When the Somali Youth comes to the forefront ... (Interview Part I and II)

the Somali Youth represents the greatest asset of the Somali Nation in its engagement on the Path of Peace and Unity By Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis

Following the interview we had a few days ago with Mr. Abdillahi Ahmed, the Vice President of the World Somali Congress, we will publish an interview with a young American Somali, as full evidence of the great determination, the impressive resourcefulness and the remarkable experience the Somali Youth has got as consequence of its exposure to the unprecedented troubles of the Great East African Nation.

Today, the Somali Youth represents the greatest asset of the Somali Nation in its engagement on the Path of Peace and Unity. Their fortitude of purpose, clarity of ideas, and pre-eminence of values guarantee a great and augur future for the civil war-stricken country, and the ruined Somali province of Ogaden. We are most pleased to present you Sheikhnur Ali, and we are sure he will attract all your attention for the rightful Cause he fights for.

– Would you describe your family background, and your formation years in Somalia?

Sheikhnur Ali – I come from a big Somali family; my father left our village called Ceeldheer, and moved to Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, where he went to the Italian High School, and graduated with major in Economics - Accountancy.

My mother went to Italian High School too, and although she was great student, she didn’t have the chance to complete University studies. She is however a multilingual, fluent in Somali, Arabic, Italian, and English, and she ran a pharmacy store, worked in the Coca Cola Company in Somalia, and then became an agent for Alitalia airline. As a matter of fact, I have six brothers and four sisters.

Since my parents were working all time, most of my brothers and sisters were grown and educated by Grandmother Miriam - may Allah rest her in peace and bless her soul. I loved my grandmother because she was always there, for me and my rest of brother and sisters. My childhood in Somalia was great and memorable moment, as I enjoyed a good life due to my father wealth. I went to an English school where I had a female Pakistani teacher, Amal.

My worst time in Somalia was when the civil war started in 1990; we had to leave the capital and go to another city in search of safety. I didn’t like my stay there as I was missing the good life I had had in the capital. To give you an example, it was hard to find clean water or good meal. After the situation calmed down in Mogadishu, we returned home, but on the way back we risked being killed by some clan militia; those guys tried to rope us in the bus, but finally we managed to survive because my father and his brother had some common acquaintances with those guys, which did appease them.