A TYPICAL Namibian thing we all do; you ask? No, It’s not kapana or our collective love for meat. It is assuming the worst when someone is doing exceptionally well in their professional space.
How did NSK get that gig? He is probably paying the organizer. How did Top Cheri get that car dealership deal? She is probably sleeping with the principal dealer. How is it possible that Julia Bosslady is having dinner with Rick Ross? She is definitely pimping girls for his camp.
We never give our own people the benefit of the doubt. I can’t quite put a finger on the “why” but I have a theory. It’s a simple and straightforward theory I have been writing about since 2014. My theory is…we do not have confidence in ourselves as Namibians. We are so used to mediocrity, that when someone does something exceptional or achieves beyond reasonable expectation, we immediately assume they attained this success through dubious means.
We do not have the confidence that our own can actually go about the straight and narrow and achieve greatness. We do not have the confidence that our own have the ability to go toe to toe with any other country on the world stage. We do not have the confidence that our own can break the ceiling and reach for more.
The ICT ministry has in recent times spearheaded the Nationhood and National Pride campaign with the aim of reinforcing a sense of belonging, patriotism, and national pride among the citizens. The official documentation from this campaign says it also aims to educate the public to understand and see how they can contribute to its success, as well as to access the viability of the reactivation of regional Nationhood and National Pride regional forums.
The Nationhood and National Pride provides a framework of five strategic pillars, namely: National Identity and National Branding, Social Cohesion, Governance and Capacity Building, Research and Innovation, Communication, Education
and Awareness.
All good and all, however, my question always comes down to this…is this information reaching the ordinary Namibian? Will these noble plans as outlined by the official documentation of the Nationhood and National Pride speak to the ordinary Namibian? Or do these noble plans end at meetings in government offices and singing of national anthems at functions?
Namibia has a serious patriotism problem. We have zero confidence in our identity. That’s why we assume the most hideous things when our own step away from the norm and achieve incredible stuff.
Julia Bosslady, a simple girl from Tsumeb but bred in Ongwediva is playing on the world stage. I know for a fact there are rumours and insane assumptions about what she does. In the podcast edition of this column, we gave Julia Bosslady
the opportunity to make you and I understand what she does.
Tune in on all New Era platforms for that conversation. Do not forget to use the hashtag #IndustryLoop when you tweet or post about the podcast that features Julia Bosslady.
Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM
• Need an MC? I’m YOUR guy. Hit me up…naobebsekind@gmail.com