Back to Beledweyne eight years later

I left Beledweyne in June 2009, soon after the graduation ceremony of my high school, to pursue a university degree in Mogadishu. I went back to the city a year later (July 2010) and stayed 11 days. In total, I lived in the city for three years of my life. These years were not without challenges. In fact, I lived through some of the most difficult moments of my life in Beledweyne. Floods, the emergence of the Islamic Courts Union in 2006, and the fight against Ethiopian troops when they entered in December 2006 to overthrow the ICU (while we were in the middle of a mid-term examination) were just some of the events I experienced in the city during those three years.

For nine years now, I have been based in Mogadishu. I had the opportunity to travel to many cities in Somalia. This time I was excited to go back to Beledweyne, as I still have many friends, teachers and relatives there.

There was no airport in the city last time I visited. This time Ugaas Khaliif ‘International’ Airport was functioning. Upon landing, there were people in the queue, waiting to board the plane I had just arrived on. I saw and greeted a friend of mine there. Like many others, including some who called me over the phone after I posted photos with my high school classmates on Facebook, he did not know that I have roots in the city. I also met my high school biology teacher at the airport.

A driver was waiting for me and directed me to a room at the airport. When I entered, someone took my ticket, stamped and let me go. The airport infrastructure is poor. The runway turns to mud during the rainy seasons, and it has no proper offices or management team. Another vehicle had already collected our bags from the plane and offloaded them a distance away from the airport building. I collected my bag and went straight to the hotel. While the Djibouti contingent of AMISOM are apparently responsible for the security of the airport, I did not see them upon my arrival.

During the four days that I stayed in the city I visited relatives, my high school, and met with classmates and friends. I had the opportunity to visit the families of my sister, my aunt and my nephew. But the most emotional moment was when I visited the house I used to live in. Just staying in the house reignited dormant memories and that afternoon, I remembered the good times I had had in Beledweyne. I realized I should return to Beledweyne and Buulaburte (my home town) when I start writing my autobiography to revive my memories.

The people I met

The next day I visited my high school – Sheikh Mohamed Moalim Primary and Secondary School. The school was established in 1999 and was named after the prominent Somali religious scholar Sheikh Mohamed Moalim before this death in 2001. My Islamic Studies subject teacher, Tawane Maquul, was at the office. As we chatted and discussed the old days, the school principal Ahmed Dhaqane Ali came and greeted me with joy and happiness. I wanted to talk to the students and encourage them to study hard, but they were on break and teachers were busy with mid-term examinations. The principal told me about the death of his deputy principal Mohamed Elmi (also known as ‘Any How’). I told him that I was aware of his death, May He Rest in Jannah. That same day, I also met with my Arabic and Geography/History teachers, Osman Ato and Mohamed Ali Dirie, respectively. They are invisible heroes who have devoted their lives to serving the public and fighting ignorance. It was a pleasure seeing them still there, teaching a new generation.