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Unseeing things as they are

Namibia seems to be going through an existential crisis which is described as the moment which an individual questions the very foundations of their life: whether their life has any meaning, purpose, or value.

Coincidentally the country turned 25 years, so is it a coincidence?, not so much. Reason being as the old saying goes, “Show me who your close friends are and I will show you who you are.” And one thing that friends do well is sing together, I do not think people can claim to know one another without being able to go sing in unified song. With the current season of Idols in crescendo I would like to unpack what song we are singing as a country. Will we sing the gloomy Don McLean’s “American Pie” and join Louis Armstrong’s with “When the Saints Go Marching in” or Ngatus praise for Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Die Stem for those wishing to live in the perceived Utopia of Orania or Tate Kwela’s “Kakodhi.” And while we on it , people are free to add their own suggestion here. My friends and I are ‘all-nighters’, as we each confirm to non-conformity while being very aware that our position in society is the toil of many generations that came before us. In our own way, we gradually start to understand the subtle changes in ourselves and those around us. Society will forever be full of contradictions and it is reasonable to assume that conflict is inherent and that concepts of what is good and evil will be fought over. Even when Hendrik Verwoerd was murdered parliament he probably grunted ‘Og Jesus.’ We understand that some have had the necessary scaffolding to have what they have and where we end up in our old age is a sign of where we have been in our youth. With that said we cannot claim to be human beings and not reflect the times in caring for humanity and creation in its entirety. We need to balance on the edges of language and come to terms in understanding the difference between science and spirituality and the meaning of human existence in propelling it onwards by having power of this small orb which much like a fleck of dust in the sunlight seems isolated. That journey starts inwards, only when we look inwards to what what our souls thirst for do we reflect. It is one thing to have a theological tennis match and trust me, its a whole different ball game to show humanity in our being. Like my first ungainly poems Namibia’s current trajectory is at the forking road while starring at the shark mouthed eternity of the world. Some see the world as a dark place while others see it in the full light of the moon. Here in the pool of the beneficent south we wait on the power house of South Africa to string our acapella in harmony with Nigeria, Kenya, Angola, the Great Congo (again add your suggestion here). Looking at the crisis and subjects we face and the search for meaning we need to bite down to the philosophical discourse till right down to the bone in getting to the serious offence of plurality of religious and moral principles. As the gabs between science and belief are narrowed is there a way to bring God closer? I certainly do not want the future to be lived in a schizophrenic world. The border between countries are fading and so will the border between human beings, those who believe that we are meant to be kept in silos are wrong. The strong will triumph and God will always be faithful. How do we convey this message as the world increasingly becomes visual? An existential crisis is a crisis of questioning the current way of doing things as we work towards solution orientated thinking. With that said let us all keep the inevitable future in mind.

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