The nation of Somaliland had indeed become a household named and earned the laurels “A haven of peace in a sea of chaos”; “A miracle of Africa”, “A homemade traditional brand of political management”; A traditional cum modern fusion of political management acumen” etc.
Al the phrases emerged from the piecemeal pacification in the spirit of dialogue and reconciliation, unseen in recent memory of international political management, that Somaliland had turned and tuned to perfection.
That scenario has seen the country create a political system with checked safety nets to maneuver traditional management towards modern democratical governance.
The constitutional charter put in place cum the universal suffrage through referendum very well endorsed the re-assertion of the country’s independence initially gained from Britain.
The subsequent struggle of the armed movement that culminated in the said achievements did not come in a silver platter. Indeed, people paid through their noses and their blood, to realize it.
A time frame of a whole generation was squandered. But from the ruins of ashes came out the painstaking rebuilding of a nation.
That much said, it is no doubt that maintaining the achievements above is incumbent upon all the stakeholders; herein the people of Somaliland and their government.
The President’s message of the Hijri year 1441 was not only a mere greeting to the Muslim populace.
In its gist was a passionate appeal to the people of Somaliland to be patriotic, united, peaceful and stand for, and by, their nation and nationhood.
H.E. Musa Bihi Abdi was instantly reminding everyone that what has been achieved was indeed a milestone hence like all patriots anywhere else on earth, the compatriots within should be in solidarity, and as a single unit, stand guard on the maintenance and safeguarding of their public order trust.
Given that much has been achieved and created through the homemade traditional value of reconciliation and forgiveness, those same conciliatory efforts that made us a household name should matter to all, especially to our legacy.
This is because it would make us a laughing stock if we should undermine our peaceful stability and dismantle our public order.
We reached here through cohesion, peaceful harmony and above all the upholding of the law.
We are being bombarded by enemies of Somaliland at a faster rate than it has ever been in the last two decades.
The last we need is for our center to not hold.
We should rally together and support the President in his endeavors in nation-building. So, too, should we keep the law, uphold it and toe the line of righteousness.
It is our belief that the stakeholders of the electioneering processes will have a consensus that will thrush out minor differences hence pave way for smooth, free and fair elections to be held in time.
Of course potholes and hurdles bumped into and jumped over along the way to where we have reached are quite well known to all. These should have armed us well with the experienced skills to veer around more hiccups, bottlenecks, and hindrances along the way if any.
As we try to pep up our internal and external affairs, patriotism is needed from the young, the old and sundry. We can forge forward together while we are only as one unit.
Fostering and bonding such unity should be incumbent upon all stakeholders. We have reached a time that we do not need politics for mere politicking but for policies formulation.
On the other hand, this column cried loud and clearly some five or six years ago when the Mogaidhsu government put Berbera Port squarely in their budget.
The same column today decries the Mogadishu planning minister receiving a grant to develop Berbera municipality and its youth programs.
We should stand firm on the management of our affairs. The enemies have crawled and inched provocatively at our doorstep.
We support the President’s speeches and vision and wish him well in steering this country to further heights in this new Hijri year.
Similarly, we sent our greetings to the nation and the Muslim world as a whole.
Happy and Healthy New Year 1441 to all.
