By Sharmarke Ali

"Once you base your whole life striving on a desperate lie, and try to implement that lie, you instrument your own undoing". Ernest Becker

The lightheartedness of sports was missing. Hooliganism, badmouthing, and player antics, without taste and humor, replaced storytelling and good-natured ribbing between players.

Insomuch as, I suspected, that if, SL gutter politics was lumped up with sports, to reveal the countenance of its Gila Monsters, we have witnessed some of our politician’s merit and their reptilian single-mindedness. Contrary to my suspicion, clan chauvinist on the other side who would assure us that"....in an era when evil is as proliferated as flies around the stinking SL politics dumpster, we will be kept safe by a lizard-faced clan politician who eats flies for breakfast"

Politicians in our country represent cross-section of our nations population, evincing mix of traits and characters, some admirable and worthy of support and others reprehensible and deserving of condemnation and contempt.

Accordingly, some of the politicians who are not ex-snm, are not heroes by many and all heroes need not be ex-snm. Resistance and the refusal to succumb to the temptations of hoisting clan interest above common interest in SL constitute bravery as well and by far the most prestige. To bestow unquestioning and unilateral support to ONLY ex-snm and or any one whose work is against the grains of SL unity and integrity is a recipe for disaster.

The purpose of this clan jingoistic blarney, in my opinion, that is as fact free as it is invidious, is to shield personal ulterior motives and interests. In all honesty, clan politicians deftly framed their narrative and succeeded in foisting their propaganda and lie. Though their deeds bilk our hopes but worse yet is that the innocent and the gullible among us had felt prey and could not escape from their thunderbolt. Consequently, fledgling and growing flowers among our society that require us to provide nurturing niche to grow healthy defoliated and thrown out to the death throes of clannish.

To survive as a republic, great people of SL will have to stop those inane, power-hungry, fame-obsessed clowns, and crooners sharp-elbowing each other in vying for any leader's trust. Clan chauvinist bad mojo on political arena should also be fettered to safeguard unity and integrity.

What happened to Awdal Youth Sport that, wholeheartedly, went to Hargeisa to participate in the Regional Sports Competition (RSC) is poignant satire works of clan politics induced toxicity and its atmosphere under which RSC was conducted; in which, clans flags are poised above sportsmanship flag in Hargeisa Stadium in the presence of the same bunch of our elected officials dubbed as “Rubble rousers”. It is apparent that CIT will have far reaching effect in the minds of our youth if not stopped at its heels and sports is not left for those who behold its value. Scandal of such magnitude and hatred would not have been possible to occur in any other major city in SL but in Hargeisa, where the most psychotic is the king.

To add insult to the injury, Haatuf's perpetual innuendoes and habitually On-their-knees before clan chauvinists, in an acerbic commentary concluded that throwing stones, with the intent to harm, at Awdal players was a message to the President, forfeiting the fact that NOT only Awdal votes put him at the helm of power. Unlike Haatuf who sees matters through tribal lens, Awdalites see HE Rayale, as the nation’s first democratically elected President who subscribes to NO TRIBE and Awdal Sports is not “the portal vein” to the heart of his presidency.

At this twilight situation of SL Republic, there must come a paradigm shift of seismic proportions or else the Republic will perish. I'm less optimistic.

It is time to see through and reject what is dividing us to leap forward to the promising land where every citizen is judged by his deeds and color-coded clan flags are relegated to back Seat.

To conclude:

Kudos to Buroa players who brushed off the existed urban legend in my time about Burao play style: Haddey kubado ku dhaafto, ciyartowgo yanu ku dhaafin. Surely Buroa players have shown us sportsmanship and they are now an example to emulate.

Last but not least, congratulation to Awdal Youth for their sportsmanship and resilience to stand against hoodlums with their barbaric actions. You displayed superb skills in every field in sports. Keep up the good work and keep in touch with SL youth sports because you belong to each other.

Sharmarke Ali

Virginia , USA

sharmarkeali@yahoo.com