The History of Somalia

Somalia has an unusual history. It’s a multiracial and multilingual strip of coastline, once an important trading hub for land and sea travel, and now it’s a mess. It went from being a city of business and commerce, perfectly safe and desirable (if a bit on the dirty side) but now it’s a lawless place of anarchy. This book tells the colorful history of the nation, starting from the ancient days to present.

Njoku’s book blames Somalia’s instability on colonialism’s tampering with nature. Prior to the Italian invasion, there were nomadic tribes, farmers, and city dwellers, all of whom coexisted while keeping their distance, just like the rest of Africa and the Middle East. The nomads needed grain from the farmers, the craftsmen in the cities needed milk and meat from the nomads, and in short order, there was synergy. Then the Italians drew the map to cut off grazing routes, and when they left, the new borders made no provisions for the nomads, who had to travel to graze their animals, nor the tribes, who couldn’t always coexist side by side. This led to friction.

The second problem blamed on colonialism is the lack of education. The Italians and British didn’t prepare the Somalis for independence, so when they left, the country lacked infrastructure, schools, and communications. India didn’t exactly prosper under British rule either, but at least that country was left with schools, newspapers, courts, and plenty of railroad. The reason for India’s opportunities, however, have a lot to do with resources. The British needed railroads and harbors to take out all the tea, cotton, indigo, and other cash crops. Somalia, on the other hand, was of no use to Britain with regard to crops or resources. The Italian and British colonists had no incentive to build anything there, and when they left the country, they left nothing behind.

When Ibn Batuta visited Muqdasha (now Mogadishu) he said that the city stunk from fish and camel meat, but other than that, the princes who ruled the city kept everyone honest. Travelers were well treated, and business was good. Nowadays you have a failed state that can’t provide basic services, and those with navigational skills have turned to piracy. Not that I blame them, because from what I’ve read in Njoku’s book, Somalia has been a wreck for the past 40 years and the future looks pretty bleak.