Presence, Aura Gravitas

[NGONGE]

I have a friend who always gets stopped by customs when he travels back from his holidays. He, in a typical young black man way, complains of racism and alleges that the only reason he gets stopped is because he is black and/or African!

 

I have another friend who no matter what part in the world he’s in would always get approached by all manner of beggars. He could be walking with a crowd of ten people and the beggars will still approach him first. He, in a typical Somali way, argues that this is due to his generosity and approachable demeanour.

 

I once knew a girl who always moaned about being chatted up in the street by an infinite number of random men. Wherever she was and whenever some passing man spotted her, he would either smile or try to engage her in conversation. She, in a typical womanly way, argued that all men are perverts and that it was not her fault that she was born pretty (thinking back without the burden of youthful testosterone, I realise now that she was not THAT pretty).

 

Yours truly has spent his life attracting the (mostly unwanted) attention of mentally disturbed people or those suffering with minor mental ailments. Autistic kids, schizophrenics, senile old people or even those suffering from psychosis and hallucinations would always pick me out from the crowd and try to befriend me. Nowadays, I have learnt to accept it for what it is and not try to find an excuse for it. If I did reason at all, I simply consoled myself with the thought that I do not get stopped by customs, mobbed by beggars or chatted up by random men, though I was kissed by one and asked on a date by another, they were both, naturally, certifiably mental (no, really, they were).

 

Now I do not want to delve into the spiritual world of mumbo jumbo and sell the ideas of chakras, auras or energy fields yet I can’t help wonder if there is an element of truth to that! On the other hand, such auras can be built and carefully manicured to appear genuine and believable. Take Sheikh Sharif for example. When he donned his mullah garb and spoke in the smooth tones of a religious man, we were all taken in and believed him to be just that. In fact, in this forum, I recall one notorious Burkah-hating member referring to his “oily face” (at the time) and positively declaring that “Shiikho wuu nuuraya”! However, later on, when he underwent a period of change and returned to us as the suit-wearing president of Somalia, there were many that were taken in by that two and, for their part, also declared that he looked indisputably presidential! Sharif of course is nothing of the sort. He is a simple chameleon who forever tries to make us see what we want to see (with some success too).

 

Similarly, people such as Ghandi, Mandela and Martin Luther King were all said to have an unmistakable aura about them, a sort of presence that was very distinguishable from that of the ordinary man. Yet, Ghandi walked around with a towel around his waist, Mandela (once he was out of prison and the world really saw him) was a softly spoken frail old man and Dr King looked like a smartly dressed college lecturer. In their case, it seems, the aura and gravitas were all acquired ones rather than the innate aura of my customs dodging friend. The three, as people, did not matter much but it was rather their words, political beliefs and principles that propelled them to the public consciousness. Alas, a biographer attempting to sell us a book relating the life and times of such men would (inevitably) mention them having this same “aura” when they were kids and would shower us with anecdotes proving such a thing.

 

My friends above are not likely to have a biographer writing about their lives (unless you consider this piece as one). The wider world is not going to hear about their Customs related problems or their statues amongst beggars. But the fact remains that they do emit a certain vibe and aura that forever puts them in the situations they find themselves in. And, they are not alone; Duke probably often wonders why cats avoid his path, Jb feels irritated by endless smiling people and A&T usually objects to being propositioned by every passing prostitute.

 

I would ask what aura you believe you emit but I don’t really believe that question needs to be asked, I am sure those that believe they have it will volunteer their opinion anyway. So, let me turn it political and ask about Siilaanyo’s obvious aura. What is it about the man that got many “southerners” to support him in the early days (some even now)? It certainly can’t be his stumbling way of speaking or any past history that endears him to the greater Somalia crowd! Like my friends above (and me) could this be Siilaanyo’s curse?

[Jacaylbaro]

I feel irritated ??

[Liqaye]

Lool are you absolutely sure you are not creating the aura that you describe? Personally having met and watched this man on various fora he just seems the typical somali old man, with the compliment of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and gargantuan pot belly....and also the reminiscing is mandatory.

 

To be honest I think some people may be convinced about the idea that Silanyo might have the neccesary gravitas and standing to disabuse the triangle clan from the dreams, more so than an ex-NSS agent and torturer ever could.

 

Why exactly and when exactly this meme started I have no idea, there are usually vague rumblings about his having been a longstnading memeber of the somali goverment as well as not having been the head of the SNM when the self serving Abdi-Rahman Tuur declared independence...

 

But in the end I would also like to know how this whole idea started, maybe Xiin and others would like to enlighten us??

[A_Khadar]

NG, good layout for the question.

 

For my two cents, Siilanyo, beside his Northern clan civil war part took , he has similarities with the late Cigaal AUN. Both men have accumilated thousands of friends over the years they have been in the somalia politics in pro or against positions. For that reason, many beleived that he has a good chance to be a leader of Somalia and may not be enough for him to rule unrecognized, half sized, based on clan nation.

[Liqaye]

^^Oodweyne the man was asking for an opinion and he got one, not everything is open to debate, that Abdi-rahman Tuur declared indepence and then U-turned to share a meal with Mr.Qanyare as his guest in Hamar as they both editioned to be Aideed's lackeys in cheif is also not open to debate.

 

So let us see what Ngonge or others are driving at, indeed I think this topic has nothing to do with somaliland or independence, but Silanyo the man and the PR either present or historical that leads to people [on this boards adding al-somal to his name...], hold your horses, as to all this humility clap trap you are on about....21 years of clan based delusion from some members of your clan and premature asnine declerations of recognition from yourself on this boards would have intimated that your use of the word humility is risible at best charlie.

[NGONGE]

True. I was talking about Siilaanyo and the way people view him.

[N.O.R.F]

I tend to get asked silly (and at times personal) questions by complete strangers!

 

Silaanyo is a presidential President. Well respected. Wuxu Ngonge qoray waa dab.

[Alpha Blondy]

being a close and personal friend of the president, he exudes charisma and he is decisive.