Patience Makwele
Minister of information and communications technology Emma Theofelus has urged young Namibians to follow the resilience, courage and spirit of resistance shown by Namibia’s founding president, Sam Nujoma.
The call was made during a commemoration event hosted by the Physically Active Youth Empowerment Organisation in Katutura to honour Nujoma’s legacy and role in Namibia’s liberation struggle.
Speaking at the event, Theofelus said Nujoma’s values should continue guiding young people as they help build the country.
“Dr Sam Nujoma, who has since left us. But in him and in us, his legacy continues because he lives in all of us seated here. Resilience, courage, resistance, and so many other lessons he taught us will continue to be carried with a bright torch in all of us, in our deeds, and in our work that we do,” she said.
Theofelus said young people should remain committed to contributing to Namibia’s development while protecting the values Nujoma stood for.
“And I’m sure that not only the PAY team but also the children here will know that from today we had a garlanded son of the Namibian soil, Dr Sam Nujoma, our founding president and father of the Namibian nation, who is looking after us to continue building this wonderful Namibia, this wonderful country we call Namibia,” she said.
PAY co-founder Marie-Jeanne Ndimbera-Rosner reflected on Nujoma’s vision for African unity and described him as a committed pan-Africanist.
She recalled watching Nujoma on NBC during the inauguration of a project where both the Namibian and African Union flags were displayed.
“He looked at the flags and said, ‘One day, if we continue liberating ourselves, Africa will be one country.’ He was a pan-Africanist, and I think that spoke to me particularly,” she said.
One of the attendees, 21-year-old Maria Andreas, said events honouring liberation leaders help young people understand Namibia’s history.
“As young people, we did not experience the liberation struggle ourselves, so hearing these stories reminds us to appreciate the sacrifices made for Namibia’s freedom,” she said.
Another attendee, University of Namibia student Micheal Natangwe Shilongo, said Nujoma’s resilience should motivate young people to stay determined despite challenges such as unemployment and poverty.
“Young people today face different struggles, but we can still learn from leaders like Dr Nujoma not to give up easily and to continue working hard for our future,” he said.
The event formed part of ongoing efforts by youth organisations to preserve Namibia’s liberation history and encourage young people to learn from leaders who contributed to the country’s independence.
