The sun hung low on the horizon as rays of red and bright orange radiated from the west across the trees. Rainy clouds stalked the sky and about 30 people huddled together to surround a small hole dug up in the ground; it almost resembled a small shallow grave. Next to it, Ms Emilia Aniceto-van Wyk, a UNAM staff member that has served the institution for over 24 years. She came here as a young lady from her home country, Australia, to follow her dreams and passions. And now, she is leaving the institution and the country wiser, with a beautiful family from Namibia.
The hole in the ground was dug up by her colleagues on Friday 29 October, her last official working day after she tendered her resignation in early September this year. During an emotional roller-coaster, it was explained to her that the hole was for something special, something that will keep her attached to this department forever – to honour her as one of the first members in the department, by keeping her roots firmly in the ground. She was then handed a special tree to plant (Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’), which her colleagues vowed to keep alive until her return some day in the distant future.
Emilia, as she is affectionately known, is a hard-working, high functioning staff member, who managed events as well as media buying for the whole institution, impeccably. During her first year or so, at UNAM, she served in the International Relations office with Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, but ever since then settled in her last role at the now-defunct unit- Communications & Marketing. The new unit is called Corporate Engagement and International Relations.
A naturally detailed oriented person, Emilia has served under all three Vice Chancellors: Professor Peter Katjavivi, Professor Lazarus Hangula and Professor Kenneth Matengu. Her standards have kept the University of Namibia’s brand alive and pegged at a quality higher than that of other institutions in the region. In her career at UNAM, she has overseen about 80 graduation ceremonies, more than 100 conferences, and over 300 special events. She has placed all UNAM recruitment adverts since the year 1999. More recently, Emilia coordinated UNAM’S first two virtual graduation ceremonies, which were hailed a success by both local and international pundits.
She leaves behind a legacy that will not fade away easily. Her colleagues, during her farewell function, wished her well on the new journey, and impressed upon her how much they will miss her. Emilia Aniceto is therefore no longer employed by the University of Namibia, since 01 November 2021, but the plant planted in her honour will serve as a daily reminder to staff and student interns of the excellence they should all aspire to.
(Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’: Excellent in Japanese gardens, or just about anywhere you would like an extravagant, showy specimen tree.)
