With the passing of Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma on February 8, 2025, Africa bids farewell to its last surviving founding father of the African Union.

As the first President of Namibia (1990–2005) and the leader of the country’s independence struggle, Nujoma’s death marks the end of an era of revolutionary figures who shaped modern Africa.

Nujoma was among Africa’s greatest liberation leaders, joining the ranks of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and Ahmed Sékou Touré of Guinea. These were visionaries who led their nations to independence and established systems of governance.

His leadership not only freed Namibia from South African rule in 1990 but also set the foundation for a stable democracy. For over 40 years, he guided SWAPO through war, diplomacy, and political transformation, ultimately handing over power peacefully to his successor, Hifikipunye Pohamba, in 2005.