On a sunny wintry afternoon, I touched down at Hosea Kutako International Airport, I was immediately harassed by minus 8 degrees Celsius weather, it was cold, yet it was sunny.
How do I cope, what do I do, with this freezing temp, coming from 32-33 degrees Celsius mild weather? Any mall around to buy pullovers please, I asked co-travellers in the queue as we got cleared at the port of entry to Namibia.
For the 22nd Conference of Rectors, Vice Chancellors and Presidents of Universities 4day event jointly hosted by the University of Namibia UNAM and the Association of Africa Universities, AAU, different teams of UNAM officials including graduate students were on the ground to receive delegates and participants.
Among them was Whitney Shingenge, 24 years old and one of the most admired UNAM post-grad school graduates. Whitney was pleasant and was found every day of my six days in Windhoek.
As we drove into Windhoek, the social, economic, political and cultural centre of Nambia, I fasted my gaze on the vast land in the over 25minutes drive between the airport and the country’s capital city, admiring the parched open dry land.
Namibia is a vast, sparsely populated country located along the South Atlantic coast of Africa. A country with a population of over 2.5 million people. The country has the world’s second-lowest population density.
Settling down in Arrebusch country lodge took some time off my arrival plans the desperate plans of buying a pullover for myself failed.
Time ticked on and the present rolled into the past, the minus degrees weather became more minus, it became more frigid and I was extremely cold.
COREVIP Opening
For academics across the continent who converged in the country club on the 4th of July 2023, the opening ceremony of the 22nd COREVIP was a carnival of sorts with acapella music of the ‘wind of change sweeping across Africa’ rendition by undergraduate students of the University of Namibia. The UNAM undergraduates also chanted a song titled ‘the wind of Hope’.
Unsurprisingly the delegates applauded the words of Dr Kenneth Matengu, the vice chancellor of the University of Namibia who stated that ‘students change every year in UNAM but their voices remain the same’.
Music &Dance
Music and Dance remain a part of culture, acquired informally, traditional songs and dance of course are linked to social functions as immediate reference to human beings, their morals, their spirit and their conscience. It is transmitted from generation to generation, for the opening dinner, the Namibian cultural troupe fed the COREVIP participants with Ondjongo dance, this dance is mostly performed at social celebrations, and it is common among Ovazeba and Ovahimba communities. The UNAM choir also performed the Damara dance, kavango songs and Tswana dance.
Typical Food In Namibia
Served with copious dishes mostly meat on the opening and closing dinner held to welcome participants, as well as end the COREVIP event, I discovered that the gastronomy of Namibia is predominantly animal protein. All through my stay I was successfully confused by the infinite variety of meats in the country, they sure make their dishes with antelope, zebra, giraffe, oryx, kudu, lamb and all sorts of beef. A kitchen staff of the country lodge told me that the way of cooking the meat is generally to grill it while it’s presented with rich and tasty sauces. Bratwurst and some other German sausages were also the delights of UNAM guests. Don’t forget that Namibia pride itself among the nations with the highest supplying strength of beef to the west.
People & Places
On a team of people who received Nigerian delegates at the airport was Whitney Shingenge, that UNAM postgraduate school scholar. Whitney and I got along beyond COREVIP, she oozed a genuine caring and warmness of a friend as if we have known each other for a decade. She oriented me better on Windhoek weather and ensured I bought a sweater the following day of my arrival. Ms. Shingenge defended her Masters of Science in Molecular Biology in February at UNAM.
Shingenge’s Research
Her research caught my attention, she narrated that it was aimed at promoting the innovative use of medicinal plants hence the formulation of an anti-malaria herbal tea. According to her, the tea is formulated with plants known for medicinal properties in Namibia namely, Guibourtia coleosperma, diospyrous chamaethamnus and Hibiscus sabdarifa. Whitney’s tea was tested for anti-malaria properties, and cytotoxicity precisely to determine its safety as well as a sensory evaluation to determine its appeal to users.
Lest I forget, Namibia is approaching malaria elimination, though outbreaks are still experienced in the North and Northeastern regions of the country. So my friend’s tea is the benefit of treating and preventing malaria.
The Rundu Campus Lecturers
Oiva Nauyoma and Alex Ilukena, Linguistics, Literature and Rhetoric lecturer and Senior Lecturer of Mathematics and Science respectively both in UNAM Rundu campus, were my neighbours in Arrebusch country lodge. It was fun around these two amazing people.
My hunt for sweaters began with them as we visited The Grove shopping mall scouting for most pull over for the Nigerian reporter. We went for breakfast together at Arrebusch and they chauffeured me to the country lodge, the COREVIP conference centre the first two days. They looked out for me and ensured I didn’t sleep off the opening ceremony of the event. These two watched me fall off my black 6inches heels on the first day of the conference but they were courageous men as they drove me to my doorstep Room 42, to change the annoying shoes. These two introduced their Professor friend to me, Prof Collen Sabao. He teaches in the Department of Humanities and Arts English Section of the Faculty of Education and Human Sciences.
The Locs Professor
Prof Collen Sabao is the locs Professor, quite sold out to the Rastafarian ideologies. For me, he appeared too casual to be a Professor and he sounded too simple to be that cognisant scholar I discovered him to be. He was a rapporteur in one of the panel sessions of the 22nd COREVIP. But beyond the conference, Prof. Collen was generous in his familiarity with me and kept me company during the closing dinner.
The Herero Dress
So I met a delectable daughter of Herero land who was radiantly glamorous in a pink Ohorokova dress. it’s a kind of gown adorned with cow-horn-like headdresses.
This lady told me that her dress is an iconic symbol of the Herero people. “You see whenever I wear this gown, I walk majestically and I am a symbol of modesty. Historically the dress was introduced to the people of Namibia by German colonizers in the late 19th century, as a way to enforce European customs and diffidence among the Herero women.
The Okapuka Safari Lodge
The tour came earlier than I expected, I still had interviews to conduct for the 4th day of the conference, I barely had my launch and then I had the tour to jump on. Was yet to have my short on so I sure got that 10 minutes from COREVIP participants who indicated an interest in seeing the safari,
They patiently waited on the tour bus while I changed my attire to join in the adventure.
Located in Dobra, 3o minutes drive from Windhoek and surrounded by 7300 haven living escape of prime African savannah.
Okapuka Safari is an oasis of lush green lawns under ancient camel thorn trees against the backdrop of the towering mountain range.
I went for an afternoon game drive for 2hrs 30min. The Impala, giraffe and zebra were a bit far from the vehicle. The rhinos were amazing. Our guide was highly knowledgeable. they also have sable antelopes which I have not seen before.
Even though I had prepared to see the Big Four, the amphibians, the reptiles, the mammals and the Birds. Yes, I was prepared right from home to see the unusual, with my shorts, my hat and my gentle Snickers canvass.
Only to realise, the meaning of Okapuka in Herero, as “small animal”.
At the game reserve, some of the ugly four were seen in their natural habitats such as the warthog and the vulture. The ranch is not without the king of the jungle, the lion, though secluded and presently under prime to be transferred to a bigger ranch.
The tour guide mentioned that there are hyenas and others of its class on the other side of the mountain.
As I gaze at the beauty of Impala the rooibos, the giraffe, the oryx, the warthog, the rhinos, kudu, the white and black ostrich even the predator in their unique environment, it imprinted on my mind these things a traveller must not forget to know about Namibia.
The weather, the awesome cuisine, the cultural experiences of the people of Hereroes, the Ovambas and the animal encounters.
As you plan to visit Namibia don’t also forget to taste the world’s best meat and of course, you could dare the nightlife in Windhoek.
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