THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO SOMALIA AND ITS PEOPLE

How would you answer to the question: What is the existential national security threat to Somalia and its people’s continued survival? Is it Al-Shabab, tribalism, ignorance, poverty, diseases, the neighbours of Kenya and Ethiopia, dictatorship or Farmajo? What do you think?

You will be surprised to find out that none of the above is the right answer. In my opinion, the biggest threat to Somalia’s continued existence as a nation-state is lack of discipline among its inhabitants. This affects them precariously in many ways: Relationships with one another, work ethics, rule of law and the constitution, organisations and national security. Somalia is a group of individuals, who have yet to learn the tools and trades of collective organisation with a common vision for survival. They have yet to watch out their faulty and red lines not to cross in order to be.

Is it easy to fix this quickly? We need expert advice on this. It seems to me, though, that changing the collective behaviour of a society would take many generations, concerted public efforts and mass education. The question is how long would you hold a nation safely together when it needs centuries to change the cultural behaviours of its people? Would the rest of world wait forever for your nation to get out of its cultural impediments?
Have your your say.