THE GOOD OLD DAYS IN SOMALIA!

A long time ago, we used to boast that our country was the only one in Africa where the head of state, who had been elected democratically was defeated democratically and then continued living in his own country.

That was in the 1970s. Even when the military took over they only kept him [Aden Abdullah Osman Daar] for a night. My generation grew up with nationalism and we had faith in good governance.Education was outstanding. I was privileged. I got the best quality of education I could've got at home. I was provided with accommodation and all my books. Us students were even given extra pocket money and so on Thursday nights, we used to go to nightclubs and party. The beauty was that we were five minutes walk from the best club in the city - Jazira. You didn't even need a car. Those were good times: Boys, girls having a nice time and there was always music playing, be it Western or Somali.I had four sisters and my father was a religious man but he never imposed anything on them.

They could wear whatever they wished and were all educated.But the landmark year for me was in 1976 when the country's focus was on raising our literacy rate. All the schools were closed for a year and instead everyone had to get together and those who knew how to read had to teach those who couldn't. It was amazing. By 1976, our literacy rate was 95% and the majority of those were women. It was that generation who became the teachers and the doctors and the professionals.

Five days after northern Somalia was granted independence, the south and Mogadishu got their independence and we were united. That time was euphoria. But then I remember everybody was trying to unify Somalia - the territory that was given to Ethiopia by the British: We call it western Somalia. They call it the Ogaden. We were all speaking together as one country but of course now it is not like that. That war was the start of the decline...At independence everyone was hoping for something good - to get rid of colonialism and then to find freedom. But unfortunately of our 123 ministers of parliament, only three had degrees - one from Britain and two from Italy. There was no experience of how to run a state. So after the colonials left, corruption came and then the military took over to rectify the mistakes of the civilian government. During the first seven or eight years of military rule, there was continuous development. Life was good. But once we fought with Ethiopia, the regime became one of nepotism and corruption became rampant. Everybody became clan-ish. Clan-based origins took over every part of life - employment, promotions, social opportunities, health, education and so there was chaos. And this is the result: Statelessness.

"I was in our capital, Mogadishu for 28 years. It was called the most beautiful city of Africa when I first moved there in 1968. It was the safest and the cleanest. We had the most beautiful beaches. Life was very pleasant. We were global and developing - the Soviet Union gave us a lot of help. Mogadishu was an international city. It was really a paradise."

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