The luncheon ceremony which gathered former footballers,
coaches including Somali FA head coach in Europe Abdirashid Islow Ahmed and
fans was mainly intended to farewell the Djibouti FA president Mr Souleiman
Hassan Waberi and thank him for the good cooperative ties he developed with Somali
Football Federation who holds its home games and international level courses in
the neighbouring Djibouti since Somalia wasn’t yet safe to host FIFA, CAF or
CECAFA level competitions.
Also leading sports editors including Mahmoud Ismail were
present at the Farwell ceremony. Chairman of Somali sports community in the UK
Dahir Ali Kulmiye and Somali Olympic committee representative Hussein Deq were
also present at the Luncheon ceremony.
Somali Football Federation administrative representative
in the UK Dr. Abdi Olad Rageh told the luncheon ceremony that on the behalf of
Somali FA he was very pleased to organize such high level reception for President
Souleiman Hassan Waberi.
"Dear Mr. President I know that you deserved to be seen
off with a bigger congregation than such ceremony we are doing today---I am sure
we would have done days-long ceremonies if we had been in Mogadishu or
elsewhere in Somalia, although this organization can even show you how huge
respect and fraternity we have for you and for the entire people of Djibouti”
Dr. Abdi Olad Rageh told during the farewell luncheon ceremony on Sunday.
"It goes without saying that there has always been a
fully-developed cooperation between football federations in Somalia and in
Djibouti---this is not something verbal, but what is happening in London today
is an adequate example of that I have mentioned and on the behalf of both
federations I pledge that bilateral ties will always be strengthening” Somali
Football Federation Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab told the ceremony via
phone from Mogadishu.
"I am extremely cheerful that Somali football volunteers
are stepping up their activities in the country and elsewhere around the world
and I am very hopeful that such together work will help the promotion of
football in Somalia” added the secretary General who thanked Somali FA
administrative representative in UK Dr. Abdi Olad Rageh and coaches Abdirashid
Islow Ahmed and Rabii Muse for their dedication and commitment.
For his part, the Djibouti Football Federation President
Mr. Souleiman Hassan Waberi praised the Somali Football community for their
commitment to the beautiful game and for their continued cooperation amongst
them wherever they are in the world.
"I am really very grateful to you for your reception and the
huge welcome since I arrived here in London on Friday morning, you actually
showed me more than what I have been expecting from such expatriates like
you---also I would like to announce here in front of the media that I am fully
jubilant at your work here where your Under 12 children won the recent children’s football tournament in
London which was held for children from different ethnic communities in London
and surrounding areas” the president told his farewell ceremony.
"A Somali proverb says he who invites you at his home
shows his manhood, but he who invites you at someone’s home is more than a man,
so I can really describe you as ‘heroes’ and hard-working people since you are
holding such beautiful luncheon ceremony for me in a country that is not yours---I
am however fully satisfied with the brotherhood you showed me and the
successive invitations you had been doing for me since my arrival” president
Souleiman Hassan Waberi told his farewell ceremony before he flew to Mauritius
where he will participate in the 63rd FIFA annual congress.
Somalia and Djibouti are two brother nations whose people
share the same language, culture, religion and the same colour and for that
reason Somali Football Federation uses Djibouti to host its home games with no
preconditions and without any restrictions.
Somali Football Federation Media Department
Email:somalifootballmedia@gmail.com