From 35,000 Feet to the Speakership: My Conversation with Somalia’s New Speaker on Leadership, Unity and the Nation’s Future!

 

Some of the most meaningful conversations in life happen when we least expect them. They do not always take place in conference rooms, government offices, or political gatherings. Sometimes, they happen during an ordinary journey, in a moment that later takes on a much greater meaning.

For me, that moment came during a recent flight from Entebbe International Airport to Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, when I had the opportunity to speak with Hon. Abdikadir Mohamed Nur, then Somalia’s Minister of Ports and Marine Transport and a Member of the Federal Parliament. At the time, he was seeking the Speakership of the House of the People. Today, following the parliamentary vote, he has been elected as the new Speaker, receiving 142 votes.

What makes the moment memorable for me is not simply the outcome of the election, but the conversation that took place before it. At 35,000 feet above the ground, far from the noise of politics and the pressures of public office, we spoke openly about Somalia its challenges, its opportunities, its institutions, and the responsibility that comes with leadership.

When I noticed Hon. Abdikadir seated a few rows away, I introduced myself and asked whether he would be open to a conversation. He welcomed it. What followed was not a formal interview or a political campaign meeting. There were no cameras, prepared questions, or political speeches. It was simply a candid conversation between two Somalis who care about the future of their country.

We discussed Somalia’s political and institutional challenges, the importance of national unity, the role of Parliament, economic development, young people, governance, and the responsibility of those entrusted with public office. We spoke about the need for institutions that citizens can trust and leadership that places the national interest above personal or political interests.

One of the most striking things about that conversation was the setting itself. From 35,000 feet above the ground, the divisions that often dominate our attention on the ground seem to disappear. You do not see political camps, clan divisions, regional interests, or competing agendas. You see Somalia. One country, one people, and one shared future. That perspective reminded me that political leadership should ultimately be about bringing people together rather than deepening the divisions that already exist.

Somalia has travelled a long and difficult road. Decades of conflict, political instability, institutional weakness, insecurity, and economic hardship have created challenges that cannot be solved overnight. Yet Somalia is also a country of enormous potential. We have a young population, talented professionals, entrepreneurs, a strategic geographical position, natural resources, a growing technology sector, and a global diaspora with knowledge, skills, investment, and international connections.

The challenge is no longer simply whether Somalia has potential. The real challenge is whether we can build the institutions and leadership capable of turning that potential into sustainable national progress. That requires accountability, competent institutions, responsible governance, political maturity, and leaders who understand that public office is a responsibility rather than a personal achievement.

Our conversation also focused on the role of Parliament. A strong Parliament must be more than a place where politicians gather to vote. It should be a national institution where important issues are debated responsibly, legislation is developed in the public interest, and government institutions are held accountable. The Speaker therefore carries a responsibility far greater than presiding over parliamentary sessions. The Speaker must protect parliamentary procedure, encourage constructive debate, manage disagreement responsibly, and help strengthen Parliament as an institution of the Somali state.

During our conversation, Hon. Abdikadir shared his thoughts on constitutional processes, parliamentary debate, oversight, and the role of Parliament in national development. What stood out to me was the importance of turning political responsibility into practical results. Somalia has heard many speeches and promises over the years. What the country needs now is implementation—institutions that function, laws that are respected, public resources that are managed responsibly, and political leaders who can disagree without allowing political competition to weaken national institutions.

I also believed that a meaningful conversation about leadership should not avoid difficult questions. I raised a sensitive issue that has appeared in public discussions and social media concerning perceptions about his relationship with Turkey, including allegations from some critics that he is closely aligned with Turkish interests. Rather than relying on rumors, I asked him directly. He responded calmly, explained his position, and rejected any suggestion that his loyalty to Somalia should be questioned. For me, that exchange reinforced an important principle: difficult questions should be asked openly, leaders should have the opportunity to respond, and citizens should judge based on facts rather than speculation.

I told him that public office is not an achievement; it is a trust. Political positions are temporary, but the consequences of leadership can last for generations. A leader may leave office, but the institutions they strengthen or weaken can remain long after them. I therefore encouraged him to pursue fairness rather than favoritism, unity rather than division, institution-building rather than personal influence, service rather than power, and results rather than promises.

Now that he has been elected Speaker of the House of the People, those words carry a different weight. The campaign is over; the responsibility has begun. The real measure of his leadership will not be the number of votes he received, but what he does with the trust those votes represent.

As Speaker, he will have the opportunity to strengthen Parliament as an institution that represents the Somali people, protects constitutional processes, encourages constructive political dialogue, and holds government accountable. He will also face the difficult task of managing competing interests while maintaining the dignity and independence of the parliamentary institution.

My advice to him is therefore simple: do not measure your success by the power of the office; measure it by the strength of the institution you leave behind. Protect Parliament. Respect disagreement. Listen to citizens. Encourage constructive debate. Defend constitutional principles. Demand accountability. Support national unity. And remember that every political position is temporary.

The Speaker should listen beyond political circles to young people, women, elders, scholars, entrepreneurs, professionals, civil society, business leaders, ordinary citizens, and the Somali diaspora. Somalia’s future depends on bringing these different experiences and perspectives together around a common national purpose.

Our young people, in particular, should be at the center of Somalia’s future. They need education, skills, employment, technology, entrepreneurship, and opportunities to participate meaningfully in national development. Somali women must also have greater opportunities to contribute to decision-making and national progress. The diaspora, meanwhile, should be viewed not only as a source of remittances but as a strategic national asset capable of contributing knowledge, investment, technology, professional expertise, and international connections.

Economic development must also go hand in hand with good governance. Somalia has opportunities in maritime trade, logistics, fisheries, technology, agriculture, energy, telecommunications, and natural resources. But opportunity without transparency can create new problems. Public resources must serve the public, institutions must be accountable, and development must reach communities across the country.

Security and stability are equally important. Somalia cannot achieve lasting development without institutions capable of protecting citizens, upholding the rule of law, and creating confidence in the state. But lasting stability requires more than security operations. It requires justice, education, employment, functioning institutions, and public trust.

Before returning to my seat on that flight, I shared a personal prayer with Hon. Abdikadir. I told him that if his intentions are sincere and his ambition is genuinely motivated by a desire to serve Somalia, I pray that Allah grants him wisdom, strength, and success. But I also reminded him that leadership is ultimately a test of character. The real test begins when difficult decisions must be made, when political pressure increases, and when national interest conflicts with personal or political interests.

That is where leadership is truly measured.

As our aircraft approached Mogadishu, I looked out once again and thought about Somalia from above. The political arguments seemed smaller. The divisions seemed less important. What remained was one country.

Somalia

One nation. One people. One future.

Perhaps that is the greatest lesson from our conversation at 35,000 feet. Somalia is bigger than any individual politician, bigger than any political party, bigger than any clan, and certainly bigger than any parliamentary seat.

My conversation with Hon. Abdikadir Mohamed Nur was not about endorsing a candidate. It was about dialogue, responsibility, leadership, and the future of our country. What began as an unexpected conversation during a flight has now become a reflection on the responsibility entrusted to Somalia’s new Speaker.

As he takes the Speaker’s chair, I hope he remembers the message we discussed above the clouds: leadership should be an opportunity to serve, not an opportunity to rule.

The Somali people will ultimately remember not simply who occupied the Speaker’s chair, but what that person did with the responsibility entrusted to them.

Because in the end, leadership is not about the height of the office.

Leadership is about the depth of the impact.

And perhaps sometimes, you need to rise 35,000 feet above the ground to see Somalia as one country again.

Somalia’s future belongs to all of us and the responsibility to build it belongs to all of us.

ismaildaad@gmail.com