Dr. Abdulkadir Osman Farah

The myth that certain societies are incapable of developing homegrown capacities for “selfsalvation” is widely accepted globally, even by parts of the societies in question. Dominant societies often label these societies as “incompetent”. To manage them, they establish a paternalistic framework for how these societies should organize. They impose a predefined timetable, evaluating and measuring-urging societies to take childlike steps. The assumption is that if these societies are ever to establish public welfare for their people, they should seek aid from those societies who supposedly master “self-salvation.” However, people did not accept such downloaded models that over numerous decades produced destruction and decline at multiple levels. Instead, they might seriously consider and implement much more closer and publicly conventional alternatives. [Ood kaa fog dhaxan kaama celiso].

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“The Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock today warned of impending disaster and famine in Somalia unless immediate action is taken to terminate the breeding cycle of the desert locust. Mogadicio residents recently witnessed huge swarms, 25km wide and 70 km long. He said the government is launching a campaign to eradicate the pests but this can only be achieved with the help of insecticide and light aircraft for spraying, which are not available. A grant towards the campaign has been promised by the governments of the USA and the Netherlands. However, this was not enough”  
From the book “Gifts”- Nurrudin Farah, citing a news broadcast in 1980s by SONNA Official Somali News Agency.

“Bulshoy adigaa milga leh; Ninkii boojimo ku yidhi; Shalaad barataannu nidhi; Bayluulida haw furfuran; Bariidana kaama geyo” (My people: there is such a thing as society!; To the one who says you have no choice, reply, ‘You have no clue!’; Don’t listen to his braying, don’t give him the time of day!”)
From the poem “Bulsho” (Society) Maxamed Ibrahim Hadraawi, 1981.

“Jidka waayuhu u qaaday; Jihada wakhtigu u jeestay; markaan eegmo jalleeco; waxaa ii diida joog, jiif iyo seexad toona; siday dadkeygu ugu jeedin; jirrabkiyo baaba’ooda” (Witnessing the course of events; the ever shifting direction of time; my people’s inattentiveness to trials and tribulations keeps me restless and sleepless”
Muxyadiin Ciid, Somali-British Poet and author, 2024.

“Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” (Let them eat cage)- inattentive response by the last Queen of France before the eruption of the French revolution, Marie Antoinette, on the occasion of witnessing French poor peasants struggling to find a bread to eat.

Whose Decisions Count?

Once, in a traditional, consultative, and inclusive oriented community, a significant problem arose in the society. A challenge that needed collective attention and action. The organizers called for a gathering, and the community responded in accepting the invitation. They assembled to discuss potential solutions. Ideas and opinions flowed freely, with everyone carefully considering how to tackle the pressing challenges. At one point, a respected elder stood up and authoritatively declared, “Let the elders decide, and we should all follow their instructions.” Relieved, the community immediately agreed, saying, “Yes, that’s a good idea, let’s do it” However, a young boy listening nearby spoke up: “Kuwa noogu caqli roon ha taliyeen” (The decision should be made by the smartest people, not just the oldest) “Yes, he’s right” erupted the astonished community.

This story highlights the importance of prioritizing “intellectual resources” over the often unreliable and unsustainable pursuit of internally or externally generated “material resources”. Traditional Somalis valued organic intellectual capabilities- in the process enabling them to keep foreign aggressors since the Portuguese at pay. In contrast, the current globally scattered professionalized Somali intellectuals, so far, hesitated to properly organize the society. A bewildering condition that the late renown Somali poet and traditional intellectual (aun) Maxamuud Cabdullaahi Singub explained as “Sillaan bay dul taallaa, aqoonyahanna muu sugin” (the society seems almost terminal and intellectuals have yet to deal with it).

Similarly, the late Somali traditional-professional intellectual and poet, Maxamed Ibrahim Hadraawi (aun) observed that social and political actions arises from the interactions within society, particularly in how the society shapes and reshapes its path toward development or underdevelopment. This process is not always top-down, where dominant groups dictate to the rest. It can also be horizontal, driven by the active engagement and dynamics between different members of society. In this way, communities can collectively imagine and shape their future. The more a society resists irrational or out-of-context ideas, the more cohesive and independent it becomes.

When individuals face challenges, they often view these as personal problems. Yet, individual struggles are deeply connected to broader social and political issues, affecting both leaders and public institutions. From this interplay between personal and public spheres, dynamic communities emerge, transforming society. These transformations often occur through practical encounters and interactions within the community and through the formation and reform of institutions that take people’s real needs and priorities into account.

Organizing vs disorganizing the society

Belonging to the contemporary generation of seriously concerned citizens, the Somali-British poet and author Muxyidin Ciid raise crucial questions: Why do most people, particularly Somalis, have yet to recognize their collective intellectual and material capacities? How is it that Somalis remain indifferent to the recurring struggles and suffering of their society? Why is there such a lack of concern for public welfare or improvement?

Addressing these issues require careful social and political thought, as well as complementary decisive collectively organized actions. Some argue that prolonged poverty, ignorance, and blind obedience to destructive political elites have led to widespread apathy to address the decline of public welfare. Scholars describe this phenomenon as “social and political disorganization,” a process that occurs when a society with a history of organization and shared values loses its cohesion in the face of external challenges. For example, a society with clear divisions of labor, wisdom, and trust can be thrown into disarray by the imposition of alien structures like colonialism, dictatorship, warlordism, or extremism, transforming the concerned society beyond recognition.

Ownership of self-salvation

One of the most damaging legacies of the colonial era is the belief of the African man’s inability to achieve self-salvation. This notion suggests that Africans, including Somalis, can only succeed by relying on others, whether it is African or non-African allies. History shows that this approach is unsustainable, as those who claim to “save” your society are primarily interested in saving their own societies.

Why, then, do people willingly accept prolonged subordination and disorganization, which harms both their private and public welfare? Some argue that this is a temporary condition that many societies have experienced and eventually will overcome. For example, during Ibn Battuta’s time, Somalis were among the wealthiest people in the world, supporting other societies, including those in the Arabian Peninsula, to prevent starvation and famine.

Thus, the idea of passivity and disinterest in public welfare may be an oversimplification. This view overlooks the potential of international collaboration, which can still prioritize a Somali or an African agency. History demonstrates that Africans, including Somalis, have shown resilience and self reliance, from pre-colonial empires to modern success stories. External partnerships do not therefore necessarily lead to dependency. In fact, nations worldwide continuously build alliances to foster 3 progress. Today, numerous African-led initiatives are already driving global development, disproving the belief that self-salvation is unattainable without outside help.

Maseyr (Jealousy) for public awareness

Alternative ways of generating awareness of public welfare includes the efforts of combatting inequality and poverty in the society. This can also be done through the education of the younger generations, preventing them to remain uninformed. Widespread ignorance, gradually and self destructively, makes the society reproducing its own locally produced enemies.

At least those who insist in their wish to lead the society (the elites), a minimum requirement should be some kind of competitiveness- in the form of Maseyr (Jealousy)- in relation to rival societies. Not necessarily a destructive exclusive irrational Maseyr- but a sense of beneficial social and political values that include practicing jealousy- particularly against others with an ambition of overshadowing and denying your existence. Normal societies pay attention to internal and external shocks, triggering necessary awareness of reorganizing public welfare and protection for the better.

[Markii meel aan aado waxaan soo maqlaayee Muslin iyo gaalkii intiis mowla soo uumayaa mininkaada joogaanee Macaaneey maba iraahinee, ma jiraa warkaanee?

Maya maya aboow ma jiree, warkaas meel ku xooree Miirkaa adeegee, mininkaada moogaantaa ma la soo maraayee.

Markii meel aan aado, mininkeyga waa layska soo marmaraa miyaa? Minaa mininkeygi layku soo mareeynin Maradaan maxaa waaye iyo macawiistaan aniga ma ahee mideydii

Markaan waa macaadee ma musaafuraayee Mininkey ma dhaafaayi, meel dheer ma aadaayi, maseeraa i haayee]

(When I go somewhere I often hear that all people come to your home. My love, is that information correct?; Not at all dear, it did not happen, you rather reject such rumors and come to your senses. Noone ever steps in your home without your knowledge; When I go out, my home becomes open space for everyone; If my home is not an open space, whose belongings are these?, these are not mine; Now, I am furious, not going out, will stay home, not moving far away, I certainly became jealous)[Lyric by -aun- Faarax Siidow Faarax].

Somali artists, often from the outer observation, portray the problem of simple household relationships and quarrels where for example an anxious man suspects his wife. However in a deeper meaning, they present the idea of preserving the integrity of the home and its agreed upon resources, principles and institutions. A process that resulted from a consensus based on legitimacy preventing 4 the space becoming open to aggressive intruders, whether from closer places or faraway regions. Whether such intruders are people you share culture with or strangers.

Each social and political entities of the world have embedded principles and valuable resources to protect. If adversaries presume or feel that such valuable resources might probably be unprotected by obviously organized strength and resolve, it might let them speculate capturing such neglected homes. However, given the presumed protector becoming suspicious and in prospect promising to be awaken, then there could be less immediate worries that peace and prosperity in the home could not emerge and prevail. The installation of the practice of “jealousy” might therefore in this regard become key to alert those who could provide and maintain public welfare to the society.

The alternative is the continuing dependency of gifts, massive disorganization of the society, gross inequality in terms of accessing resources and privileges. Or as the author Muxyidiin Ciid complains the establishment and the institutionalization of a society with extreme inattentiveness and pathetic disinterest to address existing cruelties and the lack of public welfare in the society.

Dr. Abdulkadir Osman Farah
Email: osmanfaraha@gmail.com
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Dr. Abdulkadir Osman Farah teaches at Copenhagen University and is associate of Urban Sanctuary, Migrant Solidarity and Hospitality in Global Perspective with Aalborg and Ryerson Universities. Dr. Farah is also currently associate researcher of Tswane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa .