Radio broadcaster and columnist Denzel Leroy //Naobeb Well known as NSK has broken his silence with a detailed official statement following the controversy surrounding Childline/Lifeline Namibia’s 45th anniversary fundraiser, which led to both him and musician Jericho being removed from the program.
According to NSK, he was approached by Childline/Lifeline Namibia, through radio coordinator Elizabeth Hamurenge, to serve as master of ceremonies (MC) for the event. He agreed to do so on a pro bono basis, stating that he has in the past offered his services for meaningful causes without compensation.
On September 9th, NSK received the first draft of the event program, which did not mention Jericho. A second draft followed on September 15th, also without Jericho’s name. On September 22nd, a tentative program was shared again making no reference to Jericho.
It was only on September 24th that NSK received a “script” for the program which, according to him, still did not mention Jericho. Unaware of Jericho’s pending involvement, NSK did not respond to that email. He only discovered Jericho’s inclusion after noticing social media posts on September 25th.
NSK admitted that as a professional he should have responded earlier but emphasized that he never requested Jericho’s removal. Instead, he contacted Elizabeth Hamurenge immediately, stating that he would prefer to excuse himself from the program to avoid working alongside Jericho.
“I made it clear that I would like to be kindly excused as MC. I had no problem respectfully removing myself from the event and this is due to reasons I will reveal later,” NSK explained.
According to him, Elizabeth insisted that he stay on, stressing that replacing him at the last minute would be difficult and that the event needed his expertise. NSK says Elizabeth assured him that Jericho’s role could be adjusted so that he would not interfere with the flow of the program.
He further expressed disappointment that in official communication with Jericho, Childline/Lifeline Namibia used his name, which was later publicized, creating the impression that he had forced the organizers into an ultimatum.
“That was extremely saddening and unfortunate. My peace and my dignity have been misrepresented to seem like I gave them an ultimatum, which is far from the truth,” NSK said.
Previous Tensions with Jericho
In his statement, NSK elaborated on his personal history with Jericho, which influenced his decision to excuse himself.
He explained that Jericho has in the past made “extremely hurtful and defamatory” remarks about his character, family, and professional work, both publicly and online. NSK noted that such statements were damaging and not easy to forget, stressing that his choice was not “drama for the sake of it” but an attempt to protect his dignity and peace of mind.
NSK recalled several incidents that strained their relationship:
- Jericho took offense when NSK featured fellow artist Webster on his podcast, accusing him of favoritism. NSK says Jericho was also given the platform and had addressed his issues openly, but when Webster appeared again later, Jericho reacted negatively.
- Jericho further objected when NSK highlighted comments from TikTok personality Shura regarding Jericho’s music. NSK said he shared these comments in his role as a broadcaster covering Namibian entertainment but Jericho misinterpreted it as an attack, later releasing a TikTok video suggesting that NSK was “beefing” with him.
- At one point, Jericho even accused NSK of playing a role in the dismissal of another radio personality, Cheeze, from the station. Most hurtfully, Jericho allegedly linked NSK to the tragic death of artist Kanibal — accusations that NSK described as extremely damaging and false.
Despite these incidents, NSK maintained that he never retaliated in kind and continued to carry out his responsibilities as a broadcaster professionally.
NSK urged organizations like Childline/Lifeline Namibia to exercise transparency and fairness in handling sensitive matters, stressing that one-sided narratives can cause unnecessary reputational damage.
“I really hope that Elizabeth and her team at Lifeline/Childline Namibia do the right thing, attest to the facts and revert what seems like gigantic reputational damage engineered by their lack of transparency,” he said.
NSK further clarified that his refusal to share a platform with Jericho was not an act of sabotage but a personal boundary based on past experiences. He reiterated that he respects the mission of Childline/Lifeline Namibia and wishes the organization success in its fundraising drive.
“My decision was never about blocking anyone’s opportunity. I simply asked to excuse myself. I did not ask for Jericho to be removed,” he emphasized.
Despite the fallout, NSK stated that he remains committed to his role as a Namibian broadcaster, dedicated to promoting local content and encouraging healthy debate around the country’s creative industry. He also expressed hope that the incident will serve as a reminder for organizations to handle conflicts with fairness, integrity, and professionalism.
