Dr. Omar Raabe: Departure of a Hero without a Nation

'He who sincerely loves his country, leaves the
fragrance of a good name to a hundred ages.'

--PEKIN GAZETTE, NOV. 13, 1814.

“I never waged a war on the Somali people, whether political, religious, and tribal or whatever… On the contrary, I was always searching for the common good of the Somali people; I was calling for the protection of the Somali people’s interest, their land and their sea… Never did I work for self-interest, a name or money…but sometimes I sacrificed my personal affairs for the sake of the general interest. O’ Somalis, never did I lie to you, but on the contrary I always tried to warn you against the dangers that threatened the sovereignty of the Somali nation.”

With these farewell words, Dr. Omar Raabe departed from our world as a firm believer in Greater Somalia (Somali Weyn) and a tireless campaigner for achieving such a patriotic goal.  Raabe stood out from the Somali educated class for being the only one that never let the dream die and never let himself to be dragged to the dark dungeons of tribalism. He lived and died as a proud Somali with an unwavering belief that the day will come when the Somali race in the Horn of Africa will unite under one state and one flag; as a one nation that takes its respected place in the international community. 

From the day he started his struggle for the independence of Djibouti until he died on 17th April 2013, Raabe was in constant search for the unity and dignity of the Somali people. He went through untold suffering for the cause. He was sentenced to death by the French colonial authorities in Djibouti and was arrested and imprisoned several times by both Djiboutian and Somali authorities but he was not a man to be scared by jail or death. He was fighting for a cause that he saw as the highest calling of his life and was ready to fight for it to the end.

Raabe is comparable if not more persevering and more tenacious than recognized African heroes for independence such as Nkrumah, Lumumba, Jomo Kenyatta, Ben Bella and Mandela. 

The only difference is that these African heroes came at a historic time when their nations were prepared to rally behind one leader for a common cause, to free their countries from one foreign occupier. Raabe, however, emerged when two parts of the Somali nation had thrown out the yoke of colonialism and the people had already seen their dream of statehood frittered by the inherent disease of tribalism. 

He lived through tragic years during which he saw his dream devoured by tribalism, fratricide and the Somali people suffering in the hands of inept, corrupt and opportunistic politicians who did not mind to sell the territory for their self enrichment. But nevertheless he never gave up and he kept trying to resuscitate a nation that has stopped to breathe; a nation engrossed to annihilate itself in its own hands and was not ready to hear the voice of reason; a nation that was more ready to listen to scoundrels who sell it to the lowest bidder than to embrace heroes with high ideals. Raabe died indeed as a hero but as one without a nation. But history never forgets and there is no doubt that Raabe will remain as a national legacy that will haunt the Somali race for Centuries. 

The following poem is a tribute to the struggle and patriotism of Dr Raabe. It was firs recited by the poet at ceremony held in Dubai by the Somali Community in the UAE in the memory of Dr. Raabe. 

SOMALI WAY TEBI

Raabiyow Tibaax iyo

Tubtii aad is taagtaba
Tabantaabadaadii
Taladaadii fiicnayd

          *

Soomaali toolmoon

Oon kala takoorrayn
Tamarteedu weyn tahay
Oon cadaw tunkeediyo
Tagoogeeda jabin Karin

          *

Tusmo raadinteediyo

Taahaaga beerkiyo

Markay tiifi gaadhaba

Uur tawaawacaagii

*

Tubtii noloshu waa tane

Waar tolow ka joogsada

Dabka ha isku tuurina

Qayladaadi taarkii

Erayadii taxliishii

Qofkii samuhu taabtiyo

Soomaali way tebi

          ***

Marka tiirka qarankiyo

Taladeenu liicdaba

Tuska soo onkodayiyo

Meel fog tiigsigaagii

Hiyi tiirintaadii

          *

Tabaalaha adduunyada

Taariikh wixii jira

Iyo tabaha loo dego

          *

Sida loo tamcaayee

Loo tu’in lahaa  iyo

Boholaha la teedshee

Looga sii tallaabsaday

Intaanay ku wada tegin

Toosh ku qabashadaadii

          *

Waar tolow ka joogsada

Jarka ha isku tuurina

Digniintaadii taagnayd

Qalbi tuujintaadii

Qofkii samuhu taabtiyo

Soomaali way tebi

***

Markuu xumo taraaree

Qabiil la isku toocsado

Sheekadu tollaayeey

Taran baan ku dheerahay

          *

Awowgeey Tahliil baa

Awowgaa tamcayn jiray

Tiro geel lahaan jiray

Taladoodu qoys iyo

Tarridii hortoodiyo

Tulud dhaafi laada’ay

          *

Iyadoo taftoodiyo

Tafeenada hayiigmiyo

Tun jilaycsigoogani

Shisheeyuhu tusmaystoo

In dalkooga laga tiro

Tooxsi loogu tala galay

          *

Iyagoo is tuhmaayoo

Araggoodu taam yahay

La qaybtamo tubtoodii

Runtaad taabanaysiyo

Tilmaantaadi dheerayd

Waar tolow ka joogsada

Tumaatida  dhexdiinaa

Intaydaan ku talax gabin

Tusbax daatay caynkii

Mid waliba tog dheer xulin

Oon cadaw  tanaadoo

Tuuraha  ku joogaa

Habqankiina  taganada

Tabaaluhu ku qaadiyo

Ciiddaba ku kala tegin

          *

Ka tabaabushayntii

Ummad toosintaadii

Qofkii samuhu taabtiyo

Soomaali wey tebi.

          ***

Raabiyow tollaahiye

Nin sidaada tawstiyo

Gobannimo tisqaadkeed

Taraag dheer u galayoo

Timo soohdinteediyo

Tidiceeda gabadhaa

Ilaa toban jirkiisiyo

Markay geeridu u timi

Toddobaatan uu galay

Ku tawxiidsanaayoo

          *

Jacaylkeedu boqol tiro

Ku tibqayey jidhkiisoon

Wadkoo tuura mooyee

Toobin lagaga nuugayn

Taariikhdu way tebi.

                                       --Bashir  Goth, Friday, 10^th May 2013.