The United Nations over the weekend held a commemorative event to pay tribute to Founding President Sam Nujoma, calling him a liberator who advocated and worked for global peace.
UN General Assembly president Philemon Yang said they are mourning and celebrating the extraordinary life of Nujoma, expressing condolences and sympathy to his family and Namibia.
"We remember Nujoma as a man of towering achievement, whose noble struggle for the independence of his nation left a lasting imprint across the African continent, and indeed the world. It is a legacy of solidarity and perseverance, one that appealed to the principle of equality and leading firm ground for partnership," he said. Yang added that Nujoma's address to the General Assembly in 2004 gave life to these values, encapsulated as "I believe strongly that our common goals and objectives are achievable because a people united, striving to achieve a common good for all members of society, will always emerge victorious."
He observed that Nujoma was an exemplary leader, and his work should be replicated across the board to spread peace. "Let us carry forward his torch of unity and resolve today and always", Yang urged. Ambassador Neville Gertze, Permanent Representative of Namibia to the United Nations, equated his death to a giant Baobab tree which had fallen.
"Humanity has trembled, as the last of the generation of pioneering luminaries, revolutionary leaders, liberation heroes and heroines and uncompromising advocates of African solidarity, is no more. He exercised the inalienable rights to self-determination, and to break the shackles of colonialism; colonial subjugation is now no more," he asserted.
"Today, we gather in solemn remembrance to pay tribute to an extraordinary leader, visionary son of the African soil, and the father of the Namibian nation and the Land of the Brave. We bow our heads in reverence to honouring an iconic Namibian, whose life was a testament to resilience, selflessness, unity, patriotic duty and an unwavering commitment to justice, freedom, peace, development and security", Gertze continued.
Nujoma's younger brother, Noah Nujoma, was also in attendance, and fondly remembered his sibling as a compassionate individual who was a nurturer.
"My heart is heavy and full of sadness because my family and I, and the whole nation of Namibia, are mourning the passing of my oldest brother--my parents' first-born. Sam Nujoma was a very good person. He was kind, compassionate and generous. I clearly remember his generosity as a young boy at that time--he used to work in Windhoek, and he bought us clothes and everything that we needed. He shared everything he had with his family and siblings," said Nujoma.
Another diplomat in the USA, Helena Ndapewa Kuzee, said it took the founding president's courageous steps of crossing borders into exile to pursue independence.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"As early as July 1960, shortly after his 31st birthday, he found himself petitioning the fourth committee alongside Mburumba Kerina and Jariretundu Kozonguizi to the United Nations, and had clarity as they petitioned several times, arguing that South West Africa should be given independence, and using multipronged strategies, including outreach to the International Court of Justice, launching an armed struggle, and advanced thematic negotiations," she recalled.
Kuzee said all those interventions were done while mobilising the international community's solidarity and support.
"He desired to see a free and independent Namibia. He left home, and was prepared to sacrifice his life. Today, we gather not only to celebrate his extraordinary life and legacy, but also to reflect on the enduring values of freedom, resilience and self-determination."
The Permanent Representative of Egypt, Osama Mahmoud Abdel Khalek Mahmoud, said the event allowed the group to come together in solidarity and respect as they pay tribute to the remarkable legacy of one of Africa's most esteemed leaders, a clarion call to keep that spirit alive.
"His role was not merely political. He was a vehicle of inspiration, and played an instrumental role in leading the country's struggle for independence. Through his efforts, he transformed the dreams of freedom and self-determination into a tangible reality for the people. He was not only an advocate for the rights of the Namibian people, but also an embodiment of the spirit of resilience and unwavering determination which resonates throughout our beautiful continent."
