By Fahad Y. Ibrahim
Abdirizak H. Hussein was born circa 1924 in Gaalka’yo, the capital city of Mudug. His father, Haji Hussein Atosh, was an authority on Islam and young Abdirizak learned the Qur’an under his stewardship. After memorizing the Holy Quran, and still a young person, he went to Mogadishu where he and his younger brother grew up as orphans and homeless, as recorded in the book ‘Africa’s first democrats’ by Prof. Abdi Samatar. Because of his aptitude for languages, Abdirizak learnt both English and Italian at a young age before being trained by the Italians and joining the army.
After many years of training and working under the Italians, Abdirizak left the army and traveled to Jigjiga and then to Dire-Dawa where he would meet Jama Urdooh. They both collaborated to set up an SYL office in Dire-Dawa after obtaining an approval from the movement’s leadership in Mogadishu.
In June 1955, A. H. Hussein presented at the United Nations a petition on behalf of the SYL. He was elected as its Secretary General a few months later. In 1959, he became a Member of Parliament for the Nugal District of Mudug, and was also elected to the National Assembly in that same year.
Being highly motivated and self-taught, Abdirizak H Hussein became the president of the Higher Institute of Law and Economics during this period. He would later go on to become the president of the University Institute; both educational establishments were based in Mogadishu.
In the first post-independence government of Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, Abdirizak served as Minister of Interior (1960-1962), and Minister of Public Works and Communications (1962-1964).
In 1964, president Aden Abdulle Osman decided to appoint Mr. Hussein as the country’s second prime minister, and he plainly instructed him to form a competent and proficient government.
In his speech of accepting the president’s appointment, Mr. Hussein said, Mr. Hussein
“I will make an attempt, and if it goes the way I want, well and good. If not, I will resign and give back the honor and the responsibility vested on me.” Look at how humble he was Mr. Hussein was always opposed to the notion of tribal balance inherent in the Somali public’s minds… In his view, he selected a cabinet based on merit but not clan balance.
Mr. Hussein sincerely believed that the selection criteria for every position in the government should be based on meritocracy and competency and favored a strong, decentralized unitary government.
There was an incident that happened when Mr. Hussein was the prime minister of the country, involving his older brother Abdulkadir, who worked as a civil servant, and who one day, whilst he was in his office, got a sacking notice in the form of a letter, “posta rossa”, which loosely translates to “the firing letter”—because he was incompetent and a poorly educated person.
That incident tells you how far he was Our leaders who are far from applying from nepotism and favoritism Mr. Hussein was. Mr. Hussein genuinely believed in the leadership philosophy that in Italian says “la persona giusta nella posizione giusta” which roughly means “The right person for the right position”. In contrast, nowadays, this type of integrity and leadership model is non-existent and has been forgotten for a long while. Our today’s leaders practice something very different from what Mr. Hussein and the likes did 60 years ago. Our leaders appointed to the nation’s highest positions tend to act as owners of the state rather than seeing themselves as servants who serve their people. As soon as they enter their shiny offices, they apply what I call “political-nepotism”, appointing their relatives and closest of kin to high government positions., This rotten culture can be seen in the current federal government administration.
Reading his biography, I found some characteristics I have never seen in any other Somali leader. He had a rare combination of a propensity for reforming, unbridled integrity, and a deep-running sense of nationalism. In addition, he has benefitted from his skillful oratory, personal charm, and charisma: An articulated, knowledgeable man, politically mature, and a genuine visionary. I sometimes call him Somalia’s Churchill. His legacy and leadership style have inspired so many people — including me!
Anyone who has studied Mr. Hussein’s leadership and personal traits will attest to the fact that this man had the ability to connect with the public in a manner of respect and civility, and inspired loyalty while being honest most of the time. In addition, Mr. Hussein was an alpha leader, confident, and revolutionary. Moreover, he was an incorruptible politician and a reformist, embodying two traits that are very scarce in Somali politicians.
In addition to that, Hussein was a humble leader, unlike other leaders such as Aden Abdulle and Abdirashid Sharmarke. He had worked hard to build strong institutions based on merit, competency, and transparency.
In 2014, Mr. Hussein was invited to give a speech at a Somali conference in Istanbul and was quite passionately advancing Somali nationalistic sentiments. He presented a powerful speech to Somali politicians, traditional elders, and intellectuals, which called for transparency and good governance. He also underscored the importance of always doing what is best for the country.
In conclusion, Mr. Hussein was a statesman, a true patriot, and a polished leader. some people including myself see him as a ‘National hero”. His legacy will be written in the golden pages of leadership and good governance books.
Fahad Y. Ibrahim
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Fahad is an agricultural expert, writer, and political analyst in Istanbul-based, who can reached at [email protected]
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