Today, Namibia and the world mourn the loss of the country's Founding President Dr. Sam Nujoma.
Nujoma, who was a leader of the Swapo Party, served as the first president of Namibia and two subsequent terms after his long fight for independence during the apartheid regime.
Nujoma was born in Etunda Village in 1929.
He was the son of Daniel Utoni Nujoma and Helvi Kondombolo.
Due to opportunities being limited at the time, Nujoma spent most of his childhood participating in traditional farming activities and taking care of his siblings.
He eventually started school at the Finnish Missionary School at the age of ten in the nearby town of Okahao, where he finished standard six.
Nujoma moved to Walvis Bay at the age of 17 to live with his aunt, where he scored his first job at a general store in 1946.
He later worked at a whaling station where he met European soldiers who came during World War II and introduced him to politics.
In 1949 Nujoma moved to Windhoek, where he started working as a cleaner for South African Railways, attending adult night school at Saint Barnabas Anglican Church to improve his English at the same time.
Nujoma became involved in politics in the early 50s, with his political outlook shaped by experiences, awareness, and knowledge of independence in African countries.
Nujoma dedicated his life to the liberation struggle, garnering support from many African countries.
After going into exile in 1960, he was named president of SWAPO and petitioned the UN to urge South Africa to release control of Namibia for several years.
In 1973, SWAPO was recognised by the UN General Assembly as the only legitimate representative of the Namibian people.
Resolution 435 was adopted by the Security Council in 1978, setting out terms for eventual Namibian independence, which was finally accepted by South Africa in 1988.
After nearly 30 years in exile, Nujoma returned to Namibia to lead Swapo to victory in the UN-supervised elections in November.
On March 21st, 1990, Nujoma was sworn in as the first president of Namibia.