By Mr
East
Africa
UK 2008
more
from
author
>>
First
published:
July 20,
2008
My name
is
Mahamed
and I am
representing
Somaliland
and
Somalia.
At the
moment I
am at
university
studying
business
management
with
property.
I have
just
gotten a
new job
as a
property
negotiator
and I am
really
enjoying
it.
Describe
yourself
in 3
words.
Committed,
determined
and
motivated.
Tell us
about
your
country.
In the
competition
I want
represent
both
Somalia
and
Somaliland
as this
is about
uniting
East
Africans.
I am
actually
from the
Northern
part of
Somalia
which is
known as
Somaliland.
In 1991,
after
the
collapse
of the
central
government
in
Somalia,
the main
part of
the
territory
asserted
its
independence
as the
Republic
of
Somaliland
in May
18,
1991. It
regarded
itself
as the
successor
state to
the
briefly
independent
State of
Somaliland,
but did
not
receive
any
international
diplomatic
recognition.
Somaliland
has its
own
Flag,
currency,
government,
etc... I
was
there
both in
2003 and
2007 and
there
have
been
massive
developments
there
since
the
civil
wars.
There
are now
hospitals
and
universities.
Mahamed
Liban.
How did
you hear
about Mr
and Miss
East
Africa
UK 2008?
I can't
remember
but I am
glad I
did.
Right
now I
don't
think
that is
relevant
as I am
now
taking
part and
I am not
in it to
make up
the
numbers
I want
this to
be
something
GREAT
(only
GOD is
great).
But I
feel it
will be
an event
to
remember
decades
later.
Of
the
organisations
you
chose to
work
with,
why did
you
chose to
work
with
this
one?
As far
as I was
aware I
was
taking
part in
a
modeling
contest...
you know
photography,
building
on my
portfolio.
But then
the more
time I
spend
with the
group,
the more
email
updates
I read,
the more
meetings
and
rehearsals
we took
part in,
the more
I
understood
the main
aim and
purpose
of this.
It's
actually
a great
way of
getting
a point
across,
through
beauty,
unity,
t-shirts,
colours,
dance,
coming
together,
fashion.
It will
appeal
to
people;
it will
attract
attention...
the
right
attention
because
we are
not
demonstrating.
I am
literally
enjoying
this and
very
privileged
to be
part of
it
because
it's a
brilliant
way to
raise
money,
get East
Africa
noticed.
Name 3
things
you
can't
live
without.
Food,
water
and
shelter...
lol...
not
sure.
Mahamed
Liban.
In
the next
10 years
where do
you see
Africa?
I would
actually
like to
change
this
question
to
"Where
would I
want
Africa
to be in
the next
10
years".
I wish
the next
generation
is not
the
same...
I wish
we can
make
decisions
for
ourselves
as
Africans
and not
because
Bush
says or
Brown
offers
some
money. I
want
Africans
to be
civilised
and
developed...
physically,
financially,
emotionally,
psychologically.
Hopefully
Africa
will not
be
interdependent
on
foreign
aid, it
will
free of
debt,
well
educated
people
including
the
adults.
Where do
you see
yourself
in the
next 5
years?
Having
come
from a
war torn
society
in which
many
struggled
to
survive,
I see
everything
as an
opportunity
and I
take
every
opportunity
to
develop
myself
and my
future.
I used
the
words
determined,
committed
and
motivated
to
describe
myself
and I am
all
those
three. I
have
always
wanted
to be in
business
and
running
my own.
I have
done all
sorts in
the
drive
for
success
and
money.
Multi-level
marketing,
trading
shares...
I have
tried
working
my up in
retail,
I have
done
modelling,
I was
playing
semi-professional
football.
Right
now I am
enjoying
my new
job and
property
is a
very
wealthy
industry
(NOT
right
now) and
I want
to
advance
my
participation
in it.
In 5
years
time I
want to
set up
my own
SUCCESSFULL
business
within
the
property
sector,
this is
something
I can
pursue
in my
country
too and
around
the
world.
What do
you know
about Mr
& Miss
East
Africa
UK?
This the
third
year
that
Miss
East
Africa
is
running,
raising
money
for the
underprivileged
children
in East
Africa
via a
beauty
pageaunt.
Pauline
Long-
the
organiser/finder/CEO
has
decided
to have
a Mr
East
Africa
too.
This is
a
movement
with a
purpose
to
getting
people
to
notice
East
Africa,
the
problems
and
mainly
trying
to get
our
voice
heard...
aimed
mostly
at
governments
in East
Africa.
Mahamed
Liban.
If
you had
all the
riches
in the
world,
what
would
you do
with
your
fortune?
You are
obviously
going to
get
loads
and
loads of
answers
saying I
will
give to
the
poor,
but
honestly
talking
I will
give to
the
poor. I
am not
rich
right
now and
even
though
I'm
still a
student,
I still
send
money to
families
for
support.
But
still, I
am very
materialistic
so I
will buy
a few
houses
cars.
Getting
serious
now...
It's not
a small
problem
just in
Africa,
it's a
massive
problem
in the
developing
world.
The
interdependence
on
remittance-
money
sent
back to
families,
friends.
These
people
rely on
it so
therefore
won't do
anything
for
themselves.
With my
fortunes
I would
try and
create
jobs so
people
can
depend
on
themselves
rather
then a
friend
in the
UK,
Europe,
America.
We have
the
resources
in our
countries,
we have
the
workforce,
all we
need is
investment
from
Africans
not
British
or
Americans
who are
just
there to
exploit.
First
published:
July 20,
2008
