Our Correspondent
WINDHOEK, Namibia – As the motorcade bearing the casket of the late Founding Father of the Namibian Nation, Dr. Sam Nujoma, rolled down Sam Nujoma Drive early morning on Thursday, 20 February 2025, a poignant moment unfolded.
Nine-year-old Gcina Gaeyo Masuku, a young Motswana living in Namibia, stood with his fist clenched in silent reverence, then raised his hand in a solemn wave – a child’s pure and heartfelt tribute to a towering figure in history.
Watching the hearse disappear into the distance, he turned to his mother and asked with innocent longing, “Mom, I waved at Dr. Nujoma. Did he wave back at me?”
The question, so simple yet profoundly moving, brought tears to his mother’s eyes.
In that moment, Gcina embodied the depth of Dr. Nujoma’s impact, not only on those who lived through his leadership but also on a new generation born long after his era. His presence was so deeply woven into the fabric of Namibian history that even a young boy, barely old enough to grasp the weight of the moment, felt a personal connection to him.
The young boy excitedly noted that Dr Nujoma was “driving on Sam Nujoma Drive” and told his distraught mother that he wanted to attend the Founding Father’s funeral.
“This is the second time that I have experienced the death of a President. I have just met Dr Sam Nujoma. He was in box draped in the flag of Namibia. I once met (the late) Dr Hage Geingob,” he said.
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Arriving at Windhoek International School 30 minutes late on account of the traffic jam, Gcina told his teacher, “I saw Dr Sam Nujoma transported by an army of soldiers!”
The teacher, Ms Beata Stephanus, calmly understood and tolerated his lateness.
Dr. Nujoma was not just a leader; he was a symbol of resilience, liberation, and unity. That a child, unfamiliar with the politics of the past but instinctively aware of his significance, would yearn for a final acknowledgment from him speaks volumes about the legacy he leaves behind. His spirit lives on, not just in the history books but in the hearts of those who, like young Gcina, feel his presence even in his absence.
*Permission was granted by Gcina’s mother – who was with him when this happened – to identify him in this story.
