Carafaat Posted June 18, 2012 Today I was invited at this International Conference of African Finance and Investment, , which I really looked forward to. Not because of the topic but as I only meet and see cadaan during work, it would have meant a great chance to see fellow brothers and sisters. The lobby and Conference hall were full with black faces. 250 Bankers, Investors and other Business people from Africa were flown in. I smiled and greeted most people around me, made small talk, gave my business cards to some Angolans, Congolese, Nigerians, Guinee Bissauns, etc. During the conference, I looked around to see if there were any tol or sokeeye around. I knew there wouldnt be any Somali around, I was informed by a young Somai guy who was working there as a security guard. So I went through the participants list to see how many Cushitic, Bantu or other East African brothers came came from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Sudan, etc. To my dissapointment there were none on the list. There were some white guys business people who live in Kenya. But not even a Kikuyu, or a Nilotic, not even an Amhara or Tigrey neighbour of us was present. How could this happen. Is there no justice, no regional balance, no 4.5 in Africa. This made me furious! And ruined my mood for the rest of the morning. I saw Zulu´s, Hausa´s, Hutu´s, Shona´s. But no cushitics! Just before lunch I went to the young Somali security guard and asked him, `kuwa no eeg so raadi´. After 20 minutes he came back and said, mid no eeg ayaa jooga. And pointed me another table on the other side of the lobby. I had to see atleast one African close to us. So i appologized to the other people at the lunch table, grabbed my plate and walked to the guy he pointed at. I went to the guy and introduced myself. He smiled and gave a warm traditional greeting and offered me a chair next to him. I asked him were he was from, which tribe, etc. He spoke in french, and told me he was from Senegal, is a veterinarian who founded a milk factory in Senegal and belongs to the Fulani, a Hamitic tribe which the Cushitic and Nilotic are also part of . I told him we were cousins as I am from the Somali tribe belonging to the Cushitic family. The rest of the lunch we talked, laughed and discussed Senegalese and Hamitic tribes in Western Africa. ´Our´ table was the most fun and social. I introduced to several contacts and I promised I would visit tolka some day in Senegal. The other Africans looked suprised and a bit jealous how brotherly we were talking. It made my day. :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Posted June 18, 2012 Might I add - typical African, waxaa meshaa uu tagteen to go do business, idhinkuu naa 'socialising' baa kaa digateen..lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mario B Posted June 18, 2012 Nice story brother Caraafat, I like your social skills . Were there any Tuaregs by any chance and are they related to us? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juxa Posted June 19, 2012 lol bal intuu TOLKA raadinayay ma uusan sameyn connectionkii uu utagay typical faarax, cant concentrate on the business at hand. soo celi $1500 kugu baxday, waxad tahay qasaaro Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
