Kuku Agri mourns Nujoma: ‘He was my inspiration’
Businessman remembers Nujoma’s passion for farming
Indian-born businessman Vinod Kumar recalled that a meeting with Nujoma in 2004 sparked his decision to move to Namibia, where he developed a close relationship with the founding father based on a mutual passion for agriculture.
Indian-born, Oshakati-based businessman Vinod Kumar, known as 'Kuku Agri,' expressed shock and sorrow at the passing of founding president Sam Nujoma in an interview with Namibian Sun on Monday.
“I always treated him as my father. He was always supportive. He was my inspiration and my motivator," Kumar said, his voice soft and thick with tears.
Kumar said a meeting with Nujoma in his native country in 2004 led to his decision to move to Namibia, where he established his business, Kuku Agri Equipment.
Speaking at one of his business establishments in Oshakati, Kumar shared his grief over Nujoma’s passing.
The former president died at a local hospital in Windhoek this past Saturday.
Kumar said while he was shocked to hear the news on Sunday, "deep down in my heart, I knew that he was suffering for a very long time. He was battling bravely. For almost one year he was sick. I miss him a lot."
Kumar recounted first meeting Nujoma in 2004 when the founding president, along with a delegation of Namibian representatives, travelled to India in a bid to attract foreign investors.
He recalled that when he met Nujoma in India, they talked business and eventually Nujoma said he was welcome to come to Namibia.
Two years after Nujoma and his team visited his agricultural manufacturing factory, Kumar decided to move to Namibia to explore business opportunities.
“I took two years to decide whether to come here, and that’s how I came and established Kuku Agri. We met very often, especially when he came to the north."
A shared passion for agriculture
Kumar said Nujoma had a deep love for agriculture.
"He wanted to learn more about it and see how he could develop agriculture in Namibia. He used to take me with him to the farms to meet other people and [encourage them to embrace] mechanised farming."
In addition, Kumar visited Nujoma at his farm near Otavi and in Etunda, "where he would always talk about agriculture and education. Those two sectors are the topics we always talked about.”
Kumar said he last saw Nujoma at his farm in Otavi, shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic, where they had lunch together.
He said Nujoma was deeply passionate about the school and clinic being built at Etunda.
Kumar urged the Namibian nation to carry forward Nujoma’s legacy, emphasising the need for further improvements in the agricultural sector.
“The message to the Namibian nation is to keep his legacy alive,” he said.
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“I always treated him as my father. He was always supportive. He was my inspiration and my motivator," Kumar said, his voice soft and thick with tears.
Kumar said a meeting with Nujoma in his native country in 2004 led to his decision to move to Namibia, where he established his business, Kuku Agri Equipment.
Speaking at one of his business establishments in Oshakati, Kumar shared his grief over Nujoma’s passing.
The former president died at a local hospital in Windhoek this past Saturday.
Kumar said while he was shocked to hear the news on Sunday, "deep down in my heart, I knew that he was suffering for a very long time. He was battling bravely. For almost one year he was sick. I miss him a lot."
Kumar recounted first meeting Nujoma in 2004 when the founding president, along with a delegation of Namibian representatives, travelled to India in a bid to attract foreign investors.
He recalled that when he met Nujoma in India, they talked business and eventually Nujoma said he was welcome to come to Namibia.
Two years after Nujoma and his team visited his agricultural manufacturing factory, Kumar decided to move to Namibia to explore business opportunities.
“I took two years to decide whether to come here, and that’s how I came and established Kuku Agri. We met very often, especially when he came to the north."
A shared passion for agriculture
Kumar said Nujoma had a deep love for agriculture.
"He wanted to learn more about it and see how he could develop agriculture in Namibia. He used to take me with him to the farms to meet other people and [encourage them to embrace] mechanised farming."
In addition, Kumar visited Nujoma at his farm near Otavi and in Etunda, "where he would always talk about agriculture and education. Those two sectors are the topics we always talked about.”
Kumar said he last saw Nujoma at his farm in Otavi, shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic, where they had lunch together.
He said Nujoma was deeply passionate about the school and clinic being built at Etunda.
Kumar urged the Namibian nation to carry forward Nujoma’s legacy, emphasising the need for further improvements in the agricultural sector.
“The message to the Namibian nation is to keep his legacy alive,” he said.
[email protected]
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