By Helvy Shaanika
OUTAPI – The fundraising gala evening for Olufuko Festival reached over N$1.7 million, which is the highest amount of money ever raised for this event since its inception two years ago.
The annual Olufuko Festival, which is the initiation event for Ovawambo virgin girls, is scheduled to take place next month.
Last weekend, Outapi Town Council held a gala dinner at Omusati Regional Council’s hall, aiming to raise funds for the event.
Hundreds of local business personalities and government officials including ministers and officials from international communities such as Angola and Indonesia also attended the event that was blessed with the presence of the Founding President, Dr. Sam Nujoma.
Nujoma who is also the patron of Olufuko Festival pledged N$20 000, while local construction company O’B Davids Properties CC pledged N$1 million, which was the highest of the evening. AMA Engineering, Construction, Omuzile Properties and Kambwa Trading, each pledged to donate N$55, 000, N$50 000 and N$40 000 respectively, while Tona Trading and Amadhila Family and First National Bank have each pledged N$25 000. In her personal capacity, the Governor of Omusati, Sophia Shaningwa, pledged a bull worth N$7000.
The 2012 and 2013 gala dinners only managed to raise over N$442 000 and N$618 000 respectively.
Nujoma, who was the keynote speaker at the event, urged the society to continue respecting culture, maintaining that culture is the guiding force of every group in the society. According to Nujoma, by keeping cultural values and norms intact, society can maintain good social standards.
The Founding President associated ongoing social problems including domestic violence to the loss of cultural values. Nujoma further said nowadays domestic violence is more prevalent, compared to the past when cultural values were much stronger.
“A nation without culture will never prosper because culture is the root of every country,” said Nujoma.
According to Omusati Regional Governor, Sophia Shaningwa, at least 40 girls are expected to be initiated during the 2014 Olufuko Festival. Shaningwa maintain that the girls are not initiated in order to go into early marriage but they are expected to get back to school and finish their education.
Shaningwa whose term in the office is coming to an end during 2015, said Olufuko will be one of the projects that will be added to the list of successes during her term.
“My term is coming to an end in 2015 and I’ll look back with pride that in Omusati we have made it in terms of culture. Make no mistake culture is very, very important. It is who we are,” said Shaningwa.