Glorious past recalled at King Shelungu’s funeral

THE King of the Ovakwanyama, Mwetupunga Kornelius Shelungu (89), who died in the Oshakati State Hospital last Thursday, was finally laid to rest in the Ovakwanyama royal family cemetery at Omhedi on Tuesday afternoon.

He received a military funeral, attended by President Hifikepunye Pohamba, former President Sam Nujoma, Ministers, Government officials, Governors, Regional and Local Councillors, Traditional leaders led by King of Uukwaluudhi Josia Shikongo Taapopi, the new Oukwanyama Queen Mwadinomho Martha Kristian Nelumbu, members of the Royal family, the late King Shelungu’s children, grand- and great-grand children, business people as well as other community members, and many school children. The coffin of the King was brought to Ohangwena from the Oshakati mortuary on Monday afternoon, after a memorial service held at the Onandjaba Elcin Church in Okalongo and his house at Oneheke village in Omusati Region.His body lay in state for the whole night in the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority hall under the guard of the Namibian Defence Forces.Shortly after a memorial service in Onandjaba Elcin Church on Monday evening, the King’s wife Analisa Kakiya suddenly became sick and was taken to Oshikuku Roman Catholic hospital.She was unable to attend her husband’s funeral on Tuesday.On Tuesday morning many people flocked to the Ohangwena Traditional Authority hall where the funeral service was held.It was packed with mourners.In his message of condolence, President Pohamba said that the nation is mourning a great leader and torch-bearer who played an important role, not only within the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority but in the country as a whole.”He was a man of vision and conviction, a man of the community and indeed the man of the people, who participated actively in the struggle for Namibia’s freedom from the yoke of apartheid colonialism.”President Pohamba said in the 1950s and 1960s that King Shelungu and other compatriots, such as Otto Nankudhu and others, were sent from Tanzania by Swapo to launch the first battle against apartheid forces at Omugulugwombashe.”For many many years he worked underground, providing support and valuable information to his fellow freedom fighters and as a result the apartheid forces launched several man-hunt operations in an effort to capture him, but he always evaded capture, resulting in those forces taking his wife and some of his children hostage,” the President said.”He will be remembered as the successor to the brave and heroic leader, Ohamba Mandume ya Ndemufayo who gallantly fought against foreign and colonial occupation forces.Ohamba Mandume ya Ndemufayo died in 1917.”King Shelungu was inaugurated as Ohamba (king) of Oukwanyama Traditional Authority in 1996, after the Oukwanyama community had been without an Ohamba for about 79 years.”I am saying all this to show that late Ohamba Shelungu was a truly unique person, in a class of his own,” President Pohamba said.”Ohamba Shelungu died as a hero,” said President Pohamba.Speaking on behalf of Swapo, former President Sam Nujoma praised the late King as a freedom fighter and said that he will be remembered as a hero in the history of Namibia.At the same occasion, the King of Uukwaluudhi, Josia Shikongo Taapopi, thanked the Ovakwanyama for having revived their Kingdom.Senior Headman of the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, George Nelulu, introduced the new Queen, Mwadinomho Martha Kristian Nelumbu (74), to the mourners and called upon all the Ovakwanyama to support and work together with the Queen.In his sermon, Bishop Apollos Kaulinge called on the Ovakwanyama to unite and to thank God who gave them back their King, Queen and Kingdom.”This is a time for you to be a proud traditional community and to refrain from bad things, especially to refrain from alcohol and to be a proud, responsible and an exemplary traditional community,” he said.Simon Mzee Kaukungwa gave the obituary.From Ohangwena the coffin was taken to Omhedi near Ohangwena, where the King was laid to rest.The coffin of the King was brought to Ohangwena from the Oshakati mortuary on Monday afternoon, after a memorial service held at the Onandjaba Elcin Church in Okalongo and his house at Oneheke village in Omusati Region.His body lay in state for the whole night in the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority hall under the guard of the Namibian Defence Forces.Shortly after a memorial service in Onandjaba Elcin Church on Monday evening, the King’s wife Analisa Kakiya suddenly became sick and was taken to Oshikuku Roman Catholic hospital.She was unable to attend her husband’s funeral on Tuesday.On Tuesday morning many people flocked to the Ohangwena Traditional Authority hall where the funeral service was held.It was packed with mourners.In his message of condolence, President Pohamba said that the nation is mourning a great leader and torch-bearer who played an important role, not only within the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority but in the country as a whole.”He was a man of vision and conviction, a man of the community and indeed the man of the people, who participated actively in the struggle for Namibia’s freedom from the yoke of apartheid colonialism.”President Pohamba said in the 1950s and 1960s that King Shelungu and other compatriots, such as Otto Nankudhu and others, were sent from Tanzania by Swapo to launch the first battle against apartheid forces at Omugulugwombashe.”For many many years he worked underground, providing support and valuable information to his fellow freedom fighters and as a result the apartheid forces launched several man-hunt operations in an effort to capture him, but he always evaded capture, resulting in those forces taking his wife and some of his children hostage,” the President said.”He will be remembered as the successor to the brave and heroic leader, Ohamba Mandume ya Ndemufayo who gallantly fought against foreign and colonial occupation forces.Ohamba Mandume ya Ndemufayo died in 1917.”King Shelungu was inaugurated as Ohamba (king) of Oukwanyama Traditional Authority in 1996, after the Oukwanyama community had been without an Ohamba for about 79 years.”I am saying all this to show that late Ohamba Shelungu was a truly unique person, in a class of his own,” President Pohamba said.”Ohamba Shelungu died as a hero,” said President Pohamba.Speaking on behalf of Swapo, former President Sam Nujoma praised the late King as a freedom fighter and said that he will be remembered as a hero in the history of Namibia.At the same occasion, the King of Uukwaluudhi, Josia Shikongo Taapopi, thanked the Ovakwanyama for having revived their Kingdom.Senior Headman of the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, George Nelulu, introduced the new Queen, Mwadinomho Martha Kristian Nelumbu (74), to the mourners and called upon all the Ovakwanyama to support and work together with the Queen.In his sermon, Bishop Apollos Kaulinge called on the Ovakwanyama to unite and to thank God who gave them back their King, Queen and Kingdom.”This is a time for you to be a proud traditional community and to refrain from bad things, especially to refrain from alcohol and to be a proud, responsible and an exemplary traditional community,” he said.Simon Mzee Kaukungwa gave the obituary.From Ohangwena the coffin was taken to Omhedi near Ohangwena, where the King was laid to rest.