David Junias
Redressing unity in society is crucial for societal convergence, which is well known as societal progression in a much more hopeful terminology- The term also convinces that unity prolongs.
Contrarily, the absence of unity or wavering unity in society brings about societal divergence, individualism, the disparity between the rich and the poor, and overall all the negative spinoffs of disunity.
In this piece, the writer embraces leaders, and leadership that embraces unity. He sees unity as a glue for Namibians to fight for a common cause and to fight day-to-day societal oppressors such as youth unemployment among others.
The writer, who is keen on attending youth forums, and conferences and even enjoy daily conversations on current affairs with peers, has sought solutions to societal issues and unity has stood out as the number one solution to most societal issues.
For instance, the latter outlined societal issue (youth unemployment), is one that societal unity will resolve.
Sibonelo Sosibo’s piece titled, ‘A united youth can help address unemployment’ tells a success story of united youth.
He writes that South African youth after facing adversities of unemployment, demanded the doors of learning to be opened to everyone, including the poorest. South African youth marched to Luthuli House, the Union Building and the parliament. In a spirit of unity per se, they became galvanised around a common cause.
Sosibo emphasises that it is this spirit of unity that is needed to address one of his country’s most pressing challenges, namely unemployment.
His advice emphasised the significance of young people from different backgrounds joining forces and coming up with suggestions on how to address the challenge of unemployment and concomitant poverty and inequality.
In Namibia, unity is preached by the President of Namibia, who is also baptised as the “Unifier”. In one of the local Oshiwambo songs, he is portrayed as “Hage Geingob, oove omuhanganifi.” The song verse translates to, Hage Geingob, you are the “unifier”.
In his (Hage Gottfried Geingob) doctoral dissertation, titled ‘State Formation in Namibia: Promoting Democracy and Good Governance’, dating back to 2004, he writes that Namibia was heavily divided before its independence. He was elected as the chair of the first Constituent Assembly on 21 November 1989 in the first Committee of drafting the Namibian Constitution, and that committee ensured that the founding Namibian Constitution was backed by the spirit of consultation, mutual respect and reconciliation.
Credit should be given to the founding Constituent Assembly members, who emerged from varying political backgrounds, and crafted the supreme law of the Land or the Namibian Constitution on a unifying foundation.
In the past, or during colonial times, Namibians were denied unity by the colonisers. The colonisers were aware of the progress that would arise from the black communities when they were united.
The colonisers, therefore, paid attention to disuniting the Namibian black communities through colonial contrivances such as the Odendaal Plan, among others.
Historical records reveal that the Odentaal Plan was appointed in 1962 to establish territories dedicated to the “separate development” of the different ethnic groups in South West Africa (Namibia today).
Even though Dr Christo Botha, Head of the History Department at the University of Namibia, writes that the creation of so-called homelands for each ethnic group was proposed in the Odentaal Plan, not because it was believed that it would provide a better way of promoting development, but because it was argued that a unitary Namibia would lead to constant conflict caused by ethnic rivalry.
Dr Christo Botha, also writes on critics of the Odendaal Plan, as it is argued to have enhanced white domination and splinter development projects, fostered political manipulation and poorly invested in human resources of the black communities.
This discussion will continue though. In conclusion, however, the writer edgily implies the significance of society to embrace unity preached by leaders and in leaderships that advocate for unity.
Colonial mechanisms interfered with the unity of Namibians because colonialists were aware of the supremacy of black people communities if they would unite.
Namibia is now independent, there shouldn’t be anything bound to stop our unity.
There is an untapped, utopian destination for Namibians and the black communities, and for any society to reach when they unite.