"Waiting the plague"

By Abdulkadir Mohamed (Ato Shaair)

I took the license to interprete K’naan’s waving flag in a different way to reflect upon the painful reality of the ongoing Somali tragedy.

Without a doubt, K’naan’s song is inspirational and redeeming that would forever last in our hearts for its soulful and marleysque lyrics. It is a song that so beautifully and poetically reflects on the trials and tribulations many poor children go through in war torn countries like ours but refuses to surrender. It gives hope and calls for freedom. Waving flag is protest anthem against all the societal ills and betrayals. No wonder why it resonates through the conscience of so many people of different background.And who can forget that historical day, at the opening ceremony of the world cup in South Africa when K’naan, as our shining star, stood up and waved our celestial flag, giving us Somalis a spark of new sense of nationalism.

Upfront, it is suffice to say that I have done grave injustice to the gifted brother whom I am so proud of. I hope he understands the depressing feelings many of us have about our once beautiful Somalia and forgive me for my transgression here.

The rendition of K’naan’s “waving flag” below is neither a parody nor apology. It is neither a piracy nor appropriation of  the original song or in other words and in the Somali sense, "Bililiqeeysi" It is a telling of tragedy that began two decades ago in Somalia and a terror that continues to this day in its burned capital.

Somalia’s self destruction didn’t start overnight and it might not end soon.  In the beginning, the plague of the clan infected the hearts of many of it is people. That curse, in so many ways, helped to wreak havoc and pave the way for hell to descend upon Somalia and Somalis who ironically are homogeneous people that share ethnicity, culture, language and religion. An uncivil war began. Famine followed. Millions perished and thousand fled to every corner of the world. The world abandoned Somalia to destroy itself beyond recognition and dubbed it the emblematic and problematic “failed state” it was done deal.  Neglected and thrown to warlord beasts, death and destruction became the destiny of Somalia.

However, hope came close when warlords were overthrown in 2006. For six months we saw a glimpse of peace despite the impatience of extremist elements within the forces that defeated the awful warlords.  We felt it was all possible; that one day Somalis will come back to their senses and start reconciling and rebuilding. We came to believe that Somalia still possessed some selfless revolutionary sons and daughters. We sought salvation and comfort in the religion and those we thought were well-versed in it.

Sadly that dream did not materialize due to the short-sightedness of some of the leaders of the time and the narrow views of fanatics. Our hope was also dashed by the over-stretched hands of Uncle Sam who rightly and wrongly sensed threat of terror coming from Somalia. Bush contracted Meles Zenawi, the Ethiopian butcher to neutralize the menace of Mogadishu. After enduring murder and mayhem, so-called Somali insurgents forced the Ethiopian proxy soldiers out of Mogadishu.

But again, we were fooled and letdown when the same insurgents who drove the invaders away began to terrorize the already suffering mothers and children of Somalia.  Out of the cruelty of the Somali bloodbath, was born a group of satanic boys led by sadistic men of terror and tyranny. They said they were the youth. In reality, they are nothing but indoctrinated child soldiers trained to commit suicide bombings and to hunt down every Somali that is suspected to pose a threat to the wicked and evil ideology Osama and company are exporting to Somalia. The brainwashed boys bomb doctors, kill journalists, chase civil society, stone young girls to death, cut limbs, ban music and sports and perpetuate the worst kind of violence and terror.

Many of Somalia’s educated and privileged sons and daughters fled the carnage and found refuge in places like Toronto, Canada where K’naan now calls home.  Many of them are getting older, weaker and tired with pain and shame. Lost is their dignity and pride. They became dependent and weary. They gave up of the idea of ever returning to their homeland. They feel they are losing the children they brought with them to strange and alien culture. They feel abandoned and snubbed. They know they can't go back to the bloody boys of Al-Shabaab. After soul searching, deep down, they feel responsible of creating this monster in the first place and for that they are remorseful.

Thus, the rendition is all about that and worse. I know no one would enjoy such agonizing interpretation but here it is. Once again, my apologies for ugly-ing K’naan’s amazing song.



When I get older, I will be weaker

They call me fiefdom

Just like a raving plague

And then it goes whack, and then it goes whack,

And then it goes whack






Born to a clan, weaker than a foam

But silent condone,  more people blown

But it’s the swarm all I have known

Where I got thrown, beasts we would crown

But out of the carcass, warlords own the harvest

Among the corpses, as a rival

Turn to obsolete, it can be sick

Expect no food, doctors no treat

So we killing, fighting too bloody

We wondering when we will agree

So we blindly bait, for that faithful prey

It’s half away, so reap what we sow

so forth how we decay






When I get older, I will be weaker

They call me fiefdom


Just like a waiting  plague

And then it goes whack, then it goes dark,

then it goes stark.






So many ignores, getting loses

Bringing us demises, leaving us alone

Save each other, that is what they say

But look how the boys beat us, make us all flee

He might choke on pretzels, Bush greases Meles

Try to patrol us, they couldn’t hold us

Cause we just move forward like sea pirates



So we killing, fighting too greedy

We wandering when we will agree

So we patiently prey, for that faithful boy

He is half awake, so bad how we employ



When I get older, I will be weaker

They call me fiefdom

Just like a waving  black flag

just like a waiting plague


And then it goes whack,  And then it gets locked

And then it is lacked