Saed Salah: a badly needed hero
Mohamoud Yusuf
Monday, 26th October, 2009

“the human being must be enlighten in order to be a humane (Johan Comeniu”, didactica magna)
The above quotation teaches us that human being is not a complete human, unless it is equipped with the very basic knowledge which is necessary for its survival and interaction with the surrounding environment. This reflects apparently the myopic criminals who swayed the Somali populace unabatedly with terror.
In contrast, there are still descent and knowledgeable Somali heroes out there. To name one, we have a supper educator, poet, playwright and composer, Saed Salah Ahmed. Having not personal knowledge about him, I met him in Stockholm on 24th October, 2009. when he was on one day visit to Sweden. Even that day, I realized that it was really Saed Salah who composed the following Somali classical and didactical song, in which he proudly, touches our nerves with an exotic mixture of- nomadic life and the Islamic faith, that form and frame the basic context of our Somali culture;

Ambaqaadka geeddiga
Sida awrta loo raro
waxa lagu aloosaa
Addin iyo af wada jira
Alif la korebey- Alif la hoos rebey- Alif la godey…….

His visit was under the auspices of Swedish school board, an annual seminar, for teachers of minority communities’ mother languages in the Nordic countries, sponsored by Sweden. There were many audiences there, and the meeting was far from my imaginative expectations. I was expecting a noisy and inattentive atmosphere, as typical as Somalis (out of livelihood). I don’t recall so quiet and observant audience as such in my life. Saed’s artistic, yet pedagogical way of reaching the audience dashed my above mentioned fault expectations. Everybody was intently following as he spoke. Not only his professional and skillful way of speaking, was so captive, but also every move and gesture he made was stealing our eyes and minds- talk about art of teaching!

Apart from artistic talents, Saed is a teacher by profession. He taught from elementary to university levels, in the good old days, back home in Somalia. Being one of many, who have had the chance to proper education with the meager economy of the country, Saed is one of few, who gave back a nationalistic look to their bleeding Maandeeq. Unlike many, Saed continued to serve the nation, even though he is an expatriate, currently based in the U.S. When he moved to America, Saed voluntarily started teaching the Somali language to the children of Somali parents and those who moved there at young age.

After painstaking research on how Somali language is disposed to die out in the future, made by Saed himself, Saed is committed himself to keep the Somali language and culture alive. Apart teaching of the Somali language, Saed wrote numerous plays, stories, books and other literary works. Some of which are; Iftiinka aqoonta, kalamaan, farrriinta Koorta, Nabad&caano and many others. His heroic efforts paid off, Saeds voluntary work made possible that the Somali language is today taught in one of American universities, the University of Minnesota. Many Somali expatriates made home in Minnesota, where Saed teaches mainly the Somali language but also other subjects. Saed won the prestigious Mcnight foundation award in the year of 2005, for his extra-ordinary work for the Somali community.

As the saying goes, “You know your friend when you really have had it” it is time for the Somali people to learn to honor and praise their heroes and quit drumming for the vultures who brought our country into its knees, and still scavenging on the skeleton of Maandeeq, our beloved homeland.
I believe that there are many Somalis with genuine nationalistic feelings, like Saed Salah, who can approach for making difference for the Somalis and the Somalia, in these testing times. And Saed, we, the Somali community in Stockholm, can hardly wait to having you next year.

By Mohamoud yusuf (Nuur).
Stockholm, Sweden.
Max.jousef1@gmail.com