Rukoro’s children snub Riruako at book launch

The children of the late Vekuii Rukoro, former paramount chief of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA), made a dramatic exit from the launch of a book about their father&#039;s life after Dr Hoze Riruako, one of the claimants to the paramount chief position, gave a speech.In a strongly worded letter distancing themselves from what they termed a group of "opportunistic men", the Rukoro offspring accused Riruako of being disingenuous, and also called for the halt of the book sales because they had not seen a ‘single page’.Nguvitjita Rukoro, who wrote the letter on behalf of his siblings, told Namibian Sun they have not seen any indication of what the contents of the book would be and are yet to receive a copy.“We are aware that our dad gave them the blessing to write the book, but we don’t know what is in that book. We have not been given the book prior to the book launch.“We therefore herewith distance ourselves and our family from that project and its content... until at least such time the hosts find us, the children of Vekuii Rukoro – the subject of that book - worthy of engaging and explaining why a noble event conceived to memorialise our father&#039;s times had to be turned into political show with undeserving characters elevated to roles they in truth never deserved,” he said.Dr Rukee Tjingaete and Vitura Kavari launched the book titled ‘Times and Life of Vekuii Rukoro’ at the Roman Catholic Hall last week, as a celebration of the life and legacy of Rukoro, and to keep his memory alive.Public figureKavari yesterday told Namibian Sun the children must understand that their father was a public figure and anyone can write a book about him, but they showed the family the courtesy to share the summary, back page and a dummy copy when their father was still alive.He added that people close to Rukoro were not cooperative and did not even return that dummy copy.The children know that their dad went through the dummy copy before he died, he stressed, adding that he and his co-author fortunately had another copy of the manuscript.Kavari further pointed out that they cannot afford to give out complimentary copies and that the family should buy copies of the book like everyone else, adding that they have only printed 500 copies so far.“Why should they get a copy? If they want to see it, they should buy [it] like all the other people. They are trying to make this project part of this Ovaherero chieftaincy conflict because they are with the man who was their father’s secretary, and we have no interest in that.“We worked with them; even the family photos we received from them. I even spoke to them and explained that it is not in our control when people come and decide to say something,” Kavari explained.A chieftaincy tussle is currently ongoing between Riruako and Professor Mutjinde Katjiua, who served as Rukoro&#039;s closest associate and confidant until his death in 2021.‘Utter disgust’Rukoro’s children took issue with Riruako taking the microphone and referring to himself as a &#039;close friend&#039; of the late chief, asserting that the last time they saw him as a family was in 2014 at Kuaima Riruako’s funeral.“We witnessed in utter disgust a noble idea being turned into a political gimmick for a minuscule group of Ovaherero personalities who were [not] friendly to our father’s most cherished role as Ovaherero paramount chief, a capacity in which he relentlessly pursued the unfinished business of his predecessor.“With repulsion we watched how these [opportunistic] men - with whom our dad had protracted disagreements, some outright hostilities that never dissipated to the time of his untimely passing - seemingly with no decency of at least respecting us, his children, who only turned up to celebrate the memory of a departed dear one... [They] took to the stage presenting themselves as reviewers of our father&#039;s story and apparently the best authors of a story in which they were mere distant observers in days of its closure,” the letter stated.The children insisted that Tjingaete was the only one who collaborated sincerely and actively with their father on this project, while others claiming to have been close to him and ‘judges of his life’ were - in fact - his silent enemies.Efforts to get comment from Riruako proved futile.jemima@namibiansun.com

Rukoro’s children snub Riruako at book launch

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-15

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Rukoro’s children snub Riruako at book launch

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-15

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