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In fact the greatest object of raising the prophet is that the people should be made to observe day-to-day life of the prophet the reflection of the cognition of God that should find access to their own lives. If inner self of man is aglow with light of cognition of God everything in the external expression should also be bright (Islahi, 1982: 76). Since I had been in Somalia I was accounting the hopelessness and dispiritedness that are so profound in Somali society and absence of hope in their heart, especially young people. I have also accounted the indefinite oscillations and discourses of political horrors and opaqueness persist in Somalia, as everyone yearns inhabitation of different and more prosperous milieu. Nevertheless in addition to the profound existence of hopelessness and uncertainty there are other two chief dynamics exacerbating and prolonging misery and melancholy. Firstly there are two different unequal planets: one inhabited by unknowledgeable poor desperate majority of the society; whilst other inhabited by unestablished minority elites whose conception is fulfilment of their personal benefits and desires. Desires that often bequeath frustration rather than satisfaction. Secondly minority elite people exploit regional identity and territorial politics to advance their perquisites. Regionalism involves the heart of issues about “elite politics conducted through manipulation of cultural forms, myths, and allegiances and about pervasive suspicion toward, and possible means of validating authentic cultural and political expression in a society by self-conscious faith in modernity” (Marcus and Fischer, 1999: 156; italics my emphasis). As result of above bourgeoisie decadent and societal abandonment, one might encounter “unspeakable wrongness of cutting a life short” when it could be fully thriving (Orwell, 2001: 22). Having said all that, and despite the depressing representation that every Somali analyst paints and futureless conclusion that every Somali person prophesy, I had recently encountered a team with authentic passion who is driving force behind Nugaal University situated in Lasanot city. Albeit there are economical, political and aspirational bewilderment in this region, this passionate team maintains university administratively, conducts teaching, establishes partnership provisions with other higher educational institutions and NGO agencies as well as heightening the profile of the university. furthermore aspiration of this diverse team in age, specialities, political allegiances and hobbies; share authentic dedication of transferring knowledge, transforming and empowering the people, informing and facilitating university’s objectification, and above all liberating people from the anxieties of large dark cloud that is present in every Somali’s life today. This aspirant team also continually communicate the merriment of the innovation of resources of hope, creation of new horizon which will portray cultural conviviality, tolerance, justice and mutual care (Gilroy, 2004). Indeed these distinguished individuals reminded and compelled me to adopt the description of Richard Shaull, when he was introducing the book of most prominent and distinguished thinker, theorist, educator, and activist – Paulo Freire and stated: Confronted by these problems in every existential way, this team turn their attention to the field of education and began to work on it. Over the years, they engaged in a process of study and reflection that has produced something quite new and creative in educational philosophy. From a situation of direct engagement in the struggle to liberate men and women for the creation of the new world and systems they inherit, they reached out to the thought and experience of those in many different situations and of diverse philosophical positions........ This team has made use of the insights of these men and women to develop a perspective on education which is authentically their own which seeks to respond to the concrete realities of Somali People (italics my emphasis, Paulo Freire, 1970: 12 – 13). Other additional extraordinary thing is that the majority of this team operates in universities and other UN establishments where they commute every weekend to Lasanod and voluntarily teach from dawn to midnight in each day. Due to the versatility of the team that I encountered, they all seemed to be trained teachers, managers, public sector workers, customer services workers, advice and guidance counsellors, community and youth workers, project coordinators ( to cite few of the many settings that they functioned) in order to lead higher educational institution and manage all its connexions. In relation to the august learners who are miscellaneous in age, gender, experience, future goals; continue their daily life in other days, and arrive to the class with hunger of knowledge, searching quality of life for themselves and their families, and above all protesting renunciation of intellectual endeavour. The team does not merely manage Nugaal University, cultivate the hope of new horizon, but they scrupulously undertake the resuscitation and remedying the hopelessness that is deeply embedded in the language, emotions and imaginations of the Somali people. In addition to above enterprises and conventional diploma courses, Nugaal University innovate and devise certified provisions targeting young people – be it literacy and numeracy, ESOL classes, basic ICT, and CV and job search skills whilst enabling and facilitating young people to rediscover their virtues and strengths at the same time transforming their competencies and characters in order to appeal to the local potential employers. To my unimaginable disbelief this institution is seldom institution that discourses the “world of work, its ethics and values” where team and the university attempt their utmost choreographing advocacy insodoing bridge the gulf between young people and local NGO’s, training providers and private sector. In addition to the advocacy and formulation of multi-agency work, Nugaal University bequeath practical courses to self-employed and unteachable people who represent oscillated authorities and construct suitable workforce for future potential employers. Other paramount dedication of Nugaal University is the attraction of both home-grown and Diaspora scholars, who are voluntarily bestowing indispensable and strategic assistance by contributing future visions and farsightedness of the university, be it technical report writing, formulation of social research, hosting and facilitation of consultation events or any other activities that university implements on behalf of international development agencies. University team also orchestrates the participation and engagement of the local community for execution of significant programmes, which is so crucial for people situated in adverse and hostile spots in this region. Despite an unexpected revolutionary revelation I observed, I am fully conscious that anyone who entreats ideal world presently is suffering from droughts of intelligentsia or as George Orwell (1943: 71) eloquently put it “Whoever tries to imagine perfection simply reveals his own emptiness”. Nevertheless I wish to communicate what I had observed in two intensive and precious days that I was positioned in Nugaal University: principle orthodoxy emphasizing that every activity is revolutionary, and every revolutionary is educational, and every educational is an intellectual endeavour and every intellectual endeavour is vaccination against inertia. Amidst my observation in Lasanod city generally and Nugaal University in particular, I have encountered young and old, men and women apprentices and scholars who denunciated perennial peacelessness and turbulences as well as battling against infected political systems that they occupy. In short I observed dedicated and exceptional team who dramatise public administration and community development in peaceless and unpredictable terrain. As one might grasp there are two dynamic and oscillated dimensions occurring simultaneously: endurance of intellectual endeavour in abandoned milieu on one hand and deficiency of political ethics and economical and aspirational wretchedness. Latter dimension necessitate voluminous space thus it is beyond this succinct critique. Therefore I shall attempt to explore the doctrine and motivational systems driving consistency of this team and continuity of intellectual endeavour but before I do that I shall briefly touch my contribution to Nugaal University and preference of my theme. We are fully aware that this is not first epoch that humanity endureddifficulty whether it is conflicts, diseases, natural disasters, dehumanization and political oppression among others. This is apparent in Arendt’s argumentation and noted “History know many dark times in which public realm has been obscured and the world becomes so dubious that people have ceased to ask any more politics than that it shows due consideration for their vital interests and personal liberty” (Arendt, 1995: 14). However what Somali people diverge from numerous societies is that we do not textualize what we experience – horrible or tolerable, keeping the hope or prophesying austere future. Due to the unrecountability of life histories and experiences of the people, it is exceedingly problematical differentiating truth from falsehood, and as a result the life of everyone will become “life not worth living” and thus “world not worth living”. At the time of literating this concise narrative I was watching from Aljazeera news channel, an inconceivable and agonizing portraits concerning old women from Turkana region in Kenya who desperately battling their existence because of hunger. In that interview one seventy years old woman stated “I don’t know why God keeping me alive”, and I was asking myself what sort of cosmos would it be without contextualization of real narratives portraying real histories for prospective generations. But let me presage you that the contemporary pervasiveness will not be represented by customary exotic methodology of textualization, as it indeed necessitates innovation in thinking, writing and intention. It requires different and authentic approach, creative text organization, critical observation and multifaceted exegesis in portraits produced by a “world not worth living” Coming back to brief contribution I presented to Nugaal University, which I termed “writing as Social activity”. My proposition was to affect on orality culture and influence the people to inaugurate the culture of literation and recordkeeping, whilst I am fully knowledgeable that witnessing the positive serendipity concerning this cultural adaptation will require centuries, but I had realized during my experience of visiting NugaaL University that every positive deeds is surrendering inertia. Core message of my presentation was significance of keeping notebook where ever the person is and recording his/her thoughts regardless of their virtues. I had also mentioned that writing does not require special locale nor does it obliges particular themes as they can write in their gardens, bedrooms, buses, even remote areas that peripatetic people inhabit, and equally one can write about any discipline that one admires. And I concluded that with God’s supplication, one-day you might institutionalize your knowledge. As I had expressed before one might enquire the rationalization behind the spirited zeal and determination of this institution and its personnel; and how they preserve hopefulness at the same time become free and detached from ‘topography of malady’ that they populate, and this is what I shall explore in the subsequent portion of this delineation. Considering my concise participant observation and being bystander, I have learned that the criterion of differentiating good and evil and truth and falsehood are not problematical in uncomplicated administrational procedures operationalized in Nugaal University. Nor is it intricate to grasp the rational and intelligent policies, practices and ethos utilized by above workforce. Thus this straightforward institutional culture enabled me to paint the following picture. First of all despite the presence of numerous challenges, this team surrender inertia and suffer from the absence of doubt as they radically committed liberating Somali people from internally constructed and externally manipulate political uncertainties. Paulo Freire (1970: 21) courageously stated “the more radical the person is the more fully he or she enters into the reality”. Secondly this outstanding team possess deeply comprehension of contemporary Somali political arrangement at the same time endeavour indefinitely repairing and remedying grotesque and damaged life of Somali society in more dialogue-centred-approach on one hand; and undertaking adventures and hazards at every step and winning battles at every turn to ensure liberation of one person from illiterate imprisonment, on the other. Thirdly they approach every contestation as they possess “magic key of unlocking that challenge” whether it is unlocking people’s potential, mediating unreconciling parties or persuading young people that they are ‘morning of life’ and capable of attaining innumerable things in their life. In other words they translate visions into realities, impossibilities to possibilities, condescension into concurrence, harmony and hopes – this is what I call bravura and audacious leadership in action. Fourthly since this team exceedingly require financial succour, they primarily contributed from their modest earnings at the same time established healthy relationship with UN agencies, international NGO,s, local private and public sectors, and Somali Diaspora as they fight for high quality services, trustworthiness and professionalism. Despite the identification of real needs whereby communicating to the donor agencies and utter dedication of fundraising, they of course depend on themselves and follow travellers. Fifthly they ingeniously protested subscription of any political horrors that are in action presently, since contemporary Somali political orthodoxy cultivates the concealment of real issue – liberation of Somali people from political, economical and cultural tyranny. Sixthly and most importantly, this team execute what they promised, that is why they develop into trustworthy body and enormously contrast numerous pusillanimous, lip-servant and contemptuous agencies and individuals who promises continually and deliveries zilch. Therefore this seldom institution is sole functioning organ amidst dysfunctional, weak-kneed and chicken-hearted Somali society, especially in Sool region. All I wish to state here is that if there is single institution or individual who authentically yearn to envisage that one-day Somali people would stand on their feet, should support Nugaal University morally, resource-wise, financially and any other form of corroboration, since supporting any institution regardless of its geographical locale, will contribute the wider struggle of rediscovering nationhood. This communication is directly to international donors, UN agencies, international GNO’s, Somali private and public sectors, Somali Diaspora, and educationally passionate individuals However I must note one thing here, which is, whatever our conscious is towards above institution and its workforce, they recite “we are not dead and without mortality we will work and by working with God’s supplication, we will transform the world”. Wisdom of this resourceful team has brought me permanent spirit. Arendt, H. (1995) Men in Dark Times. San Diego: Harvest Book. Africa, London Freire, P. (1970) Pedagogy of Oppressed, London: Penguin Books We welcome the submission of all articles for possible publication on WardheerNews.com |
