Stefanus Nashama
Hage Geingob, the Head of State and President of Namibia, fondly remembers the late Axali Jakobus Doëseb as a patriot, hero, and dedicated Swapo cadre who used his musical talents to contribute to the cause of self-determination and freedom for Namibia.
During a speech delivered at the state memorial service held last week in Windhoek, President Geingob highlighted that Doëseb’s calling in life was not to be a soldier on the battlefield, a diplomat, or a skilled politician. Instead, his true calling lay in the world of arts, particularly in music.
Geingob praised Doëseb as a master craftsman of lyrics and melodies who, through a few but poignant verses, created a masterpiece of national harmony that resonated with the spirit and psyche of a people who had triumphed over centuries of colonial oppression to usher in an era of freedom and independence.
According to Geingob, Doëseb joined Swapo in 1974 with a burning desire to change the deplorable and oppressive conditions of the dark days of the apartheid regime, under which many Namibians suffered.
He noted that Doëseb used his artistic talents to support the liberation struggle, including singing Swapo songs to mobilize Namibians to join the fight for freedom. Geingob emphasized that Doëseb played a vital role within Namibia, mobilizing from within to keep the flame of freedom alive.
Additionally, Geingob mentioned that Doëseb served as a Swapo representative in Germany from 1980 to 1984, serving under the leadership of the late Ambassador Hadino Hishongwa. During this time, he seized the opportunity to use vehicles from the Council of Churches of Namibia (CCN) to transport Namibians into exile. Although he was just employed as a driver, his sacrifice paved the way for the struggle for freedom.
Doëseb’s most enduring contribution, President Geingob noted, was his role as the driving force behind the creation of the national anthem through his music.
President Geingob celebrated Doëseb as a man who held his country and his people close to his heart. He recognized the significant role that Doëseb’s musical talents played in uniting the Namibian people for a greater cause.
Geingob affirmed that Doëseb’s legacy of fostering national unity through music, exemplified by the National Anthem, would forever be a part of Namibian history, immortalizing a people who had achieved their hard-won political freedom.
Axali Jakobus Doëseb passed away last month and was laid to rest over the weekend at Pioneerspark Cemetery in Windhoek. His contributions to Namibia’s struggle for freedom and unity through music will continue to shine brightly in the consciousness of the Namibian people for generations to come.
