By: Hassan Mohamed
Somalilandsun – As we reach the culmination of the year’ most anticipated event, an event watched by Somalilanders near and far. An event, whose unifying force brings together young and old, and brings out the passion for youthful endeavour and their success in a myriad of sporting excellence.
Please spare a thought for the athletes of Toghdeer, young men, who as of yesterday, languish in Hargeisa’s central jail.
We might ask ourselves what have they done to deserve this most acrimonious of fates. What was their crime, which warranted jail instead of bringing sporting glory to their region?
It would seem that their arrest was ordered by the Minister of Sport. While their parents hold a hastily arranged press conference to plead for their release, the minister has deemed the athletes of Toghdeer have brought the games of 2013 into disrepute.
Whilst it might seem, at a cursory glance, an open and shut case. A case of youthful energy ran amok. And whilst heads have rolled in the Toghdeer regional sporting administration. The one head that is to blame for the athletic catastrophe, the very man who instructed his underlings to divide the team at the source in Burco was the Minister himself.
Whilst the minister was trying to please his superiors at the Presidency, though in our estimation, the attempt to ingratiate himself to the powers that be, by instructing the regional administrators to select athletes from one side and not from another blew up in his face, he thought he could apportion blame to others lest the sword fell on him.
The Minister is responsible for the debacle of 2013 regional games. The honourable thing for him to do is resign. We are sure someone of limited capability like the minister should have no problem finding a job with an NGO or the like. One of the most beautiful, majestic and unifying forces for a nation are the athletic endeavours of its youth and must not be sullied by incompetence of senior officials.
Political ineptitude, tribal machinations and cloudy judgement have no place in sports. The sensible thing for the Minister is leave this portfolio and seek his livelihood elsewhere.
LONG LIVE SOMALILAND
SALAMU ‘ALAYKUM WA RAHMATULAAH
