The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (nbc) is mourning the death of the !Ah Radio FM producer, Willie Naka (40), on Wednesday.

Naka, also known as Kutima, joined the nbc in Tsumkwe on a fixed-term contract as a producer in December 2003.

He was permanently appointed as a producer in August 2009, a position he held until his death on Wednesday. 

He is lauded as one of the founding producers of !Ah Radio.

Leading Naka's tributes was a heartbroken !Ah Radio acting manager, Katrina Soroas, who praised him for his mentorship, amongst other traits. 

Soroas remembers Naka as a determined individual, a person of few words who was married to his work.

She recalls that even during his spells of ill health, he would still drag himself to work and complete his duties. 

Another of Naka's colleagues is Petrus Kapembe, who describes Naka as a humble person who contributed to his grooming as a field producer.

At the Radio Headquarters in the capital, the Head of Radio Services, Suoma Negumbo, added to the tributes, saying Naka was a valued member of the team whose contributions were immeasurable. 

Negumbo says his positive attitude, infectious enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to his work were truly inspiring.

nbc Chief of News and Programming, Menesia Muinjo, added her voice in honour of the veteran broadcaster and content creator.

She says Naka has left big footprints in his contributions to the transformation of !Ah Radio and NBC in general.

Muinjo says Naka was an unsung hero when it came to the preservation and development of indigenous languages or dialects, especially those spoken by various San communities in Namibia and neighbouring countries in southern Africa.

Memorial and funeral arrangements will be announced at a later stage. 

The late Naka left behind three sisters and four children.