Odibo is situated on top of a large underground water reservoir. Cracks in the soil and in stone structures are attributed to this. The village Headman is Charles Namoloh, Namibia's Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development.[2]
History
St Mary's Mission in Odibo was established in August 1924 by George Tobias, Nelson Fogarty, and Reverend R White, Anglican priest that had the task of setting up a mission in northern Ovamboland.[3] The tree where they camped before starting their work is today known as Tobias' Tree.[3] The mission eventually comprised a church, a hospital, and the St Mary Mission School, a high school and seminary.
There are two schools at the village, St. Mary's Odibo High School, the successor of Saint Mary Mission School, and Odibo Combined School.[11] There is also a Lutheran Centre for Arts and Crafts for artistic subjects, established by one of Namibia's most famous artists,[12]John Muafangejo, in the early 1970s.[13]
Further reading
Wolfe, E. M. (1935) Beyond the Thirst Belt: the story of the Ovamboland mission. London: S. P. G. & S. P. C. K. (Sister Wolfe tells the story of St. Mary's Mission to the Ovambos)
^"Ohangwena Schools". Association of Regional Councils in the Republic of Namibia. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
^Clewing, Ulrich. "Uneasy memories". culturebase.net. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.