Ahmania Rules! Lets hear your say...

[Paragon]

Ahmania rules

 

A middle-aged, homophobic Somali seemed odds-on for an early exit from Big Brother. But after 49 days he's still there, ranting and raging at his housemates. Sarfraz Manzoor on Ahmed, the rogue rebel

 

Thursday July 15, 2004

The Guardian

 

Be honest. None of us thought he would still be here. When Channel 4 revealed that one of the housemates in the latest series of Big Brother was to be a 44-year-old former asylum seeker from Somalia, the motives seemed cynically obvious: put a middle-aged teetotal Muslim with openly homophobic views in a house with the campest man in Britain, a transsexual and an aspiring page-three model and the potential for fireworks is going to be pretty high. And so, we assumed, were the chances that he would be thrown out at the first opportunity. But here we are at day 49: the gorgeous Vanessa and the absurd Marco have gone, and Ahmed is still in the house. Astonishingly, Ahmed has emerged as the most bizarre yet compelling character of the entire series. Considering the competition, this is praise indeed.

In the first few weeks he was merely an extra, off-stage as the great Michelle and Stuart romance blossomed and the Victor and Jason conspiracy was hatched. He confessed in the diary room to feeling that he was being excluded by the others, and deliberately did not participate in group activities. Having decided early on that he had had enough, he thought his eviction would come swiftly if he simply asked the others to nominate him. But week after week, to his bewilderment, he was not nominated. He owed his survival to the fact that everyone in the house believed he would be evicted the first time the public were given the chance to throw him out. Even as the housemates were flattering him, they were conspiring against him in the expectation that he could be sacrificed later. The other housemates coined the word "Ahmania" to describe what they believed was the viewers' enthusiasm for the bespectacled Somali with the crooked smile.

 

Others tried to win favour and headlines with cheap displays of nudity and boisterous bust-ups. Not Ahmed. Rather than licking jam off someone's breasts or imitating a seal, he has secured our horrified attention by affecting the role of existential rebel, with gnomic observations such as the diary room comment that "I am not a sandwich". Apart from the philosophy, there have been unpredictable flashes of horror - the smashing of plates on the floor; the beheading of Maureen, an innocent papier-mache statue; a gruesome Elvis impression - which then descended into something far darker: a man unravelling in front of us.

 

According to answers he gave before entering the house, Ahmed's hero is Gandhi, and one feels the great man would have approved of Ahmed's strategy of non-violent protest against the other housemates - the refusal to obey orders to undertake sentry duty this week in the boot camp. But Gandhi might have been less impressed by Ahmed's attempts to overthrow the sergeants with a military coup. In earlier weeks he has always looked awkward joining in inane group tasks, uncomfortable trying to hold conversations with people with whom he has nothing in common. In fact, Ahmed, who fled Somalia during the civil war, has appeared at his most relaxed in his army uniform, attempting a military takeover.

 

With his rogue rebel status, his refusal to take part in group activities, his blatant use of china cups and his naked desperation to be evicted, Ahmed is clearly the most unpopular person in the house; and it is interesting to speculate about how much of a factor his race and religion are to his predicament. With a series as high-profile as Big Brother, it is inevitable that the house will be seen as a social experiment, that the choice of the housemates can be read as the programme-makers' view of the wider society. Previous Asian contestants - the sensible law student who walked out early, the affable but dull chef from last year - were likeable characters, the message being that Asians are just like the rest of us; choosing Ahmed, clearly not likeable, a loose cannon, suggests that the message from this series could be interpreted as: Muslims - some of them are as strange as the rest of us.

 

Before he entered the house, Ahmed said one of his reasons for taking part was that he wanted "to be the first Muslim to be portrayed favourably in mainstream media" - a laudable aim that has not been entirely successful. As one viewer has commented on a Somali website: "I can't believe that out of all the people in the UK they managed to pick him. I seriously felt physically ill because they put this Muslim man in there and then to make it worse he had to be Somali (probably because no one else would be that stup!d !)." The viewer's trenchant entry concluded "May Allah save us all!" It is fair to say that the jury is still out on Ahmed's contribution to religious tolerance. But Ahmed's religion has not been as much of a factor as it threatened to be - and although he prays regularly, the nightly highlights programmes rarely show him in prayer. What is more, despite being an avowed homophobe, he has not been as bigoted as the programme-makers perhaps hoped.

 

What then are we to make of Ahmed's failure to integrate with the rest of the housemates? Can it be seen as a microcosm of the general failure of Muslims to integrate into society? There is no doubt that Ahmed's frustrations are fuelled by feelings of being an outsider. Some of that is because of his religion - he cannot get drunk with the others - and some of it is about temperament, but mostly it is a generational difference and a chasm in the life experiences of a man who fled the Somali civil war and, for example, a young woman who aspires to be a page-three model. As Michelle, the wannabe model, observed: "Ahmed just wants to talk about current affairs and politics and I just can't be arsed."

 

What makes Ahmed's discomfort so fascinating is that he displays it in ways that are so clearly not British - the finger pointing, the proclamations, the outright refusal to participate; he sticks out in the group like the rogue tooth in his mouth. He longs to be evicted, but his sense of pride means he cannot walk out. Hence the desperation of this week's attempted military coup and the flare-ups with Michelle. But what is really heartening about the coverage is that the issue of race and religion have not been raised as reasons for his peculiarities, either in the house or the press. Ahmed has been shown to be a disturbed, socially maladjusted individual who just happens to be Muslim.

 

Meanwhile, with each episode of rage and violence, Ahmed increasingly resembles Michael Douglas in Falling Down, a middle-aged man bristling with anger, who is driven mad by those around him. Ahmed's pain is now palpable and he is no doubt praying that release will come soon. But even though he is the bookies' favourite for ejection, it is his very desire to leave that could provide the reason for his continued stay: if there is one characteristic the British voting public have demonstrated time and again, it is a cheery sadism. The sure knowledge that Ahmed wants to leave, coupled with a curiosity about what he might do if forced to stay, could just keep him in the madhouse.

---------

 

Now, surely there are amongst SOL nomads avid supporters of Ahmania, what do they have to say?

 

Are we really an entirely stup!d community?

[Baashi]

Originally posted by J11:

Are we really an entirely stup!d community?

No we r not. Now I don't live in UK and I've never seen this show...let me get that right off the bat. According to the article I don't see anything wrong with Ahmed. He prays right? he doesn't like faggots right? He found out that sometimes it is hard to relate to the gaaloos and thier ways right? After all he went there, according to the article, to potray Muslims as descent and dignified folks who are willing to get along with thier hosts - good cause. Kudos to him for not obliging their petty rules. He made the right decision if he's refused to bow down. Who said you have to entertain thier whims and wishes to fit in.

 

On the other hand, the cast are zenophobic, conspiring bunch who r ganging up on him. Look at the producers' and their ill-intentioned plot! snakes in the grass that is what they are. Who cares the gaaloos approval. Let the man stand tall for this agonizing fix he is in and pray he got his wish to get out that now he knows what it is really all about.

 

I'm reading this article very differenly bro Jamal. I would've been disappointed if he had potrayed Islam in a bad way. Tell me he has not done that.

[Paragon]

I read this:

As one viewer has commented on a Somali website: "I can't believe that out of all the people in the UK they managed to pick him. I seriously felt physically ill because they put this Muslim man in there and then to make it worse he had to be Somali (probably because no one else would be that stup!d !)." The viewer's trenchant entry concluded "May Allah save us all!"

And asked:

"Are we really an entirely stup!d community?"

Baashi, my question is much heavier than Ahmad's do's and dont's. It is an over-arching one. Realistically, judging from what we are in, are we generally a stup!d community? Sxb forgive me, I am really concerned. Lol that is about our collective intelligence, something is rotton in the core of our Somaliness.

 

PS: About Ahmed? I don't have a view on him yet.

[Baashi]

Well then, now you've elaborated a bit on where u coming from in posing the question, I stand corrected.

 

For the sake of the discussion though, tell me why would you wanna generalize Somalis and their collective intelligence. I mean what is it that compels us or should I say some of us to diss all Somalis with these sweeping statements. I'm very concerned too! I've noticed this trend lately. Is it a genuine self-examination (what went wrong back home) or this is psychological damage because of what we've been through in the way of violence and what not. Or is this a self-doubt and low self-esteem? Is it the civil war, the poverty, the lack of thriving, emerging, and successful community in the West?

 

I gotta tell you it does not look good both back in home (the way we handled that conflict) and in abroad (the language barrier, the lack of skills, and our inability to integrate into the larger society without losing our distinct identity and religion...) but, and I'm not being argumentative here, these problems are not solely unique to Somalis. Civil wars had arisen all over the world with much much more devastating consequences. And here in abroad give them 30 more years, I'm confident based on the positive signs that I've seen in our community here in America, we will be successful and I dare say at par with Indo-Chinese and Indian communities. It will come with prize: few more will end up in jail, hordes of men and women will end up in addiction house (qaat), and some youth will embrace all that is bad in this culture e.g. gangsters. All in all, as new arrivals, we are not doing that bad; not bad at all.

 

Aah! It feels good now I vented a bit don't mind me ranting cuz I needed...thanks for being such a good listeners and thanks for putting up with my "opinionated" view about Somalis and where they stand...

[Paragon]

^^^ Don't mind me. Lately I have been scrutinizing myself about whether what I do for Somali community is enough or not.

 

tell me why would you wanna generalize Somalis and thier collective intelligence. I mean what is it that compell us or should I say some of us to diss all Somalis with these sweeping statements.

Baashi, one can only make sweeping statements or generalize when he/she says: community X is this; or community Y is that. However, I asked a question and could not accuse Somalis (me among them. The reason why I question the Somalis' intelligence in general is because: somaliness faces a general problem and not a specific.

 

Is it a genuine self-examination (what went wrong back home) or this is psychological damage as a result of what we've been through in the way of violence and what not.

Yes! thats my concern.

 

Or is this a self-doubt and low self-steem? Is it the civil war, the poverty, the lack of thriving, emerging, and successful community in the West?

Not really.

 

.... I'm not being argumentative here, these problems are not solely unique to Somalis.

Yes, its not unique. But we arent doing anything to change it and that worries me much.

 

Aah! it feels good now I vented a bit don't mind me ranting cuz I needed...thanks for being such a good listeners and thanks for putting up with my "opinionated" view about Somalis and where they stand...

Lol I am glad to hear you feel relieved. Aniga waan madluunsanahay sxb ... Illaahoow Soomaali u gaargaar

[Baashi]

and Aamiin to ^. Cheer up dude...awoowe raggu ha sheekeysto dee

[Paragon]

^^^^ Raggu, (intooda duqeytida amba gabowga ah) ha sheekeysto, laakiin, waa saban-aakharoo, raggii sheeka-aqoonka ahaa ayaaba yaraaday baan is iri ninyahow.

[Baashi]

Ogow Jamaaloow waayeelku qudhiisa mar bey ka yara hoos baxdaa. Soo ma maqal gabeygii ahaa:

 

"Waayeelka xaajadu marbay weyd ka noqotaa"

 

and by "weyd" he meant "caato". Waxaan ku leeyahey raggu yar iyo weynba ha kalaamo oo keena heli og ha la dhageysto.

[Paragon]

"and by "weyd" he meant "caato". " ^^^

 

Qaar badan oo naga mid ah ayey "weyd" ka tahay Baashiyoow!

[Baashi]

***Baashi tying up his “qeyd” around his bended knee (the sitting mode) and making lines on the ground slowly turns to Jamaal, after whining about this “eydin” on the "dhabar" and other aging symptoms***

 

Waa sidee, heedhe ii waran maxaad war iyo wacaale heysaa...oo waxaan Jamaaloow ku weydiiyey gabankan Ahmed aad leedahay see wax yidhi?

[Maymuunah]

Baashi seems he had missed sweet home somalia.

"maxaad war iyo wacaale haysa" i know what war is but what is wacaale?

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

"I can't believe that out of all the people in the UK they managed to pick him. I seriously felt physically ill because they put this Muslim man in there and then to make it worse he had to be Somali (probably because no one else would be that stup!d !)." "May Allah save us all!"

I just noticed something.

 

 

That above comment was from nomad Curly_Sue posted on Somalia Online on May 29, 2004 07:45 AM US central time.

 

Here is the original article.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1261484,00.html

 

Nomads, the Somali website the UK's Guardian is quoting is none other than your SOL. We can now add the Gaurdian to the list of media outlets coming to SOL for Somali related content.

 

if you find more, just let us know.

[N.O.R.F]

^^^i was just thinking the same! Sue is famous!!!! and so is SOL

 

As for Ahmed, i flicking thru the channels the other and stumbled (yes stumbled) accross big brother. so i thought why not see if the Somali (yeah right) guy is still there, and sure indeed he was present and in the middle of some sort of army routine, he get tired, decides to take a seat and is then given some verbal by the bimbo. He reacts by shouting and throwing things around the garden,loooool.

 

Are we a ****** community? mmmm, i will get back to this later on!

[AYOUB]

^^^ Here is our own Mr Oodweyne being quoted by someone posting an opinon at Graphictruth.com who even give a link to SOL just below the Wahabist:

 

 

Writing for somaliaonline.com, author Oodweyne speaks the core truth:

 

The essential point here is that Wahabi doctrine cannot succeed in any open society unless it controls the levers of political power in that society. The true aim of Wahabism in any country is to accede to the summit of political power, and not merely to do charitable works or establish madrassas to propagate its message.

 

full article

 

You never know who else pops in here, do you? :eek:

 

 

Rule Britania, Britania rule the waves..

[Blessed]

I can understand why people would come to SOL for insight into the Somali psych. This is by far the best forum for sharing opinions in a comprehensive and intellectual manner. And, no Admin didn’t pay me to say this

 

Well done NOMADS

I think you all deserve a pat in the back for making SOL what it is. We should continue to make sure that our little piece of the internet doesn’t turn into a personal battlefield of school kids. I'A

 

As for Ahmed, I’m very glad that his Muslimness is not decisive factor for the British public. Alxamdulilah for that!

 

I thought his spat of rebellion was both immature and inconsiderate for his teammates.

 

I think he is more a rebel without cause. :mad:

 

 

P.S Did anyone notice the subtle stereotypical assertions of the G reporter.

 

you'd expect a bit more insight from Muslim Journalists :mad: