Random Quote

I was walking past a few men huddled in a corner when i heard one of them say:
…Try to find the good even in the bad
My ears caught it and it never left me from that day on. On the way home, it was all I thought about – how could you find good in [...]

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Right & Wrong

As the children went to assembly, I retained D, a young black child, behind to help him with his Maths as he was struggling a bit with it. On the course of the 15-minute session, as we went through multiplication by chunking, we discussed a whole range of topics from his favourite football team, to [...]

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British Media: The Politics of Skin Colour

I attended the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Black Members Council (BMC) conference today and learnt of some staggering issues regarding the Media. For all those Black and Ethnic Minority Journalism hopefuls, be warned, a bumpy ride awaits you my friends, so be ready!
There is no one Black person that manages or has a senior [...]

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Mogadishu Massacres

As Somalia plunges further into an abyss of darkness with the spate of daily mortar attacks and shelling, one can only question what the “government”, that was established with the support of Ethiopian and US forces, has done to stabilize, reconcile the differences of the people and exhume the country from the grave.
With more and [...]

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Intelligence

We often hear ourselves say, “oh, he is really intelligent” when they get better marks than the rest of their classmates. But are they really intelligent or simply revised more? What is intelligence anyways? We often hear people mention it everyday, yet very few have a precise meaning as to what it is?
If intelligence is [...]

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On Smells

I was reading a selection of Montaigne’s work extracted from The Complete Essays and stumbled upon the subject of Smell
The best characteristics we can hope for is to smell of nothing. The sweetness of the purest breath consists in nothing more excellent than to be without any offensive smell, as the breath of healthy [...]

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Ephemeral Pleasures

Though soothing a sight the sunsets may be
And the ocean’s silence – a solace for the sore sight
Slumberous, still, and wading birds waddle with delight
As calm waves kiss the sandy shores and leave their trail
But soon that turns to turmoil, come the tempest overnight
Though magnificent the moon may be
Dazzling In the distant enchanted land
A visual [...]

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Peacekeeping mission

The African union peace keeping initiative is underway. In a few weeks’ time, on a peace-keeping mission. Ugandan troops will be entering Somalia
The 1,500 Ugandan troops are to be deployed in the capital city only, where they believe they can secure it and stand their ground. They are fully prepared for this mission they [...]

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Understanding women

I once fell out with a good friend of mine because I called her stupid. That’s it, stupid. I found it somewhat ridiculous that anyone would be upset by such a word, which is used very loosely. I was baffled and resorted to the usual “such is a woman’s heightened level of sensitivity” attitude, but [...]

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The Soaring gun crime

Though the government says it has spent quite a bit of money on its regeneration, the old reputation of Peckham still seems to exist – a dangerous area known for its gang-related shootings and violence.
Before Peckham, Brixton was considered the crime hotspot in London but that notion is now outdated and South East [...]

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Cognitive Dissonance

Society is based on countless limits. There are limits to what one can and cannot do, limits to how one must or must not carry oneself in public, limits to what one must or must not say, limits to how one must dress, walk, etc… life is full of limitations. And as humans, we secretly [...]

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Somali music

Boqoradii – Khadra Daahir
Guriga rara baad tiraah, hadana roga baad tiraah
Ma riyaan soo jeedi kadhigan, ma dhib baan raaxa moodayaa – Classic!

Sida Ayra geelo – Nimco Maxamad

The great Kabanist – Cumar Dhuule with Saluugla
Just listen to the instrument!

Cashaqu ogeysiis ma leeyahay – i watched this Riwaayad (xishood iyo Jacayl) some time ago – loved it.

Axmad [...]

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Traditional thinking habits

I was tidying my room this morning when my little nephew came. He is eleven years of age.
“Abti!” he said alarmed, “ what are you doing?”
“Am cleaning my room abti, as you can see.” I replied.
“ugh! Come off it abti, you are a disgrace!” he said
“Why is that abti?”
“Come on abti, boys are not [...]

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