BRIAN van Wyk hits the nail on the head with the word go – Untag is a “never ending mission”.
During the active involvement of this United Nations transition body in Namibia shortly before the country’s independence a quarter of a century ago, his last name was Axdal, he tells The Namibian.
According to him, the Land of the Brave has been an integral part of his life over the past 25 years on a daily basis.
Van Wyk was a tender 19-year-old Dane when he signed for the Untag mission.
Having fallen in love with the former South West Africa, he willingly decided to extend his initial contract after being approached to do so.
“I did say yes and thank you. So I spent 13 months as an Untag soldier [in the country].”
During the first six months of his tour of duty, he worked as a driver. During this highlight, he explored “all corners of Namibia”, he says enthusiastically.
For the following half a year, he was attached to Untag’s transport office situated at the Suiderhof base. Many a friendship was born in the course of this time. “I made friends with all kinds of Namibians no matter what [skin] colour they had.”
Subsequent to his Untag stint in the country, he also visited the country on numerous occasions.
It followed that Van Wyk’s heart was stolen by a Namibian woman – to such an extent that he adopted her surname. The couple has two “Namibian-minded” children, he says.
With great delight Van Wyk says: “Namibians say about me: Brian, you are a true Namibian, just born in another country.”
The former soldier says he has spent the last 25 years promoting Namibia. Moreover, he and his wife founded a Namibian-Danes friendship club, thanks to the encouragement of former ambassador Theresia Samaria.
Currently underway is a company, Namibia Consultant Group, based in Scandinavia.
The purpose of this venture, he explains, is to attract investors to Namibia to ultimately create more job opportunities.
Equally, it will be aimed at promoting Namibian products to the Scandinavian market.
This initiative comes following encouragement from ambassador Morina Mouundjo.
Van Wyk, who will be in the stadium when Hage Geingob becomes Namibia’s third democratically elected president on Saturday, says he has been devoted during the last two years to Untag’s involvement in the milestone event.
Untag veterans from Australia, England and Denmark will also join in the festivities this weekend when President Hifikepunye Pohamba steps down, he shared.
Van Wyk condemns a culture of complaining. “To the Namibians I will say: Before complaining about what others could do, ask yourself ‘what can I do?’”
