Hiiraan Online

Without a doubt, one issue that is always on the minds of Somalis in Somalia and Somalis in the Diaspora is the current  situation in the beloved motherland-Somalia.  Indeed, one could argue that the main root of all the conflict is the lack of strong and righteous leaders in the country.  If there were strong men at the forefront of the war and not greedy, self centered so called leaders, the Somalis in Somalia and everywhere else would eagerly welcome “the white dove” and the rebirth of what was once a great nation. However, if the current situation is not rectified soon and not changed for the better, we will be on the verge of becoming an endangered nation.   The one question on our minds and everyone else’s  is where are the Somali leaders who will stand up for their country?

We are in age where nations are positioning themselves to take center in world through breakthrough leadership and advancement of technology and medicine, but we as Somalis are in an age where we are positioning ourselves to put an individual(s) who do not have leadership attributes on leadership positions.  These nations that I speak of are nations that have men/women who exemplify the true meaning of leadership.  Examples are Chine, India, Brazil, Germany, and many others.  These nations are states with long history and abundant resources such strong economy and strong recognition across the world, but they had revolution on the hierarchy of leadership.  They are Hu Jintao, Dr. Manmohan Singh , Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Angel Merkel, respectively.  About a decade ago, these nations with the exception of Germany, were considered developing nations.  However, their leaders or head of state demonstrated remarkable characteristics and qualities of leadership and their respected nations are now political powerhouses.

To me leadership is the processes of motivating a group of people to reach their full potential.  However, Kathryn M. Bartol & David C. Martin in Management, 3rd edition, define leadership as “the process of influencing others to achieve organizational goals.  They also continue to say that this pillar of leadership is considered the foundation of the management function known as leading”.  Being leader is extremely challenging.  Recent estimates indicate that as many as 50 to 60 percent of leaders in organizations may actually be incompetent leaders.1

 Several years ago when I was searching for a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program to attend, I come across an advertisement from New York University Stern School of Business.  The advertisement read “what does it take to be a leader?” HARD WORK, determination and a couple of hours each FRIDAY NIGHT.”  As I stared at the advertisement, the only thing that struck me was the couple of hours on Friday night.  I have been an undergraduate for four years and my Friday nights was essential to my sanity and I was not ready to give up my Friday night.  But than, I asked my self, why one needs to sacrifice couple of hours on Friday night to be leader?  One answer; DETERMINATION, if you can sacrifice something that important and you are willing to give up to get more, then you have what it takes to make that leap from a follower to a leader or from a weak person to a strong one.

We, Somalis in the Diaspora understand what the basic necessity of life is-security, shelter, and physiological.  However, we don’t desire these wishes to our fellow countrymen based on our divisions and allegiance to our tribes.  Allah (SWT) says in the Quran “Mankind! We created you from a male and female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each other. The noblest among you in Allah's sight is that one of you who best performs his duty. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Surat al-Hujurat: 13). To take this further, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in Hadith “You are sons of Adam, and Adam came from dust. Let the people cease to boast about their ancestors.”2.  By aligning with our tribe when we know the effect of the actions that our fellow countrymen are committing; we are sanctioning transgression against our People and Allah.  As Muslims, we have fiduciary  responsibility to correct the wrong, stand-up against injustice.

Somalia today is on the cross roads and is on its knees begging for way out and the only way out is an individual(s) with the capacity to affect the behavior of others.  We need leader who has the capacity to control and provide basic necessity of life.  We need a leader that has the power that results from being admired and liked by others.  We need leader who has the power that is based on the possession of expertise that is valued by others; not the power or the leadership that depends on the ability to punish others when they don’t engage in desired behaviors.

The men we place on pedestal are the ones who are keeping us in the dark ages.  These are the individuals that we are bragging about at the coffee shops and in our homes as the leaders of the Somali state.  I am embittered and heart-broken to call those warmongers leaders.  If we continue to sit and do nothing, the Somali name will be extinct.  I implore you to renounce these leaders and what they represent, these men who are selling our country region by region.  It is time to stop settling for second-rate leaders and say this is not good enough, WE CAN DO BETTER! It is our duty to do better by our country. Today, I have one question for our people and myself: as JFK has said “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. “