This ‘quick-scan’ autobiographical review is basically and primarily meant to address two major objectives:-
A. That the youth, the up and coming young generation, may know and grasp the real facts of the exemplary and impeccable life history of their President.
B. That the youth may not be disillusioned and bombarded with distorted facts that are being propagated about President Ahmed Mohamed (Silanyo).
Therefore, to shun and dispel any misinformation, the following brief but comprehensive review of the golden autobiography of the President of the Republic of Somaliland which is a milestone in the country’s history is hereunder set forth:-
1) Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud was among the first batch of students who completed their secondary education at Amoud Secondary School in 1957.
2) He was among the first students to be educated in Great Britain whereby he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Economics from University of Manchester.
3) Propelled by a sense of patriotism, Ahmed Silanyo decided to convert his education to the benefit of his people where he consequently came back from abroad, the UK, and became one of the elite officials of the then Somali Republic government.
4) Upon the October 21st 1969 military coup, Ahmed Silanyo became one of the intellectual Ministers who left his legacy by formulating and implementing milestone programmes and projects through objective visions that realized formidable developments.
5) He had a strong personality and his integrity was solid enough that he never succumbed to the powers that be nor was he a crony or puppet of any sort to the dictator Siyad Barre.
6) The then Berbera cement factory was one of the projects Ahmed Silanyo implemented that caused him cross-swords with Siyad Barre.
7) Ahmed Silanyo dumped Siyad Barre when the dictator showed his true colours. Siyad Barre went to extremes and veered the political direction of the country towards despondency, nepotism and repression, which Ahmed Silanyo could not bear any longer.
8) Subsequently, he joined the freedom-fighters warriors group (SNM) after which he was chosen to head the resistance movement in 1984 because of his strong personality, integrity, experience and pragmatic leadership. Ahmed Silanyo is the man who acted and took an inevitable decision when the existence and honour of his people were at stake. He was the leader of those martyrs and freedom fighters who began to act on the thought that something were worth to fight for.
9) Following the Mangestu-Siyaad Barre April 1988 peace accord, Ahmed Silanyo took a historic and decisive step to give the go-ahead and signed for the mobilization of the armed –fighting within the country the following month (May 1988); this was such that the diplomatic relations with Ethiopia (foreign support) would be retained by the translocation of the armed wing of the SNM from Ethiopia to Somaliland.
10) Ahmed Silanyo happened to be the only rebel leader who resorted to hand over power at a time the freedom-fighters controlled their own land and held a major assembly to chart their own future whilst on the brink of victory. It is in that particular assembly at the SNM headquarters of Balli-gubadle, that Abdirahman Ahmed Ali was elected to replace him (May 1990). After only 8 short months, Somaliland was emancipated through SNM’s victory. Ahmed Silanyo would have definitely been re-elected if he chose to continue leading the SNM.
11) Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo was amongst the SNM central committee members who endorsed and vouched for the re-assertion of Somaliland’s Independence at Burao that was to be declared at the same location on the 18th of May 1991.
12) Ahmed Silanyo happens to be the presidential contender who opted to stand down for the sake of national peace and stability whereas the 80 vote lead of his opponent was questionable and subject to debate in the 2003 elections.
13) H.E. President Ahmed Silanyo is the leader who upon winning the 2010 presidential elections relinquished his KULMIYE party chairmanship post within a month in accordance and at par with the party’s rules and regulations.
14) H.E. President Ahmed Silanyo happens to be the President with the greatest track of developments records in the country’s history. Despite the fact his popularity and nation-wide support are growing by the day; given the fact that as per the constitution he has the right to defend his seat and to seek for re-election, he has just opted not to defend his second term. He has decided to do so in order to give the chance to his political colleagues who have been in the struggle along with him which is a political move without parallel.
15) H.E. President Ahmed Silanyo, following the courage of his moral convictions he is utterly convinced that the avid cling for power has been the main difficulty befalling any leader and as such he has taken a different direction from previous Somaliland Presidents so that it may be an example to be emulated by those in the future. This is reminiscent of what happened in May 1990 at Baligubadle. He has left his chance to politicians he has moulded.
In pursuit for a better future for the people of Somaliland, President Ahmed Silanyo is someone who is fully aware of the historical lessons and the mistakes made in the past. He is someone who takes note of those mistakes, learns the lessons and then acts in accordance to them.
President Silanyo’s moral convictions, vision and life principles are based on and derived from the ideals and values that are believed in and lived by our great nation, the Republic of Somaliland. All traces of President Silanyo’s life and legacy reveal an integrity and moral high ground that transcends any contradiction.
As the citizens of the Republic of Somaliland, it is our civic duty to learn, know and understand the autobiographies of our brave leaders. In the same breath and context it is likewise an obligation upon us to reject and dispel any attempt towards perpetrating distortion of the facts and spreading disinformation of the same facts about the lives and legacies of our President who is a visionary leader.
Lastly, it is our belief and trust that the exemplary life history of Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo as a legend to all Somalilanders is equivalent and similar in what the South Africans and Africans as a whole perceive of the life history of the late Nelson Rohlilala Mandela.
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Presidential Press, Communications and Spokesman’s Office,
Hussein Adan Igeh (Presidential Spokesman)
