WHY SOMALI STATE CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT RADICAL APPROACH TO THE CULTURE OF OWNERSHIP.

To start with, there is weak collective ownership in Somalia among the native people – nobody seems to care about it beyond selfish individual interests. Its leaders seem to practice the king’s motto: “after me the deluge“. Now Somalis have become transnational in their existence – they are split and scattered all over the world, while holding no allegiance to any one country. They are fast becoming the new ever wandering gypsies. State regulations or any societal rules irrite them. Nobody can predict what will become of them. Their Capital City, Mogadishu, hosts foreign troops and none of its residents seem to care or mind. National pride and culture are quickly losing relevance. Their focus is now on social media entertainment and destructive bashing of each other in never ending and fruitless clannish warfare. In the process, they have produced tireless and unscrupulous internet clan warriors determined to secure Google clicks by equally wandering and gullible followers. Fake news and forged documents reign supreme in their malicious and destructive internet sites. Lately, interested and self-centered Somali politicians have been taking advantage of Somalia’s misery, exploited by rumor-mongers and shameless site owners. Terms like CBB (Cayayaan Baraha Bulshada) were specifically coined for these faithless groups of Somali origin sitting behind lethal internet-connected laptops and desktops in Western countries, contributing to their decadence. Depression and loneliness have drive young Somali beauties living in the Western world into nightmares and obscenity in unregulated cyberspace and on the information highway. It is frightening situation.

At home, terrorist groups and religious fanatics believe they have reached the ultimate power of controlling an entire nation, easily reaping protection money and exercising free reign in racketeering.

Somalia’s neighbors are nervous and afraid of the menace happening at their doorsteps. They have run out of other options but to contain Somalia by keeping their troops there. And as long as Western nations are paying the bills, they can tolerate the occasional murders of some of their soldiers by Al-Shabab and ISIS.

Those among the international community who wish Somalia well should act as catalysts for change.

Until Somalis learn to change their attitudes and ways of life by collectively and individually belonging to a country of their own and take care of it, they are likely to be doomed.

Shall we be?