Infrequent diplomatic visits to Gurirab’s final resting place

Amidst the sound of what Thabo Mbeki calls the pestilential mosquito, we are pre-set to enjoy our sleep and wake up to keep travelling. Whether thorn in the flesh or the feet, we are required to continue to travel on that one road at a time, however lonely (Robert Frost).

Late Theo-Ben Gurirab would have reminded us to focus on the main show while taking in the sideshows - fitting sentiments from a man of many refinements and unquestionable substance. To him, Namibia’s independence was not more important but the main show, compared to the reintegration of Walvis Bay, a sideshow despite late Pik Botha’s initial understanding.

In hindsight, and having watched that impressive interview with the Russian Television (RT) involving Nangolo Mbumba (vice-president of our republic at present), the author is tempted to regard the said delay as having been necessary. Well done.

To make progress as a nation-state, focus ought to be on moving basic ideas about the human condition and not on personalities. That aside and in abeyance.

With the understanding that mother earth remains the only planet with scenery and seasons worth enduring and all else an illusion, I joined the family of the late Gurirab, a very special friend of Nahas Angula and I, at the Heroes Acre to remember his passing five years ago ‘just like that’.

During his last days, Gurirab became part of the post-independence Pan-Africanist trio consisting of him, Angula and the author. I am alive to the pre-independence Swapo Pan-Africanist trio consisting of President Hage Geingob, the late Hidipo Hamutenya and Gurirab.

Golden thread

Gurirab was a fine gentleman from Usakos in the Erongo Region, the golden thread between those who resisted colonialism and those who elected to banish it. Comrade Theo-Ben was a “great mind... [who] discussed ideas... lauded for his diplomatic acumen, his wit and shrewdness, his aptitude and calculating nature, his patience and ability to direct an argument”. (Dr Hage Geingob, edited).

Amb Kakena at the mentioned family gathering described the late Gurirab so befittingly when she observed his essence as being multidimensional, both emotionally and professionally. Kakena made me relate playfully to her frustrations, in the presence of Professor Tjama Tjivikua, when she remembered Gurirab falling under the group of an ‘executive aggressively wielding a red pen’. Back to the gathering.

On his part, Tjivikua remembered Gurirab as the gentleman who took his space in a calm way and was not noisy about much.

Comrade Gurirab was part of a special generation whose commitment to this country at that critical juncture continues to challenge the young people to make their own commitment and dismantle the remaining, unliberated front of economic transformation. The continuation of a revolution defined independent of an excessive level of arrogance in public space.

In love with himself

I am yet to meet a male Namibian diplomat in love with himself like Gurirab was, the same way I am yet to meet a Namibian legal practitioner in love with themselves like Advocate Gerson Hinda or Advocate Dave Smuts.

In no way should this be interpreted as an exclusion of Tuliameni Kalomoh, that Namibian diplomat whose love for himself (posture and the selection of words) the author only observed from a distance.

Gurirab’s wife, Joan Guriras, narrated that her late husband was not only in love with himself but also an actor and ‘stubborn’ for what was to be done right, because something worth doing is worth doing well stubbornly.

She said her husband must have realised at an early age that for an individual to love the other, self-love is the essence.

It is only through self-love that we subjectively excel at whatever task life will entrust to us individually. His aunt would aptly confirm his acting skills in that every time he would frequent the church in Okombahe, he would borrow a hymn book from a random lady and would return it with a N$100 note ‘forgotten’ inside.

This gesture led to competition the next time he would frequent the House of the Lord. One hand is washed by the other.

Valuable and practical lessons

At a time when we tried to build a nation-state, Gurirab was part of that process - a process put at risk by the noise underpinned by egotistic differences and personal preferences best kept out of the body politic and any nation-building discourse worth our time.

At whatever level a leader achieves more and better socially and economically desirable outcomes when flanked by other competent nationals with the same level of vigour, love and an acute sense of doing what is right at a particular time and moment for the collective.

The nascent stage of our republic contains valuable and practical lessons worth borrowing from. The sooner we realise and know that we only have a usufruct in favour of future generations, as we all have a lifespan, the easier the march forward would be.

I have been taught that human intelligence ought to have a sense of dual use. Unlike other creations, we are required to have that sense of self-contradiction.

All creatures have needs and interests, which if denied or defined through Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s social contract can lead to unnecessary dog fights.

I am astonished by the fact that Ameca, my favourite human robot (independent of her gender), seems to possess and love that sense of self-contradiction too.

Great sons and

daughters

To achieve the above and as we appoint sons and daughters to lead this nation at all levels, we should ensure they have learnt or at least understood something from the pioneers who were present at the embryonic stage of our republic.

Unless we not only know and understand but also reconcile ourselves with the fact that a country is not a toy, we will have what Hilda Basson (a dear sister) at the said family gathering in tribute to the finecGentleman - Mickey Mouse leadership at any level of interaction.

I am sure she intended to magnify the void left by the departed vanguard of our nation-state.

I left Heroes Acre alive to the fact that this country had genuine and authentic sons and daughters who attempted to serve the nation to the best of their abilities.

A generation that discovered that their mission is more than achieving for your kith and kin and fulfilled it, whatever the contemporary engagement around this subject at any rational platform and or level. (Amilcar, edited)

One prays for an order that we will once more be blessed with other great sons and daughters in the not-too-distant future and in a sizeable number for an impact in addressing the gross injustices and indignities that still afflict the masses of our body politic. Continue to rest in peace, intelligent, modest man.

Obiter dicta: Aunty Joan Guriras, your spontaneous gesture on the day towards the author while alive at the said family meeting is noted.

*Joshua Razikua Kaumbi is a holder of BA Political Science and Sociology (University of Namibia), LLB (Stellenbosch University) and an admitted legal practitioner – currently on sabbatical - expressing his opinions in his capacity as a Namibian by birth.