Loide Jason
Omhedi-Queen Martha Mwadinomho yaChristina Nelumbu of Oukwanyama interacted with a group of people from various professions during a retreat she held at her palace on Saturday.
During the event at Omhedi village the queen said she invited Journalists, nurses, teachers and special advisors to the palace as part of her initiative to interact with professional persons in the northern regions.
“This is not the first time I am doing this. I have great respect for our professionals from different backgrounds. This is a way of showing that I appreciate their work and the services they render to the communities,” she said.
Queen Mwadinomho added that she also wanted to show the invited guests that the palace is for everyone and that everybody should feel free to enter whenever they want to. Each of the four invited groups was given a head of cattle of their own to cook and treat themselves.
Helvy Shaanika, the head of New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC) in the north, donated blankets to the queen on behalf of her media house. She said the blankets were meant for the queen’s project that she earlier initiated as part of the effort to prevent baby dumping.
Last year Queen Mwadinomho had urged mothers who do not want their babies not to kill them or throw them away, but to rather take them to her palace. “In response to your noble call and effort to create a shelter for unwanted babies, we brought you these blankets,” Shaanika said.
Shaanika also was delighted to receive the invitation on behalf of NEPC and wished the queen all the best in her endeavours.
Helena Shiimbi, the head of NBC Oshiwambo Radio, also commended the queen for the good initiative.
“We are so grateful that meekulu has recognised the professions that are not appreciated by many. In our line of duty, journalists are being pushed around, shouted at and mistreated, but you have honoured us. We are grateful,” said Shiimbi. NBC also handed over gifts to the queen.
The health professionals that spoke to New Era said they feel respected by the queen; a thing that they said is very rare in the wider society.
“We did not know that everyone has a right to come to the palace. We feel honoured to be here today. We are so excited,” said Evi-Lydia Namukwambi seconded by Penduka Nghihanyena from Engela hospital.
Immanuel Shangheta, a doctor at Okongo, said he was thankful for the invitation from the queen.
“This shows that we are recognised and acknowledged by the queen. We are delighted to be here. Therefore, we wish other traditional leaders can do the same,” he said.
Dr George Kapa, the hospital superintendent at Eenhana, said they felt respected in the region and therefore want people to build a good foundation of health care in the region.