1. Welcome to Namambe what is your favourite object shape?

Thank you Tate Kashindi! I have just watched a TV series a few days ago about the beauty of Geometry in nature, and here comes the question. Well, my favourite object must be of Dodecahedron shape, i.e. any polyhedron with twelve faces.

2. Very good, now tell us about yourself?

I am Hivulwa Sakaria (Sacky-in short) Nalusha, as for Irri, is the name that I got when I was in grade 7 at Nakayale Combined School (now is Erkki Tauya Junior Secondary School), after I overheard some guys who came from Windhoek for a holiday saying: ”These people” in Afrikaans, so I liked the sound of the sentence, and I did the Pablo Picasso way: “Good artists copy, Great artists steal “ plus my innovations, so today most people know me as Irri Mense. I am a 24 years old boy, I was born and raised in Ombalantu - Okapuku (Oikokola) by my late Grandma, and like every boy of my age by then, you have to look after goats, donkeys and cattle and (hwiila them), I do not know “Okuhwiila” in English. After my Grade 10 at the same school, I went to Gabriel Taapopi Senior Secondary School in Ongwediva and completed my matric there. Then I went to the University of Namibia (UNAM) (2006-2010 middle). I left in 2010 for Osmania University (India) where I am currently studying Geology (+Mathematics and Physics). I am calm, curious, calculated (C-cubed).


3. Why are you studying Geology and what is it in a plain language?

I am studying Geology because I will get paid to do something I love to do and would have done for free if I could afford it, made it the obvious choice as an occupation…haah!

I have always been skeptical about the way nature works, from mountains formation, underground water, diamonds (rings: keehango), what is the origin of steels, and also how people use things they get from nature (natural resources) to survive and what was that Hiroshima Bomb (Japan) made up of, so is all those things I have been asking myself till one day, during career presentation at my school I was exposed to some explanations for some of my queries, hence I developed a passion in it. But as I am growing up, I get to understand more and more why I am studying Geology. Namibia has abundant unutilized and untapped natural resources; hence qualified personnel in this field of natural sciences will eventually play an important role in utilizing those resources for the welfare of the Namibian nation.

I also took cognisance of the fact that mining fraternity world and emerging knowledge-based economy compels scientists to be innovative. The Science of geology has become uncertain and unstable, requiring geologists and scientists to be creative in order to sustain humanity welfare through the supply of natural resources for consumption, hence I took up the challenge of finding oil, gas, diamonds, gold, copper in the Namibian soil. In today's globalized competitive world, the world of nations is driven by knowledge-based economy: continuous learning, visioning and innovations. Namibia is undoubtedly at critical juncture in its political and social history, hence for a nation in its quest to eradicate poverty and strive for a nation geared to prosperity, is through continuous-learning which is what I am trying to do and change from VISION 2030 to a MISSION 2030.

In a plain language, Geology (mOshiwambo=Ounongononi woikwamevu/du nomamanya) is the study of the Earth, its processes, its materials, its history, and its effect on humans and life in general. It is a scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the solid matter of celestial bodies. Geology is a very visual science. Many problems in geology are much like solving a puzzle.

4. What do you think should be done to entice more Namibians to become geologists?

I think students and learners (especially in rural areas) should be informed through strong career presentations about the importance of natural sciences experts (Geologists) towards humans and life in general especially in the 21st century. While they are in schools, learners must be nurtured to save humanity, because Geology is not only about searching for valuable deposits of natural resources for our needs, but also, Geologists perform a wide range of important services for our civilization: they determine the stability of building sites, find abundant supplies of clean water, and they also try to minimize the threat to communities at risk from geologic hazards. They are developing predictive models for earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunami activities, and adding fundamental knowledge to the field of Earth and planetary sciences.

All these will be only if the government in its capacity can put in places measures such that each mining and exploration company in Namibia will be obliged to take at least 2-3 secondary schools from each of the 13 regions visit their mining and exploration sites once a semester and in the process career guide them regarding Geology. Each mining and exploration company should provide bursaries to those who are eager and willing to study geology either in Namibia or outside the country, because at the moment only few of probably 50 mining and exploration companies are offering scholarships and bursaries in this field. Hence as a nation, with the help of the government, we shall be committed to give out the right information about this important field, cultivate a culture of reading in our learners, encourage them to take up Mathematics and Sciences subjects and promise them the rewards such field. More public enterprises such as Epangelo Mining Company should be introduced/formed, where by the government of the Republic of Namibia is a sole Shareholder, this shows that the government intends to bring more young Namibians into the mainstream to utilize their natural resources and alleviate poverty and in order to effect major socio-economic restructuring of the country. But all in all, it will depend on our approaches and projects in places to entice more Namibians to become geologists.

5. If we are less than 3 millions in the country do you think we have enough ideas to compete with countries that have more than 10 millions people?

As the saying goes:”One head is better than two”, People is power! Interestingly, history has it that the nations that progressed during the Industrial Revolution and still progress in terms of technology and science has more than 10 million people (e.g. France-28 million, Germany-40 million with half a percentage of the population were Jewish – that’s during Industrial Revolution in the 18th century) . Richest men/families in the world were born either more than 10 members or the family is an empire. This is to show that the more the people the country has, the more we have what is known in nature as “The Survival of the Fittest” which will promote more ideas for everyone to survive in it. In the 21st century we have two to three examples of such “people is power”, that’s China, India and Brazil. Those governments plus their people make more efforts to sustain their economic growth, but if the population is less, I feel the government and its people are more reluctant since there is no competition, hence no flow of ideas among the citizens. The country will import most of qualified personnel, plus technology as it is in cases of most African states. So I do not think a country with less population can compete with a country with high population. The examples are a lot which can support my opinions. And by the way I am planning to have 12 kids, future wife remember this…haaah!!

6. Give us two university that you like the most in the world? And give reasons?

Nobody will show his village with a left hand, but allow me to give at least three Universities. University of Namibia is number 3 on my list. My ranking is based on (not in order of preference) Reputation of the University, Quality of the Academic Input, Student Care, Infrastructure, Job Prospects, Faculty, Research Publications, Innovation and Governance, and Admission Procedure. So,
1. Osmania University (India)-founded in 1918
2. Indian School of Mines (India)
3. University of Namibia(Namibia)-One of the youngest Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the only premier institute in the country, Unam performed quite well in past years, now plus the Engineering Campus and School of Medicine, for me, is up there number 3, and also Prof Kiremire (Chemistry department) will put them up on a global ladde r- for discovering a new class of compounds with a very high biological activity against malaria and the compounds will be used to ward off drug resistant malaria parasites as well as other bacterial and viral diseases.

7. If you were a mathematics teacher what is the one thing that you won’t do in your life?

Haah,, I will never set an easy test for my students, Mathematics is from a Greek term “Mathema”- knowledge, study, learning! No easy tests.

8. How many types of stones/rocks do you think we have in Namibia?
There are three main types of rocks: Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary, and under each of those three main types, you have sub-types and again within those we have sub-sub-types! If is to say how many types of rocks do we have, then it will require a PhD thesis , which will be a good idea for me in the near future (I think Tate Kashindi you just gave me topic for…haah). But those are the three main types (for example Igenous=Granite, Metamorphic=Marble, Sedimentary=Shale).

9. In your view if enough oil deposit is found in Namibia would it be a blessing or curse?

Oil - “The Single Greatest Prize in All History”. Oil and gas supplies are becoming scarcer and more expensive. The hunt for the world's remaining resources is creating new alliances and the danger of fresh conflicts. China is moving aggressively to satiate its growing appetite for energy, potentially setting up a confrontation with the United States over the dwindling resources of the Middle East and Africa. Since our currency is linked to South African Rand which is getting its support from the Western nations, if enough oil is found in Namibia, is a win or lose situation, so to say it will be a blessing, yet it will be curse. USA and China are currently the biggest consumers of oil, and from what I have observed, China is showing a lot of interest in Namibia (especially mining) with our capitalist leaders. So it will be a blessing if the discussion between these two nations (China and USA) will meet the desired results of both, (two nations because Namibia will not have a say in that, as we have been in many cases worth mentioning), so if not, curse of course, because they will find a mistake in what we are doing and capitalize on that, so we have to be on a look out. In Libya, they capitalized, in Nigeria is the same thing, in Angola, USA is consuming without a problem; hence I think is a sugar-coated blessing (in Angola) because life is still expensive. Petroleum remains the motive force of industrial society and at a time when the oil age is irrevocably racing towards its conclusion, more and more people (strong nations) are trying to become a part of it and is always a threat to an oil -hosting developing country, for the developed world, petroleum is their elixir for survival.

10. Do you think God has given you a special talent that could benefit Namibia if used effectively? What is it that you are talented in?

Every human being inherently possessed a sense of perfection because nature always strives for that (perfection), it is up to us to realize and tap that. I am very good at IMAGINATION and I am creative. I feel if use my imagination abilities in correct way I can help my motherland in many areas that will propel us to greater heights. As mentioned –above, Imagination, I think am a very good Logo designer, out of nothing, sitting down, I can come up with a design. I can write too, probably because I am not a talkative person. That inspired me to be working on my Non-fiction book, called “An Old Man in a Hurry”- stay tuned for that, and to blog
(http://www.mrirefusetoloosesackynalusha.blogspot.in) in my leisure time.

11. When last did you drink Windhoek Lager?

(Eeeeh, my friend DHLed me a six packs last week….haah! kidding). It has been almost two years now and I like myself in its absence…haah.

12. What have been your new experiences in India?

India with a ¼ of the world population, with a civilization of more than 5000 years old (many call it a chaotic environment), I found calmness, cultural diversity, sophisticated civilization of minds, emotions and religious harmony. The spirit of non-violence is a state of feeling inspired by a moral ideal, where by every moral is bound up with some corresponding intellectual outlook, and the Indian outlook that, as I see it, is the intellectual counterpart of the Indian spirit of non-violence is a belief that, for us, human beings, there is more than one approach to truth. The Indian appreciation of variety is an object of immense value for the rest of the world in our time, that is, the India’s conspicuous achievement of variety – in-unity is of worldwide importance. They have kept their culture intact and integrate it with modernization; they have never westernized it for them to lose their identity. I have experienced a modernization with culture, I experienced a country that do not jeopardize human qualities by pursuing alcohol, sex and technology as an end rather than a means which is not the case in most countries... a once in a lifetime experience!

13. If some countries have too many people in the world why can’t they send some to countries that have few people?

As I have mentioned above, People is Power! In today’s world, hungry for power and control, giving/sending away their people, literally is to give away their power. And of course to go settle and adjust in another country requires an untiring spirit of patience, the sense of humor, the human understanding and tolerance, something lacking in most people in this century.

14. Who is your role model in the world?

My immediate family is my role model, they went through the harsh reality of the society (I witnessed that) in order to pave the way for me, I am where I am because of their love and support, and I Myself (role model) because my ideas are coaxed, nursed and enticed to remain alive.

15. Do you think the world will one day have one state president? Please explain

Right now they are working towards that “NEW WORLD ORDER” by the Global Elite-the ones who think they know what is best for the world. In the book “…and Truth shall set you free” by David Icke, he narrates how House of Rothschild - the largest and most powerful financial empire (controlling the Bank of England) some up this whole idea: “Give me control of a nation's currency and I care not who makes the laws”. The Federal Reserve System, The Bretton Woods conference structured Anglo-American hegemony over world oil supplies and led to the creation of the all-powerful International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) which, under the control of the US Federal Reserve System, since then, deliberately and ruthlessly, have put most of the so-called Third World into extreme debts, for Sub-Saharan African debts alone increased by 113 percent." In 1993, for every one pound given in aid, rich nations took back 3 pounds in debt payments. I am writing all these to explain that Yes, we are heading towards “NEW WORLD ODRER” with one President based on the above mentioned reasons. This in today’s common parlance “NEW WORLD ORDER” is usually used to connote “Pseudo Illuminati”, that is to govern the world with a world currency and centralized global presidential.

16. Is there something that people don’t know about you?

Yes, people do not know that I have some grey hair, and my right hand thumb’s nail has two colours, in equal halves (dark brown and white/clear). The rest will follow when I see you all.

17. Any other thing that you would like to share with us?

Readers are Leaders:
On Education - One business man went to an Island in the South Pacific where he found some local children LYING AROUND RELAXING ON THE BEACH. He said to them, "Stop idling around away your time. Get yourselves to school immediately and start studying! "They replied, "Why should we go to school?"."If you go to school and study hard", the man said, " you can get good grades." "Why do we need good grades?" the children asked. "Ah," the man said. "If you get good grades in school, you can get into a good university." "And what happens if we get into a good university?". They asked. "If you graduate from a prestigious university, you can work for a good company or serve in a prominent public office. You can also earn a high salary, and maybe make a good marriage." "Then what?.. they asked. "You can live in a beautiful home and enjoy your life." and then? They asked again. "You then work really hard until your retirement, and you can send your own kids to a good school". "And?" the children queried. "Then you can go to a nice warm place and spend everyday relaxing" ."If that's the goal," the children responded, "THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT. WE'VE ALREADY ACHIEVED IT".

In other words, if life's ultimate goal was simply "to relax and have good time", then, as far as the children were concerned, there wasn’t any real point in them going to all the trouble of getting an education and expending a great deal of time or energy studying.
Why, then, do we study? For what purpose do we live our lives? If one's sole reason for living is to have an easy existence, then there's not necessarily any need for one to make such arduous efforts to get into a good school or good company. Actually, when all is said and done, the purpose of study is not to be accepted into prestigious university, is to cultivate your mind and your heart so that you can become a well-rounded individual and leave some proof of your existence. Fulfill the mission that is yours and yours alone. And do your best to help those who are suffering. IN ORDER TO DO SO, YOU WILL NEED STRENGTH AND CHARACTER. Take risks in your life, if you win you can lead, if you lose you can guide.

Sacky Irri with friends