Former Omuthiya deputy mayor kicks Jesus in the teeth

Nghipudilo ya Shiindi, an Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) councillor for the Omuthiya town council who identifies as a Pan-Africanist, has resigned as a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (Elcin), saying she no longer conforms to ‘foreign Christian’ beliefs.

Shiindi, who seems to have also shaken off her Christian name Petrina, wrote a letter to her congregation pastor at Epembe Parish in the Ohangwena Region, requesting that they remove her name from the church register.

Currently suspended amid infighting at the Omuthiya town council, she said her focus now is on her ancestral heritage, and digging deep into how those who came before her lived.

In a telephonic conversation with Namibian Sun yesterday, Shiindi said she came to this realisation at the age of 33 when she "woke up a brand-new person". Now 37, this is still the best decision she has made, she said.

“I want it to be known that I no longer wish to be regarded as a member of Elcin. Kindly remove my name from the records of the church, and record that I am no longer a Christian for I no longer live according to the ‘teachings of Christ’ who is a Jewish ancestor,” she wrote to her church, back in February.

She continued that she now takes full responsibility of her life, and that she would rather live according to the teachings of those who came before her - her African ancestors.

No comment

Shiindi said growing up, she was a very inquisitive child and she would question a lot of things she was instructed to do by elders. To her, Christianity did not make a lot of sense.

Although she delivered the letter on 23 February, she has not received any communique from the church.

Church secretary Rachel Ipinge confirmed this week that she personally received the letter from Shiindi, but could not speak on behalf of the church.

“She dropped it off herself. The letter is now in the pastor’s office and he drove out. I am unable to comment on the issue,” she said.

Promoting African culture

In her letter, Shiindi said that as is the case with many people, she was baptised and given the Christian name Petrina.

In her teen years, she went on to attend confirmation classes and was confirmed into the Christian faith.

“I did not know what I was doing, but rather was just an obedient child. I am therefore writing to inform you that I exercised my constitutional right to freedom of association, and implicitly disassociation.

“I dissociated myself from my parents’ beliefs under which I had the western name Petrina thrust upon me. As a humanist and a Pan-African; I now want to live the life of my ancestors. I want to promote my African culture,” Shiindi said.

“I stopped believing in the God of Israel who was introduced to us. I am aware of energy in life. But I don’t want to call it God. I can even call it oxygen, and I don’t think oxygen is worried if I don’t pray to it,” she said.

Ask your father

In 2008, Shiindi gave birth to a baby girl who is now 15. She said her daughter was baptised at three months because she still conformed to Christianity at the time.

She said her daughter last week asked for permission to get confirmed, but she told her to ask her father instead.

“I told her I am not giving her permission. I don’t want to participate because I am not a member of the church. I told her to ask her father for the letter she will need to take to church to get confirmed.

“Although I no longer believe, I will not force it on my daughter. My daughter is not my property. I am the vessel that gave life to her. I will not participate, but I will not deny her the right,” she explained.

At first it was difficult to break away from the church, as it had been “indoctrinated” into her daily life, Shiindi said.

“I was still going to church but I was not conforming to the values of Christianity. But I have decided to go public about it. Even when I am at work, when people are praying during an event, they know I don’t subscribe to that,” she said.

Parents understand

Shiindi said even when she gets married, she does not want anything to do with the church.

“I don’t want blessings from the church. I want blessings from my parents. Even when I die, my body should not be blessed by the pastor or any of the church members. Only my parents can bless me and bury me,” she stressed.

Her parents eventually embraced her decision, although they struggled with it at first, she said.

Shiindi narrated that she began the process to change her national documents at the beginning of 2021 and by December 2022, her application for both a full birth certificate and identity document – sporting her new name – were successful.

People should not ask her what she believes in now that she no longer believes in the God of Israel, she said, “as though to be a normal human being one needs to believe in something”.