No special treatment in exile – Utoni Nujoma

WINDHOEK, 20 FEB (NAMPA) - Utoni Nujoma, the eldest son of Namibia’s Founding President Sam Nujoma, and the current Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation, shared that his father did not offer him or his siblings special treatment during their time in exile.
Sam Nujoma passed away on 08 February 2025 at the age of 95 in a Windhoek hospital, where he was hospitalised for three weeks due to ill health.
During a tribute to his father at the Nujoma residence in the Avis residential area of Windhoek on Wednesday evening, Utoni, the eldest of four children, recalled that he and his two brothers, Zackaria and John, went into exile in 1974. John passed away in 1993.
They were accompanied by John ya Otto, who was the Swapo Secretary General at the time.
“What is remarkable is that we soon realised that we were not going to get any special treatment from our father. He immediately ordered that my siblings and I were going for military training to join the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), Swapo’s Military Wing, and be deployed at the front to fight the enemy forces together with all brothers and sisters in the struggle,” Utoni told mourners at a memorial service in honour of his father.
Nujoma’s younger brother, Elia, also joined them in exile and tragically lost his life as a combatant of PLAN.
“This is how we started referring to our father as Comrade President, instead of calling him father, because he never discriminated against any one and truly groomed us all in exile equally as a father figure. President Nujoma was a true revolutionary leader, who epitomised Namibia’s national liberation struggle and led it until (Namibia’s) independence in 1990. He loved his country and its people,” Utoni added.
He described his father as a pillar of strength and a fountain of wisdom for the family. Although they could not always have him by their side, he said they understood their father was the embodiment of Namibia’s liberation struggle for freedom and independence.
“He was truly the embodiment and face of our national liberation struggle to which he selflessly dedicated his entire life. It was not easy to provide focused leadership in the crucible of the liberation struggle. But he proved equal to the task,” Utoni said.
In their tribute, Nujoma’s grandchildren reflected on the gentler side of their grandfather. Ujama Nujoma, who spoke on behalf of all grandchildren, said Nujoma’s warmth was soothing.
“Birthdays were a time he made sure we felt cherished and special. Our hearts are full of beautiful memories; his hugs, warm laughter, photobombing us in pictures. We are grateful for every moment shared,” Ujama said.
Nujoma is survived by his wife, Theopoldine Kovambo Nujoma, three children, 24 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
His funeral will take place on 01 March 2025 at Heroes’ Acre in the capital. Coincidentally, Nujoma went into exile on 1 March 1960 via the then British protectorate of Bechuanaland, now known as Botswana.
(NAMPA)
EB/ND