Thousands honour King Mandume

THOUSANDS of Namibians from all walks of life congregated at Omhedi in the Ohangwena region over the weekend to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of Ovakwanyama King Mandume ya Ndemufayo.

The main event took place on Saturday when President Hage Geingob unveiled a bust of King Mandume ya Ndemufayo. During his address, Geingob stressed that he was happy to be part of the event.

“I am happy to be part of this inclusive gathering. It is pleasing to witness the presence of Namibians from all different ethnic groups who have travelled from far and wide to congregate right here at Omhedi,” he said, adding that there was nothing wrong with belonging to a tribe and being proud of it, but that people should avoid being tribal.

Geingob described King Mandume as an icon of Namibia’s struggle against colonial oppression, and a visionary leader who exhibited the courage and valour befitting of royalty. He said Mandume was a fearless and patriotic hero, whose qualities were worth emulating by current and future generations.

“The story of Ohamba Mandume ya Ndemufayo’s fearless spirit and unwavering determination to defend the territorial integrity of his people is not only a testament to his bravery, but a statement to the spirit of the Namibian people and the African people as a whole who rejected foreign occupation,” Geingob noted.

He said upon attaining independence, Namibia had no monuments dedicated to indigenous heroes, but only German colonial ones. This is why indigenous monuments were being built to reflect Namibia’s history and victory in the struggle for independence.

Geingob added that monuments such as Heroes Acre, the new State House, the Supreme Court, the Independence Memorial Museum and the Ongulumbashe Memorial reflected the pride of an independent Namibia.

The President also touched on the thorny issue of the Namibia-Angola border, acknowledging that Africans realised that Europe’s arbitrary colonial borders still hold some disadvantages. However, he noted that this does not mean that people should start to claim the territories of fellow African states by using ancestral boundaries as justification.

“Therefore, there is no basis for Namibians to claim Angolan territory as their own. Whoever dreams of that notion must stop it today. I would like to state in the most emphatic of terms that Namibia respects Angola’s territorial integrity,” the President emphasised.

For his part, the chairperson of the council of traditional leaders, Ondonga King Immanuel Elifas, said in a speech read by Josef Asino of the Ondonga council that the event should not be viewed as tribal or political. He said it was organised under the auspices of the Traditional Authorities Act, which provided for traditional authorities to host such events to honour their leaders and heroes.

King Elifas also spoke in favour of traditional court systems to settle communal and intra-group disputes, and cautioned against alcohol, drugs, and women and child abuse.

The official commemoration event was attended by former Presidents Sam Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba, traditional leaders such as OvaMbanderu chief Kilus Nguvauva and Ongandjera King Mupiya, Cabinet ministers, religious leaders, the leader of the official opposition, DTA president McHenry Venaani, diplomats, business personalities and Ovakwanyama people from Angola, among them the administrator of the Onamacunde district.

Attendees were treated to traditional dances and drills from different groups, notably the OvaHerero and Ova­Mbanderu traditional marchers, amongst performances of many Aawambo groups. The Namibian police’s band also entertained the guests.

King Mandume ya Ndemufayo was killed at the age of 23 by Portuguese and British colonial forces, supported by South Africa, on 4 February 1917.

Historians say he ascended to the throne at the age of 17, and quickly introduced far-reaching changes to the Oukwanyama kingdom in order to improve the lives of his subjects.

The young king is said to have banned cattle rustling, the random firing of weapons, illegal fishing and hunting, and also the burning alive of young and unmarried pregnant women.

The commemoration will end today with a visit to King Mandume’s grave at Oihole in southern Angola.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.