The most heartwarming highlight of Tuesday’s graduation ceremony at the University of Hargeisa, Hargeisa, Somaliland, was the call to the podium of Non-commissioned Police Officer Muhumad Ismail Farah.
NCO Farah is a traffic police officer.
Farah attracted the attention and respect of a large number of motorists, especially those who used the Imperial Hotel, Parliament and Ministry of Planning/CID junctions during the past decade or so.
Farah, a traffic police officer, has become a symbol of a disciplined but strict stickler to, and an enforcer of, traffic regulations. He, for years and years on end, never failed to stand duty at 6:00 a.m. at his assigned post: alert, neatly dressed, and courteously on the lookout for infringements which he, calm and collected, never overlooked even if it involved his superiors.
Muhumad, in the afternoons, directed the stream of traffic at the University Avenue Road. He would be seen at rare lulls filling potholes with his own hands. he never called for help. He never looked for praise. He never expected applause or rewards. He did it because he saw the need for such. Period.
He would repeat the same selfless exercise at the Imperial Hotel junction, too – day in, day out (as below).
NCO Muhumad Ismail was, yesterday called to the podium to receive an award of Appreciation and honor prepared for him by the University.
When his name was called the fully packed graduation hall of over 7000 people erupted into cheers, clapping and ululations as he walked to the podium on a standing ovation.
The Chief Commander of the Somaliland police forces, Major General Abdullahi Fadal Iman, fully endorsed the honesty and hard work of Traffic Policeman Farah.
Handing the Award to NCO Farah, His Excellency the President, Musa Bihi Abdi, promoted him to First Lieutenant effective from then on.
Although the new Lieutenant was not given a chance to express his gratitude, how moved he was by this rare gesture did not escape the observant eye.
