By Abdi-Noor Haji Mohamed
Every African in Africa wishes to go to Europe or America while no African in abroad wishes to return to his/her country volunarily. To stabilize Africa, the rest of African nations should adopt to the vision and principles upon which the nation of South Africa has been built.
This poem is dedicated to Nelson Mandela, the bold and courageous son of Africa and father of all black Nations. I have recently finished reading his book "LONG WALK TO FREEDOM" and found the life and struggle of Mandela as model to be cherished by every individual on earth as it does not only call on the black people to fight against apartheid but also teaches the whites to scratch off the itching prejudice of white supremacy.
In reading this marvelous work of a great statesman, you will learn that any form of organization or movement which is not people-driven is doomed to fail no matter how much weapons and cash its leaders stockpile. We have seen this happening in our country several times over the past fifty years.
First it was in mid forties when Somali youth league was formed by a group of young Somali patriots successfully carried out a mass mobilization drive to fight the Italians whom they defeated
despite having no weapons as deadly as those of the enemy. But the people were cheated. They haven't benefited from their struggle for which they shed blood and lost their lives and the lives of beloved ones.
The SYL of Somalia and ANC of South Africa has had tremendous similarities in terms of the struggle but their difference is that the spirit and goals of SYL were undermined soon as the hurdle to get rid of the Italians was crossed. Tribal politics replaced national goals and aspirations whilst the ANC never made any lapse in their ideals rule the country under the banner of united South Africa regardless of color or creed.
The very night Mandela was born, his father gave him the traditional name of Rolihlahla which when translated to English goes something like: "Trouble Maker or pulling the branch to cause trouble" and that is exactly where I started to write this poem. I made a review on this book and shall soon share it with you. Thanks
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Mandela My inspiration
May I let the pen speak loud
May I dip it in the wisdom pot
May I whisper in the wild wind
May the words I write reach you
Mandela my inspiration
You had pulled the branch
You had fomented trouble
You had disturbed the birds
Birds preening with style
Birds breeding in their nests
Birds fluttering with pride
Birds of same colour
Birds of one colour
Birds of white colour
Out of the disorder
Order has been born
Birds made a comeback
Not of the same feather
Not of the same colour
But a rainbow of peace
Mixing sounds in many ways
making a harmonious melody
Singing in praise of Mandela
I love South Africa
On the mirror of its past
A bright future is reflected
Mandela My inspiration
May the candle of freedom
Ever glow in dignity |
Abdi-Noor Hagi Mohamed
E-mail: [email protected]
| The opinions contained in this article are solely those of the writer, and in no way, form or shape represent the editorial opinions of "Hiiraan Online" |