Lately, I have been sickened to read some articles in WardheerNews and Awdalnews that amount to despicable character assassinations and downright defamation of the veteran and venerable Somali political leader, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Siilaanyo), and his wife, Amina Jirde. What shocked me is not so much that some Somalis will stoop so low as to denigrate Siilaanyo’s image and integrity. After all, he is used to be subjected to baseless and gratuitous attacks as a political leader. Rather, it is that any one will hit him below the belt and publicly vilify his esteemed, defenceless wife, or that any responsible websites will publish them.

These shameless attacks on a respected married woman, a mother and grandmother at that, is un-Somali, un-Islamic, unethical and unprofessional no matter from what perspective one looks at it. No doubt, Silaanyo and his wife will weather these innuendos and smear campaigns. But when the dust settles s and the chicken comes home to roost, the real losers of bashing Siilaanyo and his wife are not only the authors of the articles. Far more seriously is the damage that would be done to the credibility of the websites themselves. When that happens, we are all losers for we need them in these desperate troubled times.

The alleged denial to Ali Jirde to marry, or adopt children, or dispose of his property, has been used as a pretext to demonise Silaanyo and his wife. Most people know that there has been no previous history of any quarrel within the Jirde family. The fact of the matter is that Ali Jirde had lived a long and happy life with his former deceased wife and also with his extended Rer Jirde family. Silanyo only comes to the picture to the extent that he is married to a member of the Jirde dynasty but otherwise he is completely out of the loop and has nothing to do or has any automatic say on matters pertaining to the internal affairs of the Rer Jirde Family. Amina herself constitutes only one member of the numerous Jirde Family, all of whom no doubt share their devotion to Ali Jirde and for taking care of him in every respect in his vulnerable old age.

Given this harmonious history of the Jirde family, what is all this ballyhoo about the legitimate concern of the members of the Jirde family as to how Ali Jirde conducts his remaining days now that he is over 90 years, when full control of his mental and physical faculties are patently questionable? A man of his situation, with no biological descendents and having enviable property is surely an easy prey to all those who want to exploit or manipulate him. To fend off these fortune hunters whoever they may be is not greed on the part of Amina or any other member of the Jirde family but what any other Somali family would have done, something in conformity with Islamic Sharia law and customary Somali traditions.

Much has been made by the authors of the articles about the right of Ali Jirde to adopt children. Adoption is a western practice and not one in line with Islamic Sharia law or Somali traditions. Of course, any Somali, man or woman, can “adopt” a child to the extent that one acts purely as their guardian and benefactor until such time as they grow and become self reliant. But such adoption, meaning guardianship, does not confer any legal parental right or entitle legal inheritance. As a guardian in full control of ones faculties, one can freely dish out ones property to adopted children. But there comes a point, such as now in the case of Ali Jirde, when the benefactor is old and perhaps senile in which case any actions he takes now cannot be considered as those of a man in his right mind. No such objection would have arisen had he disposed part or all of his property at a time when no one would have challenged his mental condition. The same logic goes for a woman who would want to marry a man over 90 years old. Surely it is not love or sex appeal that draws them together. It can only be his assets that are the real attraction. His next of kin have therefore justifiable reasons to oppose such a sham marriage.

The overriding consideration is whether Ali Jirde is in good hands and that his Rer Jirde family are giving him the love and care he needs. About this there is no doubt- Which means all the crocodile tears for Ali Jirde among the authors of the articles is nothing more than using the old man as a stick to beat Siilaanyo. This is a mean, politically motivated potshot at Siilaanyo and the aim is to hurt him at this critical juncture before the forthcoming presidential election. I have no doubt he will remain invincible and rest as a dominating giant who dwarfs all those pygmies strutting on Somaliland’s political stage. Should Siilaanyo be elected president, Amina for her part would be like no other first lady, given her education, medical professional experience and sophistication. The two would make an outstanding double unlike any other in Somali political history. This is my say on the matter as a non- Somalilander with no axe to grind and from my distant vintage point at Buuhoodle.

Mohamoud Hassan Haji Omar
Journalist, Buuhoodle, Somalia
Email: mohamoudhassan2@yahoo.co.uk