 He is said to have foretold the assassination of Hendrik Verwoerd in 1966, and a further revelation allegedly saved his life when he was left for dead on the uninhabited Zambian Mombova Island.After 14 days without food and water, it is said that he was told to stand upright on the tiny island, an action that alerted local fishermen that came to investigate where the second "tree" on that island suddenly came from.After the assassination of Clemens Kapuuo in 1978, Riruako became Paramount Chief of the Herero.