Ya Toivo’s children pay tribute to family giant

• PATIENCE SMITHTO THE children of celebrated hero Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, the late liberation icon was simply “Papa”.

They remember him as fun-loving, yet strict, attentive, playful and loving.

Ya Toivo’s twin daughters Nashikoto and Mutaleni and the nephews he raised as his sons, Isaack and Philemon Nahum, told mourners at Keetmanshoop on Tuesday that their father, who died on 9 June aged 92, was “old-school, but youthful”.

Isaack said Ya Toivo was the greatest man they ever knew.

“He was simple, loyal, always grateful for everything, even for a plate of food we would give him, always positive and someone who never boasted,” the young man said.

Nashikoto said the children’s upbringing was tough and modest, explaining that her dad believed in traditional customs.

“Papa hated liars, thieves and lazy people. Once you lied to him, it was difficult to regain his trust,” she said.

Philemon said Ya Toivo only spoke about a thing once.

“He was very stubborn, but with Mama (Ya Toivo’s wife, Vicki), we worked out strategies on how to approach him about certain things.”

Philemon said the boys got hidings from Ya Toivo when necessary, but always had the support of the elder.

“He showered us with love and happily attended all our activities, such as the girls’ ballet classes and our soccer games.”

Philemon told of how “Mama never got a wedding ring, and Papa said his love for her was in his heart, not a ring”.

Mutaleni said her father taught the children to be tolerant, and to believe in justice and equality.

“Papa could never understand when young people would identify themselves by their tribes when asked what they were. He always said we were Africans first and Namibians second,” she noted.

The children wanted southerners who had gathered from the Hardap and //Karas regions for Ya Toivo’s memorial service to know that their father died “very happy and peaceful at home”.

Vicki said she and Ya Toivo were lucky to have met each other in October 1984 in New York, where she was a labour lawyer and civil rights activist.

The couple married on 29 March 1990 shortly after Namibia’s independence, and have been together for nearly 33 years.

“The children were the greatest joys of Andimba’s life. He was always there for them, and taught them to respect everyone,” she said.

Ya Toivo also had a vast network of friends in and outside Namibia.

“I would go as far as to say that Andimba was the friendliest person in Namibia. He loved travelling by road and meeting friends along the way, with whom he laughed and shared memories.”

Vicki paid tribute to her husband’s family, including his brother and sister Nestor ya Toivo and Esther Shikongo, who were present at the memorial service, and asked them not to abandon her children.

“Please continue to guide them as Andimba had done,” she said.

The widow added that her husband was a transparent and consistent person who was disturbed by the prevailing tribalism and income inequalities in his beloved country.

“He was pained by the situation of the country’s poor and on behalf of him, we say, the struggle continues.”

– Nampa

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