Secrets of a 23yr old minister in Namibia. What she did to get the position will shock you.

In Kenya a 23 year old girl is still depending on her parents and enjoying alcohol. Well in Namibia the story is different.
Namibia’s President, Hage Geingob has appointed a 23-year-old woman, Emma Theofilus as Deputy minister for Information and Technology. She is one of the eight presidential nominees for the country’s national assembly.

Hon Emma becomes the youngest Minister and Member of Parliament in the Southern African country. Her appointment comes at a time when the youth in Namibia had been calling for the introduction of younger people into the country’s leadership structure which is largely made up of old folks.

Emma Theofilus a law graduate said she got to know about her appointment through a “surprisingly rare” phone call from the State House. Speaking to The Namibian newspaper, she said,

“I do not think I am special, but I do not think I am inexperienced, and I do not think being young or female has anything to do with my appointment” Anything I set myself to and any environment I want to work into, I can do it so the issue of inexperience does not hold any water.”

“I am excited. I am told I will be used as a benchmark for young people. I take on the challenge like I have taken other leadership roles. It is uncharted territory and political space but I am ready to take on the challenge,” she added.

To fellow young people she shared her secret to success.

“Hard work, dedication and putting God above everthing is what keeps me going. Young people should stay positive” she said.

The country’s old elites who are majorly war veterans are however not happy with her appointment. Some have questioned her competence but she has vowed to prove herself worthy.

Prior to her appointment, Theofilus was a legal officer in the Ministry of Justice where she dealt with drafting human rights reports as well as implementing the human rights strategy of the nation.

Theofilus said she will not start work at the ministry thinking or behaving like “I know it all.”

“So of course the minister, being the head and political appointee, and the deputy minister allow the whole ministerial position to function. It is a supporting role, just like any law has supporting regulations to allow it to function.”

“I do not think being a deputy minister is a role that cannot be brought to life, the person should know what they have planned for that position and anybody can do it. It is not an insignificant role,” she added.

Namibia now joins Algeria which has a 26-year-old Mr Yacine Oualid, Algeria’s Minister of Startups, the youngest Senior Minister in Africa