Getting to know Omukwaniilwa
Getting to know Omukwaniilwa

Getting to know Omukwaniilwa

The new Ondonga king is no newbie when it comes to his country, his region, and his people.
Ileni Nandjato
The newly installed 18th king of the Ondonga, Major Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo, was born on 4 June 1974 at Enkono village near the Ondangwa Airport.

His father is the late Namupala gwaNangolo dhaNamupala gwaMvula yaNangolo dhAmutenya gwaSheya shAmakutuwa and his mother is Maria Josef.

Nangolo, who is a squadron leader, was raised by his uncle and predecessor, Omukwaniilwa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas at his palace at Onamungudo. King Elifas died in April.

When Elifas ascended to the throne in August 1975, Nangolo was a year old.

He attended primary school at Okashandja and Olukonda before matriculating at Oshakati Senior Secondary School under principal Jakob Kashupi.

After completing his education, in 1999 he received military training at the Osona military base near Okahandja and become a member of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) air wing unit.

Between 2000 and 2001 he received aircraft instrument, mechanical and pilot-related training from the Denel Technical Academy in Gauteng, South Africa and participated in the peace-keeping mission during the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In June 2002, the King Elifas appointed Nangolo as his assistant and successor.

This was done in consultation with head of NDF at the time, Lieutenant-General Martin Shalli, and Air Vice-Marshal Martin Pinehas, who allowed Nangolo to recuse himself from his military roles whenever he was needed for traditional activities.

Nangolo married Adelheid Gustaf at Onayena on 7 April 2007 and established their homestead at Onambango near Ondangwa, which is now the Ondonga palace.

Nangolo has also received training in common and customary law and also served on the Law Reform and Development Commission (LRDC), then chaired by the justice minister Sacky Shanghala.

At a historical event that attracted thousands of people, Nangolo was coronated as the 18th king of the Ondonga traditional community at Onambango in the Oshana Region this past Saturday.

This came a day after a second High Court bid by a faction supporting Konis Eino Kalenga for the kingship failed.

ILENI NANDJATO

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Namibian Sun 2024-12-24

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