By Gulaid Dalha
Borama -Making his political desire and reaching a future destiny, Professor Samatar has finally decided to join the ruling party of Somaliland – Kulmiye.
At a colourful event held at Borama, the capital city of Awdal region, the vice president of Somaliland Abdirahman Abdullaahi Ismail Saylee, the chairman of the ruling party as well as the presidential candidate Musa Behi Abdi and top brass Kulmiye officials welcomed Professor Samatar to the party.
In the glitzy event, the entire officials have unanimously agreed that Professor Samatar will immensely contribute in the party.
The chairman of the ruling party Hon Musa Behi Abdi stated that Kulmiye always works unity and togetherness. For this, he said they are ready to welcome the prudent Somaliland scholar Professor Samatar. Mr Behi reiterated the need to avoid tribalism, biasness, disdaining. He urged all Somaliland citizens to be hand in glove and avoid anything that is threat to the peace, stability and tranquility of this nation.
Nearly a two weeks ago, professor Samatar stated that it is time for him to join a political party to contribute the ongoing changes in the country.
Samatar who long opposed vehemently the sovereignty of Somaliland and campaigned for the unification of Somalia gave up the unionist ideology before few years when he was warmly welcomed back to his home country – Somaliland, in 2013.
Professor Ahmed Ismail Samatar is a prominent Somali writer, professor and former dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship at Macalester College. He is the editor of Bildhaan: an international journal of Somali Studies, and brother of Abdi Ismail Samatar, chair of the geography department at the University of Minnesota.
Source: Somali Commentator
well come we need new vision
I don’t really see the kind of change that he can bring because of the nature of Somaliland political parties which don’t have policies. The second reason is the characters of the two men( biixi and samatar) they are both proud and stubborn and their union won’t last longer.
Really! To contribute what? Samatar is a pessimist who only knows how to critize, besides he wrongly thinks that he is the only learned persob in the entire somali speaking region, isn’t this unfortunate?
To read books and obtain academic papers is one thing and to be Knowledgeable is a different thing..
Truely knowledge and wisdom must breed humility not arrogance and empty pride.
I am a kulmiye supporter and I do not think this guy will bring any good to the party; may be just may be if the officials have the patience he can run series of theoretical lectures of how everybody else is wrong except him.
Any way I must respect the leadership of the party and conclude.. welcome prof..to kulmiye party kkkkk
Professors and politics don’t really mix that well. In my view, the reason is simple. The former think they have a monopoly of KNOWLEDGE while the latter think they have a monopoly of IDEAS.
Look at the history of African politics and you’ll note that there are some high risk academics who are considered PNG at home thus forcing them into exile. Examples include Prof Ali Mazrui (Kenya), Prof Ngugi wa Thiongo (Kenya), the late Chinua Achebe (Nigeria) and many more. So you can’t blame Mr Samatar per se.
To Farah above, I agree that theory/academics does NOT necessarily mean that you are “learned”. In fact, there’s a whole new institution nowadays called the “University of Life” which teaches that the best learning is not derived from books but from actual experiences of reality, its ups/downs and the lessons drawn from them. Reading a book is one thing but learning from it is a very different thing altogether. I can imagine the two Samatars groaning about this! Whether they agree or disagree is irrelevant. The true “jamacaad” is “wayaarag”.
The Samatars are NOT the only well-read Somalis. We have so many in the diaspora including this writer who prefers to stay anonymous and silent.
Finally, bro Hersi, there is no such things as “permanent” enemies in politics. You’ll find the most UNLIKELY of partnerships. Yesterdays enemies become tomorrows friends. Like they say, don’t blame the play, blame the players!