Sam Nujoma graduates

FORMER President Sam Nujoma will be one of 1 401 Unam students graduating tomorrow at the Safari Court Hotel & Casino.

In 2006, a year after handing over the presidency to President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Nujoma registered for a Masters Degree in Geology at the University of Namibia, where he is the Chancellor. He was 77 at the time.During Nujoma’s three terms as President he always commented that Namibia’s mineral wealth has not yet been fully exploited.At the time Unam Vice Chancellor Lazarus Hangula said Nujoma’s decision to study was a ’cause of jubilation’ for staff and students alike.’We welcome him with an open heart,’ said Hangula. ‘His presence on the campus is certainly a challenge to all of us in many ways.’ Approached for comment on behalf of the Founding President, his spokesperson, John Nauta, did not want to confirm that Nujoma is graduating on Friday.’Why don’t you ask the university? No come on,’ he said before ending the call abruptly.Unam spokesperson Utaara Hoveka did confirm it, though, saying that ‘the University is exceedingly delighted to graduate a person of Dr Nujoma’s credentials and age’.’We hope this will serve as an inspiration for young people to study hard and for other people to take postgraduate studies,’ he said.Nujoma’s time as a student was not without controversy. ‘We have offered him a bursary to study at Unam, which he accepted,’ said Lev Leviev Diamonds MD and Samicor Director Kombadayedu Kapwanga, flanked by the former President as he toured the facilities of LLD Diamonds in June 2006. There are still many unanswered questions, including whether the university will now open the specific course to other students, how the former President fared in his assignments and what the subject of his thesis was.The university declined to comment on any of the questions. The university’s coastal research facility, the Sam Nujoma Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre (SANUMARC) at Henties Bay, is named after the former Head of State.