Somebody say ‘Amen!’
... A Pastor’s Passion for Procurement and Life-Long Learning
For many people, a pastor studying procurement may seem unusual. But for Lasarus Nghifindwako Hakwaake, the decision made perfect sense. “A true pastor should be multidisciplinary,” he said. “Ministry is about people’s full lives, their work, challenges, systems, and futures, not theory alone.”
Next Friday, 22 May 2026, Hakwaake will graduate at the Eenhana Graduation Ceremony with a Postgraduate Diploma in Procurement Management, marking his second graduation from the institution after previously completing a Bachelor of Communication.
While this will be his ninth qualification overall, it’s not simply another addition to his growing list of academic achievements. It’s part of a much bigger philosophy about learning, leadership, and service.
Learning Beyond the Pulpit
Hakwaake does not believe pastors should exist in isolation from the realities shaping society. In fact, he argues the opposite. “In our time, a pastor who cannot understand education, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics may struggle to serve people holistically,” he explained. “How can we serve all people if our thinking is narrow and our perspective limited?”
This belief is shaped by the many roles he fulfils each day. By profession, he is a public servant. By calling, a local pastor. Somewhere in between, he is also a father and a doctoral candidate, pursuing a PhD in Education, specialising in Organisational Learning and Development, a programme he describes as his dream.
But juggling it all has not been easy. “Balancing all my responsibilities has been both challenging and rewarding, and required careful management of every part of my life.”
Still, he speaks about learning with the kind of excitement most people reserve for long-awaited holidays or life milestones. Even after nine graduations, he still sounds hungry for knowledge.
That hunger has already taken him beyond Namibia’s borders. After completing his Bachelor of Communication at NUST, he was admitted to the University of Nova Gorica in Slovenia, where he completed a Master of Science in Leadership in Open Education.
Continuous Learning
There is a quiet determination behind his story. Hakwaake believes Namibia urgently needs a stronger culture of continuous learning, especially among professionals who may feel their studying years are behind them. “Curricula are revised every five years,” he noted. “If your last graduation was more than five years ago, your knowledge needs renewal.”
He further urged Namibians to embrace a culture of learning for a better Namibia. “The era of speaking from emotion alone is over. It is time to build, lead, and transform through knowledge. Let us grow into a true knowledge-based society that learns, adapts, and progresses together.”
He credits NUST for shaping him as a learner and leader. “The institution has significantly strengthened my learning abilities and supported my growth into an intellectually grounded academic and a visionary leader,” he said proudly.
