Bishop Auala Centenary

TODAY marks the birthday of the late Lutheran Bishop Leonard Nangolo Auala, who was a key player among church leaders during the liberation struggle and co-author of an open letter sent to then South African Prime Minster John Vorster, demanding Namibian Independence.

He was born on September 25 1908 in the rural area of Oniipa in northern Namibia, now Oshikoto Region, raised by Finnish missionaries. After attending primary school at Oniipa, he went to the Augustineum at Okahandja and after wards theological training at Elim and the Moravian Theological Seminary in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.He first worked as a secretary to the Ondonga King Martin Kadhikwa, and was subsequently elected as the Dean of the Ondonga church circuit, going on to became the first black Moderator of the Evangelical Lutheran Owambo-Kavango Church (ELOC), now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (Elcin).In 1963, Pastor Auala was elected as the first black Bishop of ELOC and served in this capacity until 1978.He was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) for seven years until 1970.Bishop Auala and Moderator Paulus Gowaseb of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in SWA (formerly Rhenish Mission) were co-signatories of the open letter dated June 30 1971 to the South African Prime Minister, which received worldwide attention.It demanded freedom for Namibia, an end of intimidation and violence, abolition of the Group Areas Act, freedom of expression for all, voting rights for all, the end of job reservation and of the contract labour system.As a member of Swapo, Auala was harassed and intimidated by the South African apartheid authorities.It resulted in two bombings of the church printing press at Oniipa.During his career, Auala received several honorary doctorates, awards and medals.In 1995, former President Sam Nujoma, awarded him the ‘Namibian Order of the Sea Eagle’.He was married to Aina Aluhe and they were blessed with a family of ten children.Bishop Auala passed away on December 4 1983.After attending primary school at Oniipa, he went to the Augustineum at Okahandja and after wards theological training at Elim and the Moravian Theological Seminary in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.He first worked as a secretary to the Ondonga King Martin Kadhikwa, and was subsequently elected as the Dean of the Ondonga church circuit, going on to became the first black Moderator of the Evangelical Lutheran Owambo-Kavango Church (ELOC), now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (Elcin).In 1963, Pastor Auala was elected as the first black Bishop of ELOC and served in this capacity until 1978.He was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) for seven years until 1970.Bishop Auala and Moderator Paulus Gowaseb of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in SWA (formerly Rhenish Mission) were co-signatories of the open letter dated June 30 1971 to the South African Prime Minister, which received worldwide attention.It demanded freedom for Namibia, an end of intimidation and violence, abolition of the Group Areas Act, freedom of expression for all, voting rights for all, the end of job reservation and of the contract labour system.As a member of Swapo, Auala was harassed and intimidated by the South African apartheid authorities.It resulted in two bombings of the church printing press at Oniipa.During his career, Auala received several honorary doctorates, awards and medals.In 1995, former President Sam Nujoma, awarded him the ‘Namibian Order of the Sea Eagle’.He was married to Aina Aluhe and they were blessed with a family of ten children.Bishop Auala passed away on December 4 1983.

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