Over a month ago Saeed Meygag Samater has left us for a better world, ALLAH bless his soul but his Legacy remains with us and for that we are all better off. In a community that is rife with conflict, treachery and melancholy, Saeed was a vanguard and a bulwark for coalescing; managing conflicts; staying above the fray and petty squabbles but more importantly he was endowed with a sense of fairness and a disarming mildness. In his short years Saeed has touched my life and the lives of many and have consequently enriched my outlook of life in more ways than one. It is trying times like this that I envy the poetic prowess of Hadrawi or Gariye and the prose of Adan Iman who reminded us and articulated eloquently Saeed’s humane and great attributes. No words could do justice to the causes Saeed championed and what Saeed believed in but to add to Adan Iman’s tribute, (http://www.somaliland.org/2008/05/10/tribute-to-saeed-meygag-samatar/) here is some more but from a slightly different perspective.

After reflecting on the life Saeed led, I concluded that three things have formed the basis of his conviction and forthrightness: the first is the public service the Meygag family has become famous for and the second is serving as a Troop leader in the Boy Scouts and the third is his organizational skills coupled with jovial personality.

At a time when education beyond the Madras was chastised, decried and Western education was reviled; few wise men have pioneered to send their children to school. One of the few was Meygag Samater. Among Meygag’s offspring, which is blessingly large were Historians, journalists, teachers, professors, academicians, cultural gurus, clerics, and uncharacteristically a businessman. Uncharacteristically, I say, because Meygags weren’t known for entrepreneurial undertaking but rather were known for unprecedented public service. The Meygag family is one of several families who has paid their civic dues and we all should be grateful.

The irony here is that Saeed has broken the family public service tradition. To my knowledge, Saeed has never worked for any Somali/Somaliland government under any capacity (I stand to be corrected) but that never stopped him to act as an ambassador at large. Being aware of his family tradition, as far back as I know, in his own way, Saeed has always served the public voluntarily and served with pleasure without ulterior motive. Organizing demonstrations against the tyrant, mobilizing the Diaspora, raising funds, lecturing on other forums on Somaliland issues, facilitating Somaliland officials to meet other organizations and governments, penetrating into the American media and influencing them to write about the causes of Somaliland and spearheading forums/conventions like the SOPRI, are a microcosm of his passion. At heart, Saeed was a true ambassador at large. True to his nature, public service was his passion and the fact that Saeed has served as an assistant for a Council man in his adopted Los Angeles County for a number of years has redeemed him and is a testament that he has truly carried on the family tradition. Saeed has advanced Somaliland’s cause more than any one else that I know of.

Outside the family hallmark, his experience in the Boy Scouts has shaped his forthrightness. Boy Scouts is one of the world’s first class institutions that breed loyalty, duty to God and to one’s country but more importantly the promise to help others at any cost. Here is the Scouts Promise in full: “On my honor I promise that I will do my best- to do my duty to God and to my Country; to help other people at all times; and to obey the Scout Law”. This is a powerful promise and a tall order to live up to. With that Scouts Promise in mind, Saeed has fulfilled all: he has done well as a developer, an area that few Somalis venture into, he has carried out his civic duty to Somaliland as well as his adopted land (America) and he has helped others in so many ways

It is safe to say that Saeed’s hobby was being an activist and a community organizer. He has hosted many conferences, festivals and business roundtables through which he gained organizational skills that are rare in Somalis. Organizing the SOPRI conferences was a Herculean task. The participants came from Somaliland, America, Canada, South Africa, Europe and other places. Without doubt, the SOPRI conferences have advanced Somaliland causes but more importantly it has reaffirmed what Somalilanders can do for themselves without relying on outsiders. It was an occasion I would cherish. It was an occasion that made me proud.

It is understandable that the family tradition and the Scouts Law formed his bearings in life but the question remains why Saeed was so popular and well liked? Reflecting on the occasions and events Saeed organized and drawing from my long friendship with him, I concluded that it was because of his mild and soothing demeanor and mannerism pinned with respect for others and a sense of fairness that was irresistible. It is that sense of fairness and honesty that helped him bring together adversaries or opposing sides for the common good. Personality wise Saeed was jovial, transcended clannishness and shunned polarization. In addition as Adan Iman described him, Saeed wasn’t only a visionary but a doer and I add a perfectionist

I concur with the many attributes that Adan Iman and others have articulated but there is one that many gloss over, a gifted orator. I remember many speeches he made in various occasions but there is one that remains engraved in my mind. It was in 1988 when the Somali National Movement (SNM) Mujahidiin captured Somaliland and chased away the Siyad Barre mighty army and Somalilanders. On that day, Somalilanders all over California gathered in Oakland (California) where Saeed delivered an inspiring Obama-like speech, which as of this day rings in my ears. It was an uplifting speech that crystallized a historic, joyous and an emotional day

Many have said great things about Saeed but I would like to leave you with the words of Maxim Waters, a U.S. Congress woman from Los Angels who about two years ago said that Somaliland is lucky to have Saeed as her son. Indeed he was a son we are all proud of. Saeed has left us for a better world, ALLAH bless his soul but his Legacy remains with us and for that we are all better off.

By Ali Gulaid, San Jose, CA