Aden-Adde: A gentleman of Somalia

[Saxardiid]

Aden-Adde: A gentleman of Somalia

By: Omar Mohamed

The President of a country is the Nation’s moral, not just a political leader. Presidents must do right to achieve good.

 

Aden Abdulle Osman knew that, and decency was his core. I can think of no other Somali Political Leader who could have done a better job. He believed that honesty was government’s polar star. It lit his view that “in Somalia people rule” and “Somalia is a country of laws.” I have never heard one story of President Aden Abdulle Osman uttering or even tolerating a word about tribalism.

 

Aden Abdulle Osman aka Aden-Adde was not a household name when he assumed the Presidency of the new Somali Republic. He’d been a president of the Legislative Assembly since its creation in the United Nations Trust Territory of Somaliland under Italian Administration in the early 1950’s, and the Provincial President of the new Republic from 1960-61. But the more the country saw of him, the more it liked – and smoothly grew into statehood.

 

Many of the political leaders of that era knew him years before he led the Nation. He was his own man, with great self-confidence, and could work with people on all sides of the Somali political spectrum. To this day, some still admire his character.

 

“Aden-Adde meant what he said, and said what he meant.” An old Somali politician told me.

 

As President, Aden-Adde faced a nation obsessed with tribalism. His reply was to follow the Constitution and the Laws of the Land to the word. And amid the nightmare of the 1964 Constitutional Crisis that was most welcome. He knew his rightful actions would be controversial, and he took a lot piling on it. I thought he was right then, and I think history now agrees.

 

He was calm, not arrogant, and he believed he could responsibly fulfill his duties. He was willing to do courageous thing – even though it cost him the Presidency against his former Prime Minister Hon. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke in the 1967 Presidential Election.

 

On a July afternoon, he left office. He was a unifier, not a divider. Some dubbed Aden-Adde a weak president; others thought of him a sworn tribalist. He didn’t care. He intended to govern as President of all the people. His forte was honor, not rhetoric, showing how civility could light even the dark cave of Somali politics.

 

Today when politics is coarse and ugly, we should remember him as a man who had opponents but never enemies. His life was never attempted during his term in office or after. Even the heinous civil war spared him.

 

I can’t help compare President Aden Abdulle Osman to the list of presidential hopefuls in the Somali Reconciliation Conference at Nairobi, Kenya. He would have shone above all of them: Gentle in manner, strong in deeds.

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[Som@li]

Perfect gentleman indeed,,is it possible to find more like him among somalis now?

[king_450]

Yes indeed he was one of the true Democratic Elected Prez in our Nations History ,and a true gntl,but not the only one. here is the other one.

Before Elected the Prez of SOmalia.May God Bless Him

 

http://www.hiiraan.com/jan02/history/abdi_rashiid.htm

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

He was indeed a fair respectful president.

[Liqaye]

Yes indeed he is one of the men that trully made somalis proud with his even handedness, and his incorruptibilty.

Also he truly understood the meaning of a non-executive presidency.

For more about his presidency read ghalibs ther price of dictatorship.

 

Xiddig waalal,

I truly hope that there are men comparable to him in the somali political firmament, there time will come 13 years of un-bridled qabyaalad and 21 of neptistic and gencidal qabyaalad, truly have taught somalis the importance of such men.

Indeed he is not as respected as he should be.

I would also include prime-minister abdirizaq as a man of honour to little respected.

[Saxardiid]

pres Adan is not only stateman but he became the first post colonial president of black africa nation who democratically handedover his office to an other elected president. HE IS TRUE HERO IN AN ANTI HERO NATION.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Salaan...

 

Aadan Cadde was great statesman. He is among a few individuals that deserve top five greatest Soomaalis ever title.

 

My father and C/rashiid Cali Sharmaarke aa hilfaha u laabay maskiinka Aaden Cadde, then came Siyaad Barre who hilfaha usii laabay C/rashiid iyo my aabo. Darn Aw Siyaadoow, waa iga jib jibisay. Ar Ilaahey ha u naxariisto kuwii dhintay, wixii noolka cilmi dheer iyo cibaado suuban.

_________________

 

Macsalaama.

[Saxardiid]

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar:

My father and C/rashiid Cali Sharmaarke aa hilfaha u laabay maskiinka Aaden Cadde

looool@u

siyaadna USC ayaa hilfaha u laabtey. At least Adan cade's time democratic process was working.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Originally posted by Sooyaal:

siyaadna USC ayaa hilfaha u laabtey. At least Adan cade's time democratic process was working.

Macalinka, I know; but Siyaad Barre lasted a whole 21 years while my father's time lasted only less than a week. How sad!

 

Ooh, I wasn't even born, hence never tasted how sweet it was the piece of cake Maslax Max'ed Siyaad Barre and others tasted, you know what I mean nooh.

 

Jaaw kabiirka.

[AYOUB]

Response To:- Aden-Adde: A Gentleman of Somalia

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

Originally posted by Sooyaal:

siyaadna USC ayaa hilfaha u laabtey. [/QB]

USCna civil war and tribal conflict aa hilfaha u sii qaadey.

[General Duke]

Lets not degenerate into another useless arguments. Aden A Osman was the greatest Somali leader ever. A man of peace the father of our nation. He is the best of our past and an example for our furure. Mr President I salute you

[wind talker]

He did good for his time. The anti-Adan Adde opinion on somalilandsoftware.com makes me wonder one thing: did NOTHING good ever come out of the Union of the Colonies (i.e. Italian Somaliland and British Protectorate)? I guess the answer to that from the author's point of view is a simple no! But each story has two sides.

[AYOUB]

Wind talker, indeed this story has a two sides but infront of us are facts. If Adaan Cadde was as 'democratic' as is claimed, why did he impose a contitution on Somalilanders which they voted against? Why did he allow Somalilanders to be marginalised from all institutions. He might have been a gentleman but was he a good leader? (this question can be appllied to all Somalis leaders) Nations like China might not have 'gentlemen' and 'democratic' rulers, but they still governed by people with a lot of leadership skills. The seeds for the troubles we are in at the momemt were planted long time ago and people like Siad took advantage of mistakes done way back then.

 

did NOTHING good ever come out of the Union of the Colonies (i.e. Italian Somaliland and British Protectorate)?

It was nice to meet some of you chaps . Lets hope we've all learned from our mistakes and never again other countries decide our destiny.

[Saxardiid]

To Ayoub-sheikh

sxb talking about early mistakes do you think only pres Adde made mistake or only southerns made mistakes. What about the somaliland parliment or the their excutives or polical parties and so forth? what happen to the great sland politicians like pres Egal and others. surely they had very big responsiblity for their people if southerns showed tendency of forcing their will to the somalilanders? i think as southern person we took too much blame and scapegoats of every mistake ever done by any somali politician. be fair to the Man and give credit where its due.