Unam bids farewell to its founding Chancellor

Iris Shimhanda
  • 1 Day Ago
The University of Namibia (UNAM) held a memorial service on Tuesday at its Main Campus in Windhoek to honour the life of the late founding father, Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma





Nujoma served as UNAM's founding chancellor from April 1993 to November 2011.





Speaking at the event, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana who served as the Minister of Youth and Sport during Nujoma’s first term, described him as a "dedicated visionary and forthright leader".





Many tributes echoed her sentiments, highlighting Nujoma’s role in the struggle for independence and his commitment to establishing a quality education system accessible to all Namibians.





UNAM's Vice Chancellor, Prof Kenneth Matengu spoke of the founding Vice Chancellor’s exemplary nature.





“Dr Sam Nujoma always emphasised that education is a weapon to fight ignorance and he led by example and by obtaining his Master’s degree in Ecology upon the installment of the university,” Matengu said.





He went on to describe Nujoma as strong-willed and humble, noting that even as the President of Namibia at the time, he insisted on being treated like any other student, starting with his undergraduate studies alongside his peers.





Speaking at the event, the first minister of education, Nahas Angula stated that Nujoma was an instrument in the pursuit of access to education for all.





He reinforced these sentiments by highlighting Nujoma’s 95 years as a life of struggle and commitment to the emancipation of the Land of the Brave.



A fellow founding Vice Chancellor, Prof Peter Katjavivi, continued the tribute, stating that Nujoma believed education was a gateway to human development and that of the nation as a whole. He also spoke about the importance of women in education and Nujoma’s dedication to combating gender disparities.



Furthermore, he emphasised that it is never too late to pursue education, reflecting on both his and Dr. Nujoma’s journey in establishing UNAM.

The event was filled with insightful tributes to the life of the founding father and his dedication to education.



Students attended in large numbers, and UNAM's Vice President, Felix Siyunda, delivered a heartfelt farewell to Dr. Nujoma on behalf of the student body.



He concluded with, " ... go well, tatekulu, you will forever be famous," and urged the youth to continue drawing inspiration from Nujoma’s legacy to strive for excellence and build a Namibia rooted in justice.