The Man Who Knows EVERYBODY!

[NGONGE]

They say that a wise man knows everything but a shrewd man knows everyone. In my own experience, this saying has not been truer than in the ten days I spent in Hargeisa City recently. Open a history book of Somaliland and go to the MEN section; in the chapter named “men that know everyone” you are likely to see only one glowing name filling the page. Don’t be surprised if it’s a name you too recognise. He may have many names and aliases, he may be called by lots of different nicknames but he still remains the same man, Jacaylbaro!

 

Kipling might be one of the few people to have not met Jacaylbaro but some argue that Kipling was a far seeing man and I’m inclined to agree with that argument. For who else was he talking about when he wrote that “IF” poem? It is as if the poem was written to specifically describe him or, to use the Somali equivalent, Jb waa ragiida.

 

For example:

 

Jb told me a story about him and an uncle of his sitting in the house in the midst of the bombardment of H town. A rocket landed close to the house and he (as a young child) flinched. The uncle berated him and told him to stop being a coward. A few seconds later, another rocket landed on the house. But this time, the uncle (sadly and literally) lost his head whilst Jb survived.

 

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

 

 

 

Whilst I was with the man, we usually spent our time visiting various eating establishments or lazing outside coffee shops. The waiters knew him, the regulars knew him, the shoe polishers knew him and, to my utter surprise and fascination, even one intoxicated glue-sniffer knew him!

 

On a different occasion, when we happened to visit one of the main hotels in the city where the old men, politicians and foreigners congregate, I ended up beginning a mental game with myself. The game involved counting how many minutes would pass before Jacaylbaro would be approached and greeted by yet another “new” person. The shortest time was two minutes by the way. Still, I had a wide smile on my face when, as we walked around the lobby of the hotel, I heard someone calling Jacaylbaro’s name; it was the biggest name (allegedly) in SL after the president himself. My smile, of course, wasn’t out of respect, excitement or nervousness about such a meeting; I simply remembered the glue-sniffer.

 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

 

 

It’s a rare and valuable skill to be able to get on with all manner of people whilst always keeping a smile and being able to carry the conversation, regardless of the topic. It’s also no mean feat to garner the respect and appreciation of all.

 

Jb, I doff my hat to thee my friend. You’re the bus of busses.

[Jacaylbaro]

 

[nuune]

Madaxweyne aan u caleemo saarno hadaba, hadhow baan ka yaabi inuu na hilmamo kolkuu noqdo madaxweyne, waa caadi, others do that as well hehehe

[NGONGE]

^^ Madaxweyne waa wareer meedhan. Better open up a public relations consultancy and hook different people up (for a big fat price).

[SayidSomal]

Lets test him then - (hope he is as good as you say he is)

 

JB - do you know Axmed *****full name unknown**** - nickname: something about Dab(fire) and Cago(feet) of Habar*Awal -Sub SMuuse - former Head of Civil Aviation (or was it the Somali Airline or Airport)

 

Description: an elderly chap in his early 70s - neat white beard and moustache (no side burns)

 

Resides in London - but has been in Hargaysa for the last three months

 

Claims to be known by everyone in hargaysa?

 

Well do you know him?

[Gheelle.T]

Gabdhahu ma yaqaanaan ninka, inta kale warkooda naga daaye

[SayidSomal]

^^apparently only kuwa la qabo

(going by that infamous article on SLPress)

[Abtigiis]

Ngonge's visits were staged. JB was paying people to come and greet him to impress NG.

When I was there, I asked few people and only one said he knows him. Told me some nickname of his too.

[NGONGE]

^^ War even the single ones, the divorcees and the widows.

 

GT, the xabagle and the VIP also apply to women.

[wyre]

Abtigiis;823226 wrote:

Ngonge's visits were staged. JB was paying people to come and greet him to impress NG.

When I was there, I asked few people and only one said he knows him. Told me some nickname of his too.

So NG wuu gaadanyahay miyaa

[wyre]

JB has a name in SOL even if you ask those newcomers "Ma taqaanaa JB" I am sure no one will say I dunno,

 

Ka warran mafrishyada ma tagaa ninka?

Hadduu tago, No wonder in xashiisyo cabka xittaa ey yaqaanaan

[Ibtisam]

Loool!!!

 

JB is indeed the man who knows all, up till now if I need information on people in Hargeisa, I call JB and ask, sometimes he even knows where they are at that specific time!!!!

[Showqi]

JB faraha ha laga qaado. Waa odeyga magaalada, Cunsurina ma aha sidiinoo kale!!! Xabaglaha iyo Xashiishluhunna waxay ka mid yihiin dadka magaalada ku dhaqan, khalaas.....

[Juxa]

Abtigiis;823226 wrote:

Ngonge's visits were staged. JB was paying people to come and greet him to impress NG.

When I was there, I asked few people and only one said he knows him. Told me some nickname of his too.

was the nick name qoslaaye?

 

JB waa lagu yaqaan marti soorka iyo soo dhaweynta fiican, maasha allah indeed

[NGONGE]

*Ibtisam;823234 wrote:

Loool!!!

 

JB is indeed the man who knows all, up till now if I need information on people in Hargeisa, I call JB and ask, sometimes he even knows where they are at that specific time!!!!

Heh. I rest my case!

 

p.s.

A&T, if it's staged then there must have been a mistake in the plans. He once introduced me to gabadh reerihiina oo maalinta Garowe ka so noqotay (well, actually, she introduced herself) who kept on talking about marraige and how she might eventually end up with a married man. Marka, malaa taa adiga lagula doonayay oo taarikhda loo qabtay bay khaladay ("it was supposed to be May not April, etc, etc").