streets,” Hafeni said, softly.
She has learnt about Nujoma’s legacy in school, the sacrifices he made, the freedom he fought for, and his vision for the country, but one thing stood out the most.
“What made me respect him even more is that he said every Namibian child should attend school, regardless of their situation,” she said proudly.
Hafeni vowed to carry his teachings forward.
Roadside
Ndeilikana Toivo, a grade 1 learner at Kornelius Combined School, held up a Namibian flag and eagerly waited for the moment Sam Nujoma’s body would pass by.
Though young, he understood that a historic moment was unfolding before his eyes.
“Our teacher told us that an icon of this country will soon pass by,” he said, his small hands gripping the flag tightly.
Even at his age, he had already learnt about the legacy of the founding father, the leader who fought for Namibia’s freedom and believed in education for all.
“When I grow up, I want to be like him,” he said.
-vkaapanda@nepc.com.na