Amid cheers and applause from the gathered officials of AET and other distinguished guests, the minister of Education and Higher Studies Hon. Abdillahi Ibrahim Habbane had on Tuesday cut the ribbon symbolizing the inaugurtion of IM Lewis Public Library in Hargeisa.
The inaugural ceremony attracted a large number of dignitaries from African Educational Trust top brass officials (AET – the institution that built the library for SL), the Minister of Education of Somaliland Hon. Abdillaahi Ibrahim, the deputy Minister for Education Hon. Yusuf Garas, scholars, professors and intellectuals.
In his remarks, the head of AET in Somaliland Prof. Hassan Embassy welcomed all the guests to the newly built library. Mr Hassan expressed his delight to inaugurate a new, more equipped library for Somaliland people. “It is my pleasure to welcome all of you for the official opening of I.M. Lewis Library as a reminder for Prof I.M. Lewis who really contributed a lot of the Somali history to the outside world ,”said Hassan Embassy, the chairman of AET in Somaliland.
Mrs Julia – a senior member of AET from London also stated the need to keep in mind for what Professor IM Lewis left the Somali people. Mrs. Julia stressed on the vitality to pursue knowledge and find out results after scientific findings. Finally, she urged all Somalilanders to make use of the textbooks in the library.
The deputy Minister for Education and Higher Studies Hon. Yusuf Garas has thanked the AET and its officials for their hard work and commitment to build and equip this unique library for Somaliland. Hon. Garas reiterated the need to improve education through research, reading and study.
Last, but not the least, the Education Minister of Somaliland H.E. Abdillahi Ibrahim Habbane reminded all the participants to double and treble the reading skills which he stated its imperativeness. Mr Habbane emphasised the positive outcomes of the studies and readings. Further, the Minister narrated the history of I.M.Lewis and said, “Professor Lewis’s writings are the most referred books. He was among the top historians, researchers of Somali culture, norms and traditions. Lewis particularly focussed on Somaliland territory and how our people reached plausible solutions to challenging problems.”
Mr Habbane went on further and said, “Somali people are indebted for the work of I.M. Lewis. What really amazing was the way our people tackled lobbying tasks and confrontations among them.
