By Abdirisak Itaqile
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) -The Deputy Minister for Sports and Youth Mr. Yusuf Osman Garas has on Wednesday night officially opened a competitive Basketball tournament at Timacade Basketball stadium in memory of late Mohamed-Rashid Muhumed Farah, the veteran Journalist and former Secretary General of Somaliland Journalist Association (SOLJA) who passed away last year.
The opening ceremony of the tournament was attended by Deputy Minister for Sports and Youth Mr. Yusuf Osman Garas, MP Abdikadir Mohamed Hassan (Indho Indho), MP Mohamoud Jama Warfa, Presidential Media advisor Mr. Khadar Ali Gas, SOLJA chairman Mohamoud Abdi Jama (Huuto), dozens of basketball players, journalists as well as the fans of the competing teams.
In his welcoming remarks, Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed aka Darman, the chairman of Timacade Basketball Stadium have stated that the tournament honors former SOLJA Secretary General Mohamed-Rashid Muhumed Farah who died in tragic car accident on December 28, 2014.
Mr. Darmaan also thanked Finance Minister Samsam Abdi Adam for her contribution to the tournament.
The tournament will see the participation of 8 teams grouped into two groups.
Parliamentarian and former basketball star Mr. Mohamoud Jama Warfa who spoke at the opening ceremony thanked the organizers of the tournament.
Speaking at the ceremony, chief Editor of Saxafi newspaper Mr. Mustafe Sheikh Omer narrated the biography of late Mohamed-Rashid Muhumed Farah, where he stated that Mohamed-Rashid was a qualified, capable and competent journalist of exceptional courage and unsurpassed passion for the Inky Fraternity.
The chairman of SOLJA Mr. Mohamoud Abdi Jama (huuto) who also spoke at the ceremony thanked the organizers of the tournament.
In his opening speech, Mr. Yusuf Osman Garas, the Deputy Minister for Sports and Youth pointed out the importance of such tournaments to the intermingling of youth, while he stated that the Sports Ministry is currently working Basketball development policy. Finally Mr. Garas prayed the late Mohamed-Rashid Muhumed Farah.
The opening game of the tournament saw a stiff competition between the teams of Nagaad Umbrella and Energy Ministry where the later won a score of 37 to 34.
Mohamed-Rashid Muhumed Farah died on the 29th of December following complications from a neck injury sustained from a car accident near the port city of Berbera.
On May 25, 2015, the Mayor of Hargeisa Mr. Abdirahman Mohamoud Aided laid the foundation for a new journalism institute named after the late Mohamed-Rashid Muhumed Farah.
