Sakeus Iihuhua

Sakeus Iihuhua (born Ombalantu, Ovamboland, Namibia) was one of the first seven Ovambo pastors, whom the director of the Finnish Missionary Society, Matti Tarkkanen ordained into priesthood in Oniipa, Ovamboland, on 27 September 1925, with a permission granted by the Bishop of Tampere, Jaakko Gummerus. His brother Obadja Iihuhua was also ordained at the same time.[1]

Even before his ordination, Iihuhua was a man of influence in his native area, Ombalantu. He had been working there as a teacher since 1919.[2] The king of Ombadja in Angola had had a dream and sent a man to Iihuhua, so that he could obtain a teacher into his kingdom. However, this could not be arranged at the time.[3]

Before Iihuhua was ordained, the church services in Ombalantu had been performed by a Finnish missionary from Okahao. When Iihuhua had been ordained, he was joined by the Finn Heikki Saari in Ombalantu, at the mission station of Nakayale.[4]

Iihuhua then worked for a long time as a pastor in his home area, and although still alive in the late 1950s, he no longer was active in the service of the church, due to his advanced age, but nevertheless, he was still a “great pillar of his own parish”.[5] Elias Pentti wrote of him, that “in spite of his age, he had remained surprisingly active and still had a burning desire to serve the cause of the Gospel.”[6]

The Sakeus Iihuhua Primary School in the Omusati Region is named after him.