How this popular Namibian politician came to be named Adolf Hitler - 'My father probably did not...'

Adolf Hitler Uunona, a Namibian politician, was re-elected for the fifth time in a local election to retain his seat in a small northern constituency. His name definitely is the first thing that catches the eye since he shares it with the infamous German dictator who killed millions of Jews. According to Euro News, Uunona has represented Ompundja in the Oshana region since 2004 as a member of the South West Africa People's Organisation, or SWAPO. The 59-year-old is clearly aware of his controversial name, but says it has never been a problem. He usually goes by the name Adolf Uunona and says changing it is not an option now.

Uunona is quite a contrast to German dictator Hitler and enjoys immense popularity in his constituency comprising 5,000 residents. In 2020, he won 85% of the votes. The official count for the latest election has not been released yet. In an interview with German newspaper Bild in 2020, Uunona clarified that he had “nothing to do” with Nazi ideology. "It wasn't until I was growing up that I realised: This man wanted to subjugate the whole world," Uunona said. “I have nothing to do with any of these things."

He said the name was given to him by his father, although "he probably did not understand" it had such a global meaning. In another interview with the Namibian press, he said that as a child, it was a "totally normal name." He wants everyone to know that just because he is named Hitler, that doesn't mean he has "Adolf Hitler's character or resemble that of Adolf Hitler of Germany."

Namibia was once a German colony and was later passed on to South African control before becoming independent in 1990. However, Germanic names are still quite popular in the country.