Niël Terblanché
Seven months after his passing, the legacy of late President Hage Geingob continues to be celebrated.
On Tuesday evening, the Africa-America Institute (AAI) hosted its 40th Annual Awards Gala Dinner in New York where a special tribute was paid to the late statesman.
While addressing attendees at the event, President Nangolo Mbumba honoured his predecessor’s extraordinary life and legacy, reflecting on the significant loss felt by Namibians and the global community.
Mbumba shared the deep sorrow and shock that followed the unexpected passing of the Namibian leader.
“On the morning of 4 February, all the experience I had acquired in my lifetime betrayed me. Life does not prepare you to stand before a grieving nation to inform them that their President passed away,” Mbumba said
The gathering, which brought together notable figures such as President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, and U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, served as a platform to honour Geingob’s enduring impact as both a freedom fighter and a nation-builder.
The theme of the evening, “Building Bridges and Igniting Futures”, fittingly echoed the remarkable life of Dr. Geingob, whose leadership helped to shape modern Namibia.
While reflecting on Geingob’s time as an alumnus of the Africa-America Institute, Mbumba pointed to the instrumental role the Institute played in shaping the young leader’s future.
“When the Africa-America Institute embraced the young freedom fighter, Hage Geingob in the 1960s, the Institute built a bridge and ignited a future. The Namibian people are proud of an exceptional leader whose future you helped to ignite,” Mbumba said.
He added that under the late Geingob’s leadership, Namibia became a bastion of peace, stability, and inclusive development in Africa.
“His vision of the Namibian House, a place where no one feels left out, was a testament to his unwavering commitment to nation-building and social unity,” he said.
Mbumba lauded this legacy, reminding the audience of Geingob’s larger-than-life personality and the deep humanity that made him an admired statesman both in Namibia and abroad.
Mbumba also stressed the importance of celebrating the life of the late President Geingob, rather than grieving his loss anew.
“Tonight is not for us to grieve anew, but to replace our grief with a celebration of the legacy of an extraordinary statesman whose calibre and deep humanity is widely admired,” he urged while calling for the evening to be a moment of reflection on his contributions to global peace and development.
Geingob’s wife, Monica Geingos, described her late husband as a thoughtful person with a kind heart who approached every situation with the question of how he could make things better.
She said this mindset made him an exceptional leader, father, friend, and husband.
“Hage had a theory that transparency and accountability equal trust. He lived this truth with no contradictions. He was not a victim; he was a victor, embodying resilience and strength in every aspect of his life,” she said.
Kofi Appenteng, the president of AAI, said that many people loved Geingob and that he was the embodiment of what is possible when community passion aligns to create a more just and equitable world.
Other leaders who attended the event included Liberian President Joseph Boakai and Mokgweetsi Masisi, the president of Botswana.
