With Education, Somali Youth Can Turn Somalia Around

In 1992, I was born not knowing anything about Somalia. I grew up as a Somali citizen and throughout my nineteen years of life, I have not seen or enjoyed a peaceful Somalia. I have lived all throughout my life, waiting with hope, that one day I will see my homeland united and peaceful. Year after year, my dreams of seeing a peaceful Somalia are diminished. Peace deals after peace deal, the hope of seeing Somalia becoming a country where its citizens will have the basic necessities of life are taken away from me.

Prime Minister after Prime Minister, the same routine and the same clan-based government always repeats itself in different forms. Now I am tired of waiting. I am tired of hearing former warlords calling themselves Ministers and Members of the Parliament. I am tired of hearing incompetent and uneducated clan-based politicians controlling the fate of the Somali people. I am tired of seeing former warlords and politicians killing innocent Somalis to further their agenda. I am tired of hearing how my beloved religion is used to murder innocent girls and women. I am tired of people who will do anything and everything to gain power, even when that means murdering innocent people and taking away their fundamental right of life and liberty.
Some of you, and I know some Somalis will definitely ask, how can an eighteen year old who does not know anything about Somalia comment on Somalia’s politics? Well, I have some news for you. I maybe eighteen years old, I maybe a citizen of another country, but the love that I have for my people and my homeland surpass age, experience or anything related to that. This mentality of age being the factor in the Somali culture is something we need to leave behind...more..With Education, Somali Youth Can Turn Somalia Around

Yasin Ali  aliym0@wfu.edu
Yasin Ali is a student at Wake Forest University majoring in Political Science.