Hiiraan Online

Many youthful citizens of Somalia have a tendency to be rebellious and very disobedient. This isn't something all that new, considering that many of groups fighting in Somalia have always employed youth to carry out their interest and in the process killed as many Somali civilians as possible. But the numbers regarding this type of behavior seem to be increasing at an alarming rate now. This is the case because of the increased number of groups now fighting for the control of the nation, from the TFG, Islamic Courts to Alshabab and the ever popular piracy phenomena. Maybe this is a sign that Somali youth are the most required weapons to destroy their people and livelihood. These youth are rather inconsiderately doing the only job they have known for the past two decades.

Maybe it's just because the elderly in our community that we have always looked up to and respectfully regarded as honest and transparent have, became the worst of teachers in propagating hate and divisions among us. In lives of our youth it’s going to be paramount that we teach them, how to become responsible leaders. It is a very important thing for the youth of our nation to learn how to become effective and open minded leaders and to start to plan for a successful future.

If we do not try to help our next generation of youth, it could lead to disaster. There has been increasingly large numbers of young people participating in the violence that has gripped our nation for nearly the past two decades.

If nothing is done to address this we are in grave danger. There have been numerous steps taken in the past; including the now foiled Djibouti peace agreement to resolve the complex situation in Somalia, but nothing concrete has been achieved at all. The time has come to allow the youth of Somali to come up with tangible solutions to the problems that have severely damaged their country for the past 19 years. I believe that the youth are the right people to bring change to Somalia; this is the case because they are the future leaders of our nation and are aware of the impact that globalization has on the world today, and once left behind at a time of scientific and technological era. You will always languish at the bottom of the world order. The need for peace has never been more important then at this defining moment. The youth of Somalia must rise and take control of their destiny rather than leaving it to men like; Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, Nur Hussein Ade, Abdullahi Yussuf, Shiekh Dahir Aweys and the rest of the so-called elders of our communities. And as much as I respect the elders of our communities my patience has run out, since 1991 there have been many attempts to bring peace to Somali. But each one of them failed thanks our leaders.

Is there a better way? Yes there is.

It is possible that if the Youth of Somalia work together they can start to plan ahead for future generations to live in a peaceful and inclusive society, the youth need to come up with a structure of governance that starts to teach, show, and even model the way for the next generation, it could build up confidence among the youth that are just entering the political scene. By finding out more about current youth leadership research and studies and doing things like sitting down and having discussions with youth advocates, we might be able to find a way to stimulate youth leadership as well as produce a productive group of new leaders.

Many young people need to have good examples to follow. Positive role models could be the key to success for when the next generation of people enter the political landscape. What we need today is to force the old into retirement from Somalia’s political circle and hand the reign down to someone new and young, and what better then the educated youth of Somalia.

Are you nervous of this concept? Well don’t be my friends.

This is a very common issue with the old guards, who consider passing their responsibility down to a more youthful activist, as a recipe for disaster. But history shows that nations become better when lead by youthful people. And for us Somalis change will be better off than our current situation. The time for the changing of the guard has arrived. Somalia Hanoolato!

May peace be with us all?

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