Heritage: Dr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax

The history of the Somali people has seen individuals who sacrificed their lives and knowledge to guide their communities and document the heritage and culture of the nation. Among the first people to be remembered or to be at the forefront of Somali creativity and intellectualism is Dr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax. He was a writer, scholar, creator, community leader, university lecturer, eloquent politician, and a fighter dedicated to elevating the Somali language and arts to their rightful place in global literature.

Now, if we reflect on his biography, from where it began and the various stages he went through while serving the community, we find a poet and scholar who left a significant mark on the history of the Somali nation.

His Birth and Early Upbringing

In the year 1952, Maxamed Daahir Afrax was born in the Jariibban area located in the northern part of the Mudug region. He came from a pastoralist family and grew up in a community that was culturally nomadic, where their life was based on rural traditions.

He was raised in a tough environment where both the atmosphere and the surroundings were rural. He spent his childhood and youth in a nomadic community that mostly did not have an agricultural culture.

He embraced the traditions and heritage that the people living there possessed. After a period of being pastoralists, he moved to the city of Muqdisho, where he began his urban life.

His formal education began at the primary/secondary school of Xamarjajab, then he moved to the secondary school of Jamaal Cabdinaasir, where he completed his secondary education within the country. After that, he embarked on an academic journey to the city of Cadan in Yemen, where he started his undergraduate studies, graduating from the Faculty of Education at Cadan University.

After completing his studies in Cadan, he proceeded to the United Kingdom, where he began research and advanced studies. He obtained his master's degree and PhD from the University of London (SOAS), which was an international center for studying the history and culture of Africa, contributing significantly to his becoming an internationally recognized scholar with substantial weight in the fields of linguistics and sociology.

Creative Literary Works and Heritage Books

Dr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax became widely known for writing stories and the art of fiction.

Dr. Maxamed wrote short stories and long narratives.

It is agreed that he authored one of the most interesting stories both in content and literature in the history of the Somali language, which was the famous book Maana-faay . This book, which the author wrote in Somali during a time filled with many life circumstances and challenges facing his writing, included among those challenges the lack of modern writing tools such as computers or word processors.

Nevertheless, he rose to produce a Somali story that was well-structured in every aspect.

He was recognized for his work in high-level artistic craftsmanship by those who read his poetry. Prof. B. W. Andrzejewski, an international expert interested in Cushitic languages, spoke about this book while highlighting the artistic talent of the author, describing it as a work of art that has brought Somali literature to a level where it can be part of world literature. In 2019, this book was reprinted to return it to the new rising generations.

Additionally, Afrax wrote other significant books in Somali literature and politics, such as Guur-ku-sheeg (1975), Galti-macruuf (1980), Durbaan Been ah , and the book Dal dad waayey iyo duni damiir beeshay , which he wrote in 1994, during the time the country was in turmoil and civil wars, which vividly depicted the reality of the country at that time. He also served for a long time as an editor for the magazine Hal-abuur , which discussed culture and literature.

The author wrote in various languages, including Arabic, English, and Somali. This shows us that Dr. Maxamed's intellectual output was very extensive. He was among the rare scholars who made significant efforts to leave a lasting legacy for his people. Furthermore, Dr. Maxamed had the ability to captivate the minds and thoughts of readers. For example, the story Maana-faay never tires the reader.

Afrax was also a significant contributor to the promotion of Somali theater, as he wrote for various newspapers in a series about Somali theater. These newspapers included Xiddigta Oktoobar and the newspaper Hal-abuur .

His Role in Somali Politics

Apart from writing and literature, Dr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax played a major role in the politics and peacebuilding of the country. In the year 2000, he was among those who were central to the planning and organization of the Somali reconciliation conference in Carte in the country of Djibouti. After the government established in Carte was formed, he became the Deputy Minister of International Relations. He also served as an advisor to the President of Djibouti, Mr. Ismaaciil Cumar Geelle, on cultural matters, language, and its development.

In 2011, he was appointed the Secretary-General of the African Union's organization for the development of languages in the African continent (ACALAN). In 2012, in the city of Djibouti, he was inaugurated as the chairman of the Somali Language Academy (AGA), which was headquartered in Djibouti. Also, on June 4, 2015, the Council of Ministers of the Federal Government of Somalia appointed him as the chairman of the Independent Committee for the Review and Implementation of the Constitution, a position he excelled in during his leadership.

The Death of the Scholar and His Legacy

After several days of illness in London, England, on the evening of October 10, 2021, his family confirmed that Dr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax had passed away. His death was a heavy blow to the community of writers, politicians, and the entire Somali population living in the Horn of Africa and beyond. The country's leaders and Somali creatives immediately sent heartfelt condolences to his family and the Somali community, describing him as an irreplaceable figure.

Dr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax left us a golden history, an immeasurable literary and intellectual wealth, and political and social ideas that illustrate how to serve the nation. Afrax left us an enduring legacy, an everlasting heritage, and a legacy that will continue for generations; may it not fade, let the news remain . The name and work of Dr. Maxamed Daahir Afrax will live on as long as the Somali language and its literature exist, serving as a reference and a noble guide for future generations.