Somalia’s Power Vacuum and the Search for effective leadership

Since the collapse of Somalia’s central government in 1991, when the ex-military strongman Major General Mohamed Siyad Barre was ousted by the militia forces of the United Somali Congress (USC) headed by General Aidid, the man who instigated the movie ‘black hawk down’, several transitional governments evolved with the help of the international community though none survived past the prescribed five-year presidential term. The current state of Somalia may be attributed to lack of effective leadership. Leadership is a “…a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (Northouse). While leadership entails influencing others, crops ups in groups, and aims to achieve common goals, the kind of leadership Somalia has been through is a subject of discussion here. The world has failed to understand Somalia and the nature of government that best suits the Somali people.

Introduction

The struggle for Somali self determination began way back in the late 18th and early 19th centuries starting with the armed rebellion of Seyyid Mohamed Abdille Hassan alias ‘Mad Mullah’, a name given by the British colonial administration stationed in British Somaliland though the overall resistance started much earlier in the 15th century which saw Somalis defend their sovereignty against many Axumite kingdoms while rallying behind Ahmed Gurei alias ‘Gran’ or the ‘left handed’, the man who wrecked havoc on many Abyssinian kingdoms. “According to one legend popular in Ethiopia, Ahmed Gran was the issue of a Coptic priest and a Muslim harlot". A recent writer has more seriously suggested that the Imam may have belonged to a section of the Bija tribe.” On the other hand, it would be wise to delve in to the views of Somali historians and writers so as to know what they have to say about the man who played a special part in their history. Gran is much revered in Somali history, poetry and prose, and in folklore as a hero and a nationalist who struggled against Abyssinian and Portuguese conquest of Somali lands.

“However, Somali folklore suggests that he was in fact a Darod-son of a Somali woman and an Abyssinian Christian priest. The Somali nation, which considers him to be a great Somali hero, today believes this as a fact” (Aideed et al). The author of “the first footsteps in East Africa, Sir Richard Burton, a man who tirelessly traveled through Somalia and Ethiopia has left us an interesting history about Gran worth reading. Let’s glance at some paragraphs that highlight his military prowess and penetration in to Abyssinian territory and the majesty with which he fought precariously. "Supported with Arab mercenaries from Mocha, and by the Turks of al-Yemen with a body of Janissaries and a train of artillery, he (Ahmed Gran, also written as Mohammed Gragne) burst into Efatand Fatigars. In A.D. 1528 he took possession of Shoa, overran Amhara, burnt the churches, and carried away an immense booty. The next campaign enabled him to winter at Begmeder; in the following year he hunted the Emperor David through Tigre to the borders of Sana'ar, gave battle to the Christians on the banks of the Nile, and with his own hand killed the monk Gabriel, then an old man. Reinforced by Gideen and Judith, king and queen of the Saman Jews and aided by a violent famine which prostrated what had escaped the spear, he perpetrated every manner of atrocity, captured and burned Axum, destroyed the princes of the royal blood on the mountain of Amba Gesha and slew in A.D. 1540, David, third of his name and last emperor of Ethiopia.” Gran did fight but the manner in which he was killed by those he wanted to annihilate is worth reading. He was killed by a Portuguese musketeer on the 21st of February, 1543, in the battle of Wayna Daga in Ethiopia. The destruction caused by Gran still haunts many Ethiopians to this day.

Seyyid Mohamed Abdille Hassan alias ‘Mad Mullah’

The British Somaliland Protectorate Administration gave him the name ‘Mad Mullah’ for his refusal to pay poll tax. Seyyid Mohamed Abdille Hassan fought devastating wars against the British, Italian, and Abyssinian forces for 21 years. He was indoctrinated in to the Salihiya sect of Sunni Islam by the Mahdi of Sudan who at that time held the position of spiritual leader in a theocratic establishment. He is reputed to have also fought numerous Somali sultanates that relied on foreign colonial governments for protection. Seyyid Mohamed wanted a unifying government for all Somalis but had his hopes dashed by the combined forces of Britain, Italy, and Abyssinia. Despite fighting meticulously between the years 1899-1920, Somali double standards and tribal divisions hampered his efforts.

Somali tribal segmentation

Despite being the most homogeneous nation in Africa, Somalis have been described by sociologists, psychologists, historians, and anthropologists as the most segmented race on the planet. Somalis are divided in to four major tribal divisions namely: Darod, Hawiye, Isaaq, and Digil and Mirifle. The Darod mostly live in eastern, central, and southern Somalia, the northern region of Kenya, and the Eastern part of Ethiopia known as the ‘Ogaden’ which is a disputed region. Darod produced the likes of President Shermarke , the last military ruler, Major General Siyad Barre, and the current transitional President.

The Hawiye occupy much of central and southern Somalia and have had a big stake in the Somali nation. General Mohamed Farah Aideed was a Hawiye, so were the first and second transitional presidents after the fall of the former junta. The land that composed the former British Somaliland is inhabited by the Isaaq tribe who trace their origin to an Arab immigrant sheikh who is thought to be buried in Maydh, a small town in that part of the former British protectorate. The Isaaq played a great role in the birth of the Somali nation and are reputed to have produced educated men and women who took part in the struggle for independence. In the meantime, this territory is seeking to secede from the rest of Somalia and has been described as a ‘haven of peace’ in Africa.

Digil and Mirifle occupy Somalia’s Bay and Bakool regions of southern Somalia and are known to be brilliant agriculturalists producing much of Somalia’s staple foods. They occupy Somalia’s bread basket regions. They also have had a share in the Somali successive administrations since independence.

Ironically, Somalis have a proverb that goes this way: “Me against my brother, me and my brother against my family, me and my family against my clan, me and my clan against the world (anonymous).”

Somalis have been described as ‘the Irish of Africa’-a reference to the war of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) that startled the British Isles for decades. Likewise, there is no long lasting way out in sight to Somalia’s senseless wars as serenity is always short-lived in the Horn of Africa.

The Birth of a Nation

The Somali Democratic Republic was born in 1960 when the former northern British Somaliland and the southern Italian Somaliland incorporated in to what became known as the Somali Democratic Republic with headquarters in Mogadishu City. President Aden Abdille Osman, who hailed from the south of the country, became its first President. Formed from an amalgamation of warring tribes with Cushitic lineages, Somalis are homogeneous, practice endogamous marriages, speak one language which is Somali, share one religion that is Islam, profess the Shafi’i sect, and lead pastoral lifestyles though transformation in to urban structures triumphed as the world changed in to a global village subsequent to the arrival of the 20th century. President Aden Abdille Osman, upon completing his first time, retired from politics altogether and was replaced by Abdirashid Ali Shermarke who also hailed from the south most notably in the land formerly known as Majertinia and currently splashed on the world map as Punt land-in reference to the ‘Land of the Punt’ or ‘Land of Aroma’-an brand name from ancient Pharaonic suggestions originated by Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt who on a voyage to that part of the world in search of frankincense and myrrh for medicinal and spiritual purposes tumbled upon a land that would have an impact on much of her succeeding hierarchy and beyond. Undoubtedly, Somalis share physical features with the Nuba and Saida communities who produced many of the Egyptian rulers of antiquity. Also, similarities in cultural traits such as clitoridectomy and infibulations bring us to the idea that the two peoples share analogously edifying bonds. There is need for advanced anthropometric, archaeological, and social anthropological research so as to deduce the foundation of the Somali people and their relationship to ancient Egyptians.

President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke was assassinated in 1969 upon arriving Las Anod airstrip by a 22-year old policeman and relative thus ending Somalia’s long cherished African model of democracy. “Shermarke had gained a mild reputation abroad as a troublemaker when he served as the nation’s first Prime Minister from 1960 and 1964, largely because of his efforts to obtain sovereignty over those parts of northern Kenya and eastern Ethiopia roamed by Somali nomads. His domestic policies, however, had produced little unrest. After a three-year out of office, he was elected President in 1967. He chose as his Prime Minister Mohammed Haji Ibrahim Egal, 41, who promptly proceeded to end the border frictions.”

Bloodless Coup: The dawn of a Revolution

Ironically, on the 21st of October, 1969, the same year President Shermarke was killed, Major General Mohamed Siyad Barre, seized power in a bloodless coup. The new military leader immediately imposed martial laws that led to the arrest, expulsion and execution of unfaithful cadres of the previous government ushering in a two-decade of rule by the gun and the proclamation of a succession of alien ideologies ranging from communism, socialism, and scientific socialism. Up till now, Somalia is in a power vacuum. Somalis are divided as to the cause of their political instability with some heaping blame on foreign intervention while others charge home grown agitators.

With the collapse of the central government, the country has been through the worst crises ranging from the death and displacement of millions to the absurd state of the economy, collapse of infrastructure, dumping of hazardous wastes, outbreak of communicable diseases, malnutrition, deluge caused by torrential rains, desertification and locust menace and the list could be endless. On the other hand, landmines pose a great threat to the unsuspecting civilian in a land where prosthetics are unknown. Insecurity has hampered relief operations for years with many humanitarian workers facing threat of abductors seeking ransom. Journalists have been targeted incessantly. Piracy off the coasts of Somali waters have become a lavish operation because of the hefty ransom paid by the ship owners. Thus, Somalia has been described by the United Nations as the most dangerous place to live.

Succession of ineffective Leaders

Upon chasing Siyad Barre’s hardnosed junta from Somalia, the United Somali Congress elected Ali Mahdi Mohamed as a transitional President. Ali Mahdi hailed from the Abgal clan of the major Hawiye tribe that still controls and inhabits much of Somalia’s Hiran region that is the source of power schisms, tribal animosity, religious fanaticism, national disunity, hatred, rape and murder, piracy, and a host of repulsive and hostile actions.

After the ouster of Ali Mahdi, the majority Hawiye established a legislative assembly that elected General Aideed as transitional President. Rather than cleaning the cob webs that tainted the Somali leadership and setting a prime example for the rest of the nation, Aideed embarked on a mission of revenge to an extent his actions received international condemnations. In his book, My American Journey, Colin L. Powell, former Chief-of-Staff, describes how they handled the hunt for General Aideed. “The UN special envoy, retired American admiral Jon Howe, put a $25,000 reward on Aidid’s head”. The American leadership failed to study the kind of people they were at war with. And that is what caused the whole operation to fail without much success. But it is Bill Clinton who paints a clear picture of the mistakes made by the U.S. Government as regards dealing with General Aideed. Clinton’s administration failed to recognize Aidid’s importance in Somali politics. The Clinton administration failed to exercise extreme caution. According to Bill Clinton’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell: “Howe, Turkish Lieutenant General Cevik Bir, the UN commander, and the American commander, Major General Tom Montgomery, asked for U.S. helicopter gunships and AC-130 strike planes to attack Somali strongholds”. The use of bigger fire power destroyed all prospects for exculpation and tenacity. In 1992, old George Bush ordered what became known as ‘Operation Restore Hope’. The operation became a fiasco after the killing of 19 U.S. Rangers and a dozen Pakistani soldiers.

“Oakley believed that the United Nations, including his old friend Admiral Howe, had made a mistake by isolating Aidid from the political process and by becoming so obsessed with tracking him down. By extension, he disagreed with our decision to try to apprehend Aidid for the UN.” There was deep division in the US Congress on the issue of withdrawing US forces from Somalia. “…as I learned in a White House meeting with several members; most of them demanded an immediate withdrawal of our forces. I strongly disagreed, and in the end we compromised on a six-month transition period. I didn’t mind taking Congress on, but I had to consider the consequences of any action that could make it even harder to get congressional support for sending American troops to Bosnia and Haiti, where we had far greater interests at stake.” Somalia was of no vital importance to the United States as stated by Bill Clinton. Inexperienced Bill Clinton ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Somalia in 1993thus ending the much sought humanitarian mission. Aideed was killed by his own tribesmen in 1996. In August 2000, Abdikassim Salad Hassan who hailed from the Hawiye tribe, was inaugurated President. His presidency did not last the five-year limit.

Birth of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG)

Despite the formation of a Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in neighboring Kenya under the auspices of the international community in 2004, its usefulness is yet to be seen. Led by its President, ex-Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, an 80-year old former rebel who is reputedly the longest surviving liver transplant patient, the TFG is nothing more than a toothless tiger cowering under Ethiopian tanks in the town of Baidoa that is no bigger than the Vatican City.

The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC)

After living at the mercy of warlords for almost a decade and a half, Somalis founded living in Mogadishu and its environs formed an amalgamation of eleven courts known as the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) that seized power in a reverberating blitzkrieg in southern Somalia in 2006 pitying neighboring Ethiopia to intervene militarily, an operation that is still in effect with the consent of the U.S. Ironically, Ethiopia, alarmed by the rhetoric of the UIC leadership, sent an estimated 50,000 soldiers, reinforced by helicopter gunship, artillery and tank fire. In December of 2007, the UIC disbanded after being routed only to regroup with the assistance of President Afewerki of Eritrea, a man who is a bitter rival and maternal cousin of Meles Zenawi, the current Prime Minister of Ethiopia. The most worrying trend for the U.S. and Ethiopia is the presence of men perceived as a threat to the region especially Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweis, a former head of Al-Itihad Al-Islami, a ravenous, Jihadist, extremist religious group that wrecked havoc in the 90s and Aden Hashi Ayro, a man considered by the U.S. as the representative of Al-Qaeda in the region. Also, the vulnerable Red Sea that is a passageway for much of the world oil originating in the Gulf States could as well fall in the hands of a force to reckon with.

The irony is that, the U.S., worried by what it calls ‘terrorists’, has an armada of warships along the Somali coast with the sole mission of combating ‘terrorism’ and ‘terrorist hideouts’. In addition, the U.S. has a military base in Djibouti (formerly known as French Somaliland and then the Territory of the Afars and Issas) bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia. They have been stationed at Le Monier barracks since April 2002. “Djibouti is France’s largest foreign military base. Djibouti is host to several thousand French military personnel, including the 13e Démi-Brigade de la Légion Étrangère (13e DBLE - 13th Half-Brigade of the Foreign Legion).”

The U.S. is taking such drastic measures to avert incidents similar to the 1998 Embassy bombings of Kenya and Tanzania carried out by Al-Qaeda. Just recently, U.S. planes carried out bombing missions in the town of Dhusamarreb in the Galgadud region of Somalia killing the much sought after terrorist suspect Aden Hashi Ayro thought to have trained in Afghanistan. “An American missile strike in Somalia apparently killed a militant long identified as one of Al-Qaeda’s top operatives in East Africa on Thursday, but while Bush administration officials claimed success they also acknowledged facing an uphill battle to score lasting blows in their final months against the terrorist group around the world.”

Reconciliation in Djibouti

A reconciliation conference has just been concluded in neighboring Djibouti aimed at creating peace between the TFG and the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia hereafter referred to as the ARS. In a three-page document signed by both parties, signatory members will have to observe immediate ceasefire until the deployment of a peace keeping force that will pave way for the departure of Ethiopian forces within 120 days. To me, this agreement will not hold as long as there are other parties opposed to it. Representatives of a hostile jihadist faction fighting Ethiopian and TFG forces have categorically rejected it because they believe in the implementation of Islamic sheria.

“Ironically, every crisis intervention and reconciliation rehearsed by the International Community ended in tatters due to Somalia’s strategic importance and political significance further inflicting grotesquely nightmarish feelings of misery for the peace-loving Somalis and exhilaration for the newly-evolved warlords and their foreign cronies who perceive any form of stability in the country as catastrophic to their political intentions. Thus, a myriad of confronting physical and mental upshots with profound results continues to consume the very fabric of Somali society in all localities.”

Nations of IGAD

The two tiny nations of Djibouti and Eritrea, both of whom play a role in the Somali conflict, have a border dispute that erupted in to war this month. The two are fighting over Mount Gabla, also known as Ras Doumeira, overlooking the strategic Bab al-mandeb straits, which are a major shipping route to and from Europe and the Middle East. Also, both states are members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Formerly the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), IGAD comprises the nations of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, and Uganda. All six nations have a hand in Somalia. Kenya is the staging ground for anti-terrorism missions for Somalia, Uganda has African Union (AU) peace keeping troops in Mogadishu, Ethiopia has occupation forces that have been accused of human rights violations, Djibouti has held several fruitless reconciliation conferences for warring Somali groups, Eritrea hosts Somali extremist assemblage, and also Sudan, the former headquarter of Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda (meaning the “the base” in Arabic), a nation that has terrorized its southern provinces and Darfur, has, undoubtedly, a gigantic stake.

Leadership Problem and Situational Approach

The enormity of tribal fragmentation that has afflicted Somalia for centuries can be remedied by having competent, knowledgeable, and committed leaders who tend to understand the fragility of the political atmosphere the nation is embroiled in. “Knowledge is intricately related to the application and implementation of problem-solving skills in organizations.” Only an impulsive out-of-nowhere invincible force will tilt the political landscape in Somalia. With each tribe suspicious of the other, those shadowy Somali leaders pretending to unify the nation will meet with hostility and resistance from the other side of the isle. Due to lack of visionary leaders, the political arena in the country will remain one shrouded in mystery and a humiliating one for those on the forefront to the humanitarian crisis. Those in the schism that has reduced the nation in to rubble are remnants of the former junta who had training in the former U.S.S.R., Yugoslavia, Communist Yemen, Cuba, East Germany, and other eastern European communist blocks like Romania and Bulgaria. With corroded tribal mindset, these men previously served as soldiers or communist propagandists. On the other hand, lack of leaders with crystallized cognitive ability seems to hold Somalia ransom. “Crystallized cognitive ability is intellectual ability that is learned or acquired over time."

The archetypes of leadership qualities set by Mahatma Gandhi of India, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and the Dalai Lama of Tibet as has been recently discovered by various academic institutions with an eye on prospective leaders, though followed by a few governments of today, could set the pace for a contingency plan for many to emulate without shilly-shallying. Many failed states with far-fetched legacy of vengeance end up with never-ending geopolitical consequences such that chronic and sustained human flight, massive human movement and internally displaced persons (IDPS) become daily occurrences. Nations like Somalia, Myanmar, and Laos that have either been absorbed in political disasters, internecine wars, or distorted ideologies, could, as the dust finally settles, be compelled to dedicate their resources and intellectual will and emulate non-violent paths the likes of Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, and Mandela trailed in their pursuit of liberty, peace, equality, justice, and human co-existence.

Lewis, I.M., “The Modern History of Somaliland”, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1965, p.208.
Mohamed Farah Aidid et.al, “Somalia: From the Dawn of Civilization to Modern Times” New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House, 1993.
Burton, Sir Richard, “The First Footsteps in East Africa”, London: Longman, 1856, p. 180-184.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ahmad_ibn_ibrahim_al-ghazi
Powell, Colin (1995): My American Journey, Random House, New York.
Ibid. 584
Clinton, Bill (550): My Life, Alfred A. Knopf, Random House, New York
Ibid. 552.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/djibouti.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/world/africa/20somalia.html
http://www.wardheernews.com/articles_07/october/25_conflicting_leadership
Northouse, Peter G. (2007), Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA.
Ibid. 48

The 101 Basics of Qaad

Qaad or Chat (pronounced cot), scientifically known as catha Edulis, is an evergreen perennial plant popular in East Africa and some parts of the Arabian Peninsula. It grows in the highlands of Yemen, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Known as Miraa or Mairungu (sometimes spelled Murungi) in Kenya, it grows in the fertile lands around Mount Meru. Meru local farmers have preserved large swathes of agricultural lands for Miraa or Qaad cultivation since it is a major sustainer of the region's economy bringing in estimated yearly revenue worth millions of dollars. In Yemen-and also in Ethiopia, Qaad is a major player of economical sustainability.

"The origins of khat are disputed. Some believe that it is Ethiopian in origin, from where it spread to the hillsides of East Africa and Yemen. Others believe that khat originated in Yemen before spreading to Ethiopia and nearby countries. Sir Richard Burton explains that khat was introduced to the Yemen from Ethiopia in the 15th century.[3] There is also evidence to suggest this may have occurred as early as the 13th century. Through botanical analysis, Revri (1983) supports Yemen origins of the plant.[4] From Ethiopia and Yemen the trees spread to Somalia, Arabia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, the Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa.[5] The earliest recorded use of khat medically is believed to be within the New Testament.[6] The ancient Egyptians considered the khat plant a "divine food" which was capable of releasing humanity's divinity. The Egyptians used the plant for more than its stimulating effects; they used it as a metamorphic process and transcended into "apotheosis", intending to make the user god-like.[7] [8]

The earliest documented description of khat dates back to the Kitab al-Saidana fi al-Tibb, an 11th century work on pharmacy and materia medica written by Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī, a Persian scientist and biologist. Unaware of its origins, al-Bīrūnī wrote that khat is:[9]

"a commodity from Turkestan. It is sour to taste and slenderly made in the manner of batan-alu. But qat is reddish with a slight blackish tinge. It is believed that batan-alu is red, coolant, relieves biliousness, and is a refrigerant for the stomach and the liver."

In 1854, the Malay writer Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir noted that the custom of chewing Khat was prevalent in Al Hudaydah in Yemen: "I observed a new peculiarity in this city — everyone chewed leaves as goats chew the cud. There is a type of leaf, rather wide and about two fingers in length, which is widely sold, as people would consume these leaves just as they are; unlike betel leaves, which need certain condiments to go with them, these leaves were just stuffed fully into the mouth and munched. Thus when people gathered around, the remnants from these leaves would pile up in front of them. When they spat, their saliva was green. I then queried them on this matter: ‘What benefits are there to be gained from eating these leaves?’ To which they replied, ‘None whatsoever, it’s just another expense for us as we’ve grown accustomed to it’. Those who consume these leaves have to eat lots of ghee and honey, for they would fall ill otherwise. The leaves are known as Kad."[10](Wikipedia)

Though there are no historical exactitudes when its cultivation and consumption began, a plethora of conjectural writings assume its use predate a thousand years when religious scholars depended on it for inducing insomnia so that they would stay awake to recite and expunge religious scriptures or educate adherents on issues pertaining to religious doctrines in the dead of the night when human evil activities and satanic designs remained at lowest ebb. On the other hand, travellers, warriors, and those on sentry consumed it to remain alert and not be overtaken by slumber.

Catha edulis, when fresh-before the leaves wither off-has been found to contain cathonine, a drug that is also found in heroine. This drug content is what induces euphoria, hallucinations, loquacity, anorexia, and excitability. Chewers feel raised blood pressure levels caused by abnormal heart palpitations, palsy-walsy (friendly), absolute energy and drive, exhilaration-and for some-elevated sexual feelings not experienced other times.

The major drug contents of Qaad include: Cathinone (cathinine), Cathine (1), Cathidine, Celastrin, Edulin, Choline, Ascorbic Acid (2), and Ratine. It also contains amino acids, minerals and vitamins especially Vitamin C.

However, after 48 hours, its drug contents and levels drop drastically. At this stage, Somalis refer to it as "Garaabo" or "Baarixi"-meaning of lower quality. Whereas, in Ethiopia, where the cultivated brand is longer in size than the types reaped in Yemen and Kenya, the dried leaves of the "Hareri" plant retain ubroken cathonine levels and also have greater economic value as tons arrive North American and European airports for distribution to consumers laden with hard cash and living the affluenza lifestyles.

Qaad is a banned susbtance in the United States and not in Britain and Holland where its consumption is tolerated. There is a growing debate in Britain about how to contain the growing social ills related to Qaad use visible among poor African and Arabian immigrants. In Southern Somalia, almost 75% of men and 25% of women chew Qaad while in the northern breakaway Republic of Somaliland, almost 95% of men and 50% of women are hooked on Qaad use.

Many Somalis are of the view that the demise of Somalia's military administration that collapsed in 1991 rekindled old wounds when Major General Siyad Barre branded Qaad an illicit drug in 1983. An exodus of Qaad chewers found their way across the Kenya border town of Mandera where its abolition ignited regime change deliberations. Neigboring Ethiopia and Kenya, two major growers and suppliers of Qaad who also had territorial disputes with Somalia over the Ogaden in Ethiopia and the former Northern Frontier District (NFD) in Kenya felt perturbed by Siyad Barre's abrupt proclamation. Thus, guerilla activities against Siyad Barre's regime that had been dormant for a while, started to harpoon Somali border posts with debilitating effects. The closure of chewing dens countrywide agitated thousands of Somali youths suffering from depression and side effects-a feeling known as "qaadiro" stage among Somalis.

Modern research and laboratory studies have been conducted to unearth societal, psychological, emotional, and physiological effects of qaad. Some of the results available seem encouraging while others cite great dangers and dangerous precedents associated with its consumption. For example, there are those who are of the view that qaad is a cure for sexual impotency and erectile dysfunction. If this hypothesis becomes credibe, then, qaad will have to be declared an alternative drug to be sold side by side with Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra.

On the other hand, some researchers have raised the alarm by revealing the gravity associated with its constant use. A line-up of diseases including myocardiac infaction, peptic ulceration, lip and lung cancers, cirrhosis of the liver, colorectal cancer, gingivitis, halitosis, dental decays, depression, diabetes, hemorrhoid, hypertension, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections among women chewers, and many others have been reported in medical journals. Abshir Bacaadle, a poet having great reputation among Somalis, in his denunciation of Qaad consumption, cites all the negative health hazards in the following lines:



Qorya raamso quudkana yaree qaadow adigaa leh
Boqolaal qorshoo wada qabya ah qaadow adigaa leh
Qoys dumaya qayliyo huruuf qaadow adigaa leh

Qalbi qooqan qoora aan waxtarin qaadow adigaa leh
Qardareeye kaadida qul quli qaadow adigaa leh
Jirkoo qaasha nadarkoo qayiran qaadow adigaa leh

Qalbi guban sigaar lagu qanciyo qaadow adigaa leh
Macdan qubta hawshoon laqaban qaadow adigaa leh
Hurda qarow ah soojeed qam qama qaadow adigaa leh

Iska qaado qaantana ha bixin qaadow adigaa leh
Qayil oo cun reerkiina qadi qaadow adigaa leh
Qashin iyo qashaabiir qurmuun qaadow adigaa leh

Qatar caafimaad oo qarsoon qaadow adigaa leh
Qalbi olol mar qabo oo qaniin qaadow adigaa leh
Qaraabo iyo ehel aan latabin qaadow adigaa leh

Qayrkaa shaxaad hana qajilin qaadow adigaa leh
Iska qari cidbaa kugu qabsane qaadow adigaa leh
Qabri ka hor qandha aan laga biskoon qaadow adigaa leh

Isqandiiri kana qoomamee qaadow adigaa leh
Ibliis qarowga aadmiga ku qaba qaadow adigaa leh
Afku wuxuusan ii qaban karayn qaadow adigaa leh

Qosol iyo qamuunyo isku xiga qaadow adigaa leh
Qasad dhaar ah qawl aan la fulin qaadow adigaa leh
Qur'aan lagu kaftamo qadaf iyo been qaadow adigaa leh

Cimri kuu qorraa qayb ka lumi qaadow adigaa leh
Qandiga fuqurka iyo quus rageed qaadow adigaa leh
Qureesh gabara waxa loo qawada qaadow adigaa leh

Dad qamaama qayliyo dagaal qaadow adigaa leh
Shaluu qaatay maantana qafaal qaadow adigaa leh
Qabyaalad iyo iimaan la'aan qaadow adigaa leh

Dhaliyara afkooduun u qoran qaadow adigaa leh
Wax ninwayni qaadoo qawada qaadow adigaa leh
Salaadaha dib qabo ama qallee qaadow adigaa leh

Xubna qaadiwaa sida qof qalan qaadow adigaa leh
Qabiltu jaanka aadmiga ku qabo qaadow adigaa leh
Dubaab lagu qarwoo kugu qulqula qaadow adigaa leh

Bisad ku quustay dabadeeda qabo qaadow adigaa leh
Qarjaf sayntu inay kuu tiraa qaadow adigaa leh
Qanaaskiyo was waaskaa qarsoon qaadow adigaa leh

Qandaraaska qaatumo xumada qaadow adigaa leh
Qarbaboosh ilkiyo gawsa qodan qaadow adigaa leh
Afqashuusha oon cadaygu qaban qaadow adigaa leh

Af qalala bushima qolof dhacsada qaadow adigaa leh
Qasban qayb daroogada ka mida qaadow adigaa leh
Qaflad aan dareenkeed la qabin qaadow adigaa leh

Ragoo quusta dumarkoo qawada qaadow adigaa leh
Faqiir qani ismoodoo qayila qaadow adigaa leh
Indha qoriya qaadirada subax qaadow adigaa leh

Qubays laga wahsado iyo qurmuun qaadow adigaa leh
Qamiis walaf quluub aan xasilin qaadow adigaa leh
Qoys laga dhixiyo qaaqla nimo qaadow adigaa leh

Waa quutul awliyo kidbiya qaadow adigaa leh
Qaamuuska waxa cay ku qoran qaadow adigaa leh
Inoo qaybi aan lagu qancayn qaadow adigaa leh

Qabsimadu inay kala xirmaan qaadow adigaa leh
Qurbaha joog adoon hawl ka qaban qaadow adigaa leh
Deg deg loo qasaariyo shilqoran qaadow adigaa leh

Qiso yaablohooy qarinayaan qaadow adigaa leh
Qofka daa'imoo qiima dhaca qaadow adigaa leh
Waxaad shalayto qabatoo qariban qaadow adigaa leh

Ku qasaar macaashkana ku qarow qaadow adigaa leh
Magnad kugu qasbiyo qaac ibliis qaadow adigaa leh
Hanti qaran qanaafiir ugee qaadow adigaa leh

Qaadicu salaadnimo asala qaadow adigaa leh
Intuu qadaf qof uun ku hadli karo qaadow adigaa leh
Lixdankaa qisoo wada qubxiya qaadow adigaa leh
Qaatala ka laahuye adigaa qaranka aafeeyay.

For some it enhances sexual potential for others it lowers their sexual urge. Some of the male population report dripping of sperms without sexual contact. Sleeplessness at night, exhaustion the following morning, facial decomposition, constipation or diarrhoea, putrid bodily smell, bloatedness, and the list could be endless.

In the Diaspora, cultural decays among chewers hooked on to this tempting drug have taken many institutions by surprise. Soaring school drop-outs or poor class performance, parental irresponsibility, domestic violence, divorce and broken marriages, unemployment due to tardiness and unwilingness to seek improved and better living conditions, dependence on government hand outs, gangsterisms and hooliganisms among the youth, juvenile marriages and unprotected sex, and a host of other social ills bedevil communities dependent on Qaad.

Warlordism, a system of government that is akin to feudalism and endemic to lawless Somalia , has helped accelerate the destruction of Horn of Africa's younger generations as children as young as ten years find themselves conscripted into militia regiments based on tribal loyalty. These desperate children who have either lost one or both parents pledge allegiance to powerful warlords who in return reward them with food and mind-altering drugs including marijuana and Qaad. In the absence of schools and rehabilitation centers, Somali children find themselves forced to choose between death by starvation or survival by shouldering the gun of a warlord. In any case, the might of the warlords rummaging through the streets of Somalia's major cities, towns, and villages and the many signs of death and destructions we often hear or see in the media, must not be perceived to be the handiworks of adults who have renounced the rule of law, but is a heavy assignment carried out with precision by malnourished children fighting for survival. What energizes Somali child soldiers is Catha edulis, marijuana, speed, and a concoction of other drugs including mosquito coil and valium. Qaad is no longer food or fodder for Mullahs but a tool that leads to the perdition and destruction of the individual and the society as a whole-that is, when used in a negative way.

HIV/AIDS SCOURGE IN THE SOMALI DIASPORA

The greatest challenging malady the collapsed administration of General Siyad Barre faced was neither HIV/AIDS nor the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) but tuberculosis and malaria. One of the most underestimated chronicles in the world since 1990 is tuberculosis, which according to the World Health Organization (WHO) strikes 9 million people per year killing an estimated 1.7 million-84% of them in developing countries. According to WHO projection, between 2005 and 2020, about 25 million will die of the disease. If left untreated, each person with vigorous TB usually infects 10-15 other people. TB is a growing global threat. Human population intensification, urbanization, air travel, and other factors have increased contacts between people and spread TB, particularly in areas where large numbers of the poor crowd together. Additionally, AIDS weakens the immune system and allows TB bacteria to proliferate in AIDS victims.

Another dangerous world epidemic spreading like wildfire is the Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In any case, the million plus Somali Diaspora scattered worldwide is not immune from the growing HIV/AIDS scourge because of the tremendous acculturation and assimilation methods they apply-two major aspects expected by host governments from foreign nationals wishing to reside in their countries.

On the other hand, the multitudes of unmarried sexes intermingling freely speed up sexual contact leading to the spread of deadly diseases including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD), abortions, fatherless kids, and increase of death among teenagers and the elderly. Social and cultural changes due environmental influences and abandonment of previous strict religious observances may also be attributed to the proliferation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the Somali Diaspora.

Since there is no known vaccine for the prevention of HIV and no medicine for the cure AIDS, the view of the medical fraternity is that those who get AIDS will eventually die. There’re drugs that help infected people live longer though a tiny fraction can afford such drugs that are costly. According to data by the U.S. Census Bureau, AIDS is the leading killer among people between ages 15-49 worldwide.

Pornographic and other obscene bits and pieces available without difficulty from a variety of DVDs and tapes, satellite and cable television programs, hot and sexy magazines, alcohol and drugs, brothels and strip clubs, and easily accessible internet web sites plunge many immigrants into an unsuspecting world laden with an ocean of unholy materials. Rigorous bureaucratic applications in social services, health, and medical systems by host governments make it difficult for infected refugees to obtain retroviral drugs meant to fight the spread of AIDS virus.

Fear of social stigma and familial break up is another factor that prevents sufferers from seeking medical attention. Also, unprotected sex and shunning the use of condoms speed up infections. Qaad, a hallucinogenic drug grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, has been found as having great impact in the sexual stimulation of some chewers setting a dangerous precedent in the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Abstention and strict religious adherences, two important tools for the prevention of the HIV/AIDS scourge, seem not to be getting the right attention. The condom has been treated with suspicion and is often regarded as an object of sexual humiliation and Western trickery. To some it is referred to as ‘raincoat’-an instrument that blocks fathomless delightful satisfaction.

In conclusion, HIV/AIDS is, without the least doubt, an invisible creeping syndrome slowly decimating a sizable population of the Somali Diaspora regardless of locality.

Africa's Monstrous Leadership Styles

If the world's economic powers would join hands to uplift the living standards of the poor African continent, humankind's origin and cradle of civilization would provide alot in return. Ironically, distorted policies and economic strangulation on the continent by powerful half-hearted philanthropists coupled with inhuman practices endorsed by Africa's own ineffective, dictatorial, and lame-brained leaders have set the stage for recurrent rivalry and gunpowder obssession.

Until donor nations denervate the supply lines that feed Africa's monstrous leaders, suffering and destitution will remain in millions of faces indefinitely. A look at past and current African leaders shows none ever died of underfeeding or food shortage. Perhaps the youngest African leader to leave the political spectrum was Sergeant Samuel Doe of Liberia who died not because of malnutrition but because he was executed by an adversary. The same fate befell Joseph Kabila of Zaire.

Most African leaders outlast their compatriots in the West in age and in power. Men like Siyad Barre of Somalia and Haile Selassie of Ethiopia were ousted in coups at advanced ages. Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya died after ruling for 15 years. Hassan Guled Aptidon of Djibouti gave up power at an advanced age to his son Ismail Omar Gelle. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania ruled until poor health forced him to pave way for Hassan Ali Mwinyi.

Omar Bongo seems to be President-for-life for the nation of Gabon, Muammar al-Qadhafi is holding Libya hostage since 1969, Hosni Mubarak has refused to relinguish power since the death of Anwar Sadat in 1981, and most importantly, Africa's most extravagant ruler, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire died disgracefully in Morocco having left behind billions of dollars of looted money accumulated over three decades of ruthless leadership.

All these men ruled their countries through forceful means. They looted foreign aid and stashed them in foreign accounts. Sani Abacha of Nigeria and Charles Taylor of Liberia left millions of dollars which could be used to feed millions of their citizens. While writers categorize leadership styles into transactional and transformational, most African leaders exercize pseudotransformational-a weird leadership mode that instils fear and servitude in their followers. This type of leaership style was put into use by David Koresh, Jim Jones, Adolph Hitler, and Saddam Hussein. It implied the use of repression, emergency laws, and callous seductive applications meant to benefit the repressive leader.

Africa does not need arms. What the continent desperately needs is economic empowerment to spearhead educational enrichment, political maturity, environmental responsibility, decent healthcare and educational fulfillments.

Al-Bashir and War Crimes Accusations

Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, President of Sudan, is a man facing tough times because the International Crimes Court wants to ensure he is kept behind bars for war crimes committted in the afflicted region of Darfur where millions have been displaced and thousands killed in a war that had been dragging on for quite a while. It is not the first time a leader from Sudan had been ordered to surrender. The Mahdi of Sudan was once ordered by the British Colonial Governor to surrender at the approach of the 19th century.


Apart from Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia who died in jail in the Netherlands before his case could be wrapped up for crimes committed in the Balkans War in the 90s and Charles Taylor of Liberia who is desperately waiting for the Judge's final hammer strike for the killing of many inoccent Liberians and the embezzlement of state coffers , many ciminal African heads of states who deserve to be apprehended will remain on the loose for sometime.

What the world, especially the United Nations has failed to implement, is an international accountability office that will oversee the effectiveness of individual leaderships, corruption elimination, and human rights related activities. Leaders perceived not towing the line and failing to abide by the statutes, conventions, and declarations agreed upon, will have to udergo scrutiny and be required to report to specially formulated offices so as to substantiate why expectations and accomplishments have not been met accordngly.

The International Court of Justice will have to flex its muscles if there is universal need to arrest those leaders who are shedding blood or causing tribal, ethnic, and religious conflicts. The world needs to unite against unnecessary human suffering in major trouble spots. Leaders suspected of crimes against humanity must be sanctioned; those working in cahoots with them will have to be recorded in an international occurence book; their foreign accounts will have to be frozen indifinitely; and surveillance of their movements will have to be enforced.

President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir is currenly on an arduous journey meant to raise his approval ratings in Sudan by embarking on a countermeasure roadmap expected to win the hearts of those opposed to his policies. The administration in Khartoum has refuted allegations against His Excellncy as baseless and politically motivated. For now, what many political observers wait to see is how effective Al-Bashir's warrant of arrest will be as this is the first time a case of such nature has been applied to a sitting President.

Human Rghts Violations in the Horn of Africa

From the northern tip to the southern periphery of the Horn of Africa to the shores of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, the cry of innocent civilians dying of starvation and neglect and from indiscriminate shellings by wild and unrestrained militias is hard to ignore. The Horn of Africa is home to over a 100 million inhabitants with most governments of the region practising undemocratic modes of administrations ranging from dictatorships to religious fanaticisms, feudalisms and warlordisms-impracticable systems, insouciant and insolvent leaderships not in line with modern human governance.

Ironically, such heinous administrations have been a chosen career for most African leaders who inherited the thrones of power through the use of the barrel of the gun. Since the dawn of the 60s when Africans embarked on agressive efforts to free themselves from the shackles of colonialism and imperialism, and upto this day, suffering either as a result of marginalization, repression, one-party-rule, genocide, slavery, abuse of power, arbitrary arrests, mismanagement of economies, disease, hyperinflation, and other inhuman practices remain to be the norm under the glare of the international community.

In Somalia, since the fall of the central government in 1991, bloodshed continues unabated with the political situation remaining utterly interregnum. The modus operandi for Somalia at the moment is one of insurgency and religious inclination. In Ethiopia, many thought the fall of Mengistu Haile Miriam would be replaced by eternal bliss. Not so. The toppled regime has been replaced by a more war mongering ruthless regime whose ineffctiveness bred more factions and bitter enemies. Kenya, long thought of as a 'model of democracy' descended into chaos in December of 2007 mainly over election irregularities and political wrangglings that left over a thousand dead in the span of three months. Sudan has been embroiled in intermittent wars for decades with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) commanded by Dr. John Garang who perished in a heicopter mishap. Despite coming into common terms with the Southern Sudanese people through power sharing, the government of Hassan Al-Bashir has come to the international limelight once again as the President has been indicted in war crimes and genocide related cases. The tiny nations of Djibouti and Eritrea have had horns locked over a piece of barren desert.

Besides war, the people of the Horn of Africa have had many predicaments related to nature's fury. Drought has decimated the fauna and flora alike; locusts invasions have become common; TB, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, diphtheria, malnutrition and a host of uncontrolled and unmonitored disease carrying microbial organisms continue to devastate urban and rural communities. Thus, progress has been hampered in all ways.

The life expectancy rate has tremendously declined, child mortality rate is one of the worst in the world, while overall human suffering show impalpable pictures. Unemployment, lack of social services, delapidated medical institutions, lack of water and sanitation, deplorable sewarage systems, shortage of food and reliance on handouts have created misery for millions. Overcrowded refugee camps, bloated concentration camps, uhygeinic dungeons, and other despicable living conditions are to be found in the Horn of African countries.

In the western Darfur state of Sudan, a plethora of vertiginously incalculable devastation of life and property by armed militias against unarmed Darfuris has in the initial end attracted the attention of the international community. Historically, Darfuris are thought to have decended from caravans of Muslim pilgrims who originally hailed from the western coast of Africa. The pilgrims are thought to have settled in Darfur after their journey back home to West Africa proved futile due to lack of resources and transportation. Whoever is attempting to evict Darfuris from their 400-year old settlements must come with a credibe reason proving them sojourners and not permanent settlers. If the only reason Darfuris are being exterminated is tied to untapped fossilifeorus resources buried beneath the earth's geological formations remains a deathwatch responsibility for the international community.

Horn of Africa's leaders' rapacious appetite for human destruction will have long immedicable effects in the long run. Whether the Horn's insecurity revolves around forceful religious indoctrinations and expansionisms or ardent desire for political irredentisms remains to be seen. Whether these leaders are immitating or borrowing leaf from past Athenian-Spartan wars, barbarian plunders, Roman wars of annihilation, Ottoman expansionism, British imperialism or just for the leisure of baying on human blood are issues worth watching in the distant future.

Conservation and Recycling Information

Did you know?
• 7,500 trees are used for the Sunday edition of the New York Times each week.
• Recycling aluminum uses 96% less energy than it takes to produce the same amount of aluminum from raw materials
• Recycling paper uses 60% less energy than manufacturing paper from virgin paper.
• Recycling 1 glass jar saves enough energy to light a 100w bulb for 4 hours
What you can do at home
• Recycle everything you can; newspapers, cans, glass, aluminum, motor oil, scrap metal, etc.
• Look for recycled and environmentally safe products and packaging wherever you shop
• Use reusable containers to store food
• Install a water saving shower head
• Have your water heater insulated free of charge by your utility company
• Burn only seasoned wood in your woodstove or fireplace
• Try to use phosphate-free laundry detergent and soap
• Avoid the use of household pesticides
• Write to companies that send unwanted junk mail…have them take you off their mailing list
• Increase your awareness of conservation issues, share them with your family

What you can do at the office
• Use scrap paper for informal notes or messages
• Print things on recycled paper
• Re-use copier or printer paper when possible
• Re-use manila envelopes and folders
• Post memos and communications or route a single copy instead of making multiple copies
• Start an office recycling program for paper, cardboard, aluminum, etc.
• Car pool, take public transportation, or ride a bike to work
Source: Truman Medical Center, 2005.

Sir David Attenborough's Planet Earth Series

A captivating series of documentaries by David Attenborough, a long revered British nature lover who was knighted by the Queen of England in 1985 and also conferred on with the order of merit in 2005 for his distinctive role in the arts and sciences and currently working on Life in Cold Blood series on the life of amphibians and reptiles due to be released this year (2008), gave me a glimpse of our beautiful planet in its true colors. A thought-provoking, non-fiction, and state-of-the-art presentation meant to nurture the minds of students and conservationist alike, Sir David Attenborough, with his polished British accent, begins with a narration that fascinates the visualization, intelligence, and acoustics of the audience.

Perhaps, the mere glance of planet earth series is enough to arouse the feelings of many students who are unsure and confused about their undeclared majors. Without a shadow of doubt, planet earth series will serve as a magnet to lure many into conservation efforts so as to preserve our dwindling resources; it will help propel many nations, organizations, and agencies to leap into greater heights by taking further steps to challenge their apprehensive and foot-dragging planetary irresponsibilities.

With overly rambunctious and titillating voice occasionally titivated by soft susurrations amplified by speakers of modern technology, the narrator, Sir David Attenborough, doyen of literary repute and scientific exemplifications, epitomizes a maestro in a frightening cinematographic exploits never-before-seen in such remarkably striking feature.

He romances the Russian leopard with a golden touch; delves into the caribou habitat traversing 2000 miles of territory into the Taiga or the boreal forests of Canada; the birds of paradise of the Guinean forests capture his imaginations; the seasonal feast after the rains in the Okavango delta throw him into oblivion. The majesty of the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa with its variety of wildlife and the millions of seals off the Skeleton Coast of Namibia is hard to ignore.

On the other hand, planet earth diaries, an exclusive disposition of life in the Andean Mountains, penetrate the imagination of the viewer. The solitary and secretive mountain lion of the Andes has all the mountain survival techniques it needs to survive harsh terrains and biting cold weather. The four-footed Llama is prey for the ferocious rare lions.

Strange as it may sound, the biggest mountain glaciers on earth that are visible from space are to be found in Pakistan. The snow leopard with its overweight tail is a rare sight. Filming its feeding techniques and dwelling places must have been a hard task for the crew members and their cameras.

Life underneath the sea has its mysteries. Strange-looking creatures never before filmed leave a question mark for any conservationist and student yearning to preserve our environment. This is an unconditional attraction to planetary responsibility and stewardship. The might of the blue whale and the millions of unidentified creatures below the ocean depths, means a lot remains to be conquered in the distant future.

Africa's Concealed Hazards

While African leaders continue to tediously fulfill the assignments given to them by their former colonial masters by tearing each other apart through continued power wrangglings, election irregularities, guerilla warfares, tribal clashes, DDT fumigations, social inequalities, and constipated political irredentisms, toxic wastes and other human activities concealed from the attention of the afflicted continent, will without doubt decimate millions of unsuspecting black populations leaving behind disastrous effects that will be hard to remedy for milleniums to come.

The African continent is becoming a dumping ground for toxic wastes that fetch millions of dollars for the greedy Mafia working in conjunction with callous totalitarian regimes and pitiless African entities. The absence of scientific experimentations and institutionalized research foundations specialized in the fields of nuclear, biological, and chemical disaster awareness coupled with diminishing professional expertise due to massive brain-drain, the continent is about to see the worst environmental degradations, hydrologic contamination, and atmospheric changes never before recorded in human history.

The current spate of alarming climate warming and greenhouse gas effects debated by industrialized nations seems not to worry many African leaders. For them it is business as usual: women, wine, and war and the continued embezzlement of state coffers; arms distribution meant to destabilize adversaries, and pseudotransformational leadership styles akin to those of Adolph Hitler, David Koresh, Vladimr Ilyanov Lenin, and Jim Jones.

Nowardays, mindful institutions of higher learning have added to their curriculums a branch of innovative science teaching the role played by the dreaded Mafia in destroying the world ecoystems . You will be amazed by how some parts of the world have been turned into dumping grounds for toxic wastes by this uncontrolled and underground Mafia groups who strike contractual dealings with morally corrupt corporations seeking ways to dispose off their hazardous materials.

The most likely places to suffer the consequences of environmental degradations are nations in Africa afflicted by ineffective leaderships, recurring rivalry, scandalous administrations, and chronic lawlessness. Besides physical and biological hazards, the African continent is becoming an involuntary host to chemical hazards that pollute air, water, soil, and food. The lack of risk assessemnt and management-two scientific processes used to assess, estimate, and manage the effects of hazards on human health and the environment and the severity of a particular risk, makes the continent susceptible to man-made diseases on a continental scale.

Poor Africa has been and continues to suffer the effects of Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other newly-emerging viruses. Chemical toxicity open the doors for mutagens, teratogens, and carcinogens that may disrupt the body's immune, endocrine, and nervous systems. Waste disposal in Africa's lands and waterways has been turned into muliti-million dollar business by mindless Africans and the green-eyed Mafia.

Book Review: No More Lies About Africa

Best selling author of "Lords of Slavery", Chief Musamaali Nangoli is a Ugandan and a prolific writer whose pen revolves around the days of slavery and colonialism in the African continent. A self-educated lecturer and a gifted researcher who travelled the world extensively in search of Africa's concealed past antiquities, Chief Musamaali Nangoli has produced and re-written a reliable history fitting today's African literary taste. 'No More Lies About Africa' is a must read for any African yearning to uncover the credible truth about Africa's distorted and hidden historical facts.

Full of humor, the book, 'No More Lies About Africa', has been described by the New York Post as unputdownable. It is exhilarating, well researched, educative, captivating, controversial to some readers, entertaining and articulately written. Born under a Mango tree many, many years ago in his native Uganda, Chief Musamaali Nangoli does not know his exact age and begs the reader not to ask how old he is. The only thing he remembers about his coming to the world is on a rainy season when circumcision ceremonies were going on.

'No More Lies About Africa' covers details of European slavery of Africans and colonialism-two inhman practices that underdeveloped and brainwashed many Africans. He has lost trust in those who undermined African prosperity, stole African resources, and plundered African heritage. He is proud of African ways of life; he showers praise on select African leaders who fought for African unity and freedom. He is much obsessed with the struggles of Marcus Garvey whom he considers to be a historical figure and a doyen in the struggle for black freedom.

To him, Egyptians are African and that Egypt is the craddle of human civilization. He makes note of past African kingdoms the likes of Abyssinia, the Great ruins of Zimbabwe, the Kingdom of Mali; he traces the footsteps of Mansa Musa and how the 'once in a lifetime' Islamic pilgrimage he made to Mecca affected the economy of the regions he traversed. The BBC, in its commentary of the book, described it as "skillfully written, intricately woven and meticulously executed". One reader engraved it with better a comment by observing how "Chief Nagoli's pen fires like the French G3".

The long held view by Europeans that Africa was a "Dark Continent" before the white man came meets with bitter challenge from the author who unearths the superiority of African civilization and African cultures. He finds relief in African lifestyles: African customs, African family, artwork, and African hospitality. In essence, the White man abused African generosity by stealing Africa's properous lands and substituted them with religious scriptures.

To the author, circumcision is an act of courage and a gateway to manhood; polygamy helps deter homosexuality; believe in the creator and creation is ingrained in African minds; he believes there was law and order even before the arrival of the so-called European discoverers and explorers.

He gives credit to the courageous leaders of Africa who fought European injustices. Mention is made of Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Marcus Gravey of Jamaica, Martin Luther King Jr., Kinte Kunte, and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania. He feels disturbed by the traces of colonialism and how oppressor-trained African leaders continue to put Africa in jeopardy by singing the same old tunes.

For the thousands of Africans who fled the West causing brain-drain to the African continent, it is time you use your literary talent decently and embark on ways to salvage the continent from distorted and perverted foreign literature. Revival can only come about when the might of the pen is meticulously executed so as to create awareness in every corner of the globe. "No More Lies About Africa" is a must read for anyone seeking African humor and African historical facts.

Female Genital Mutilation

The term Female Genital Mutilation also known as FGM was coined by the United Nations to refer to a practice found in some African and Middle Eastern cultures whose origin goes back during the era of the pharaohs of Egypt where women underwent the ritual of clitoridectomy which implied removal of the clitoris, and infibulation meaning to surgically cut-off either the labia minora or labia majora or all at the same time. Many reasons have been given as to why people of those days applied this excruciatingly painful procedure to their wives and daughters. One theory suggests that Egypt of those days was always embroiled in wars with itself or with her neighbors which meant women and girls left behind became prey to servants and other men around them. We also learn from authorities familiar with the cultural practices of Egypt, Nubia, Abyssinia, and Puntland (Somalia) how women resorted to unusual artificial sexual procedures to satisfy their sexual desires in the absence of their men.

In today's modern age of communication and globalization coupled with rigorous applications of sex education, and despite the scourge of HIV/AIDS epidemic and other sexually transmitted diseases, governments are unable to erase this ancient practice from their domains. In some communities especially in Sudan and Somalia, the practice is so common that it is as if those engaged in the practice are going by the adage: 'old customs die hard'. Almost 90% of women in Sudan and Somalia have had the cut in one form or the other.

While many who practice FGM cite religious references, Islamic scholars refute its use in the strongest terms. It is neither obligatory nor supererogatory. It is simply a cultural norm that has been in continuation for millenniums which can only be eradicated through thorough education, dissemination of information, and endless concerted efforts by using the print and mass media for a long time to come.

Removing the clitoris of a woman is like removing the penis or tongue of a man. Where there is no tongue, there is no sense of taste; and where there is no penis, penetration, climax, and erection are hard to achieve. No matter how many Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra a penis-less man consumes, sexual satisfaction will remain an elusive attraction.

The agony faced by the millions of women who had the cut cannot be described in a simple essay. We'll leave it to our experts to come up with remedial measures to save the rest who are waiting in line for the procedure from further harm.