Said Sheikh Samatar (1943–2015) – prominent scholar and writer and former professor of history at Rutgers University; main areas of interest are history and
linguistics
Hanan Ibrahim – social activist based in the UK; founder of the Somali Family Support Group (SFSG)
Fatima Jibrell (b. 1947) – Somali-American environmental activist; co-founder and executive director of the Horn of Africa Relief and Development Organization ("
Horn Relief"); co-founder of Sun Fire Cooking; was instrumental in the creation of the Women's Coalition for Peace
Hirsi Magan (Xirsi Magan Ciise) (1935–2008) – activist, scholar and one of the leading figures of the
Somali Revolution
Adam Matan – activist and community organiser who was the first Somali-Brit to be awarded the OBE medal by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge for services to the Somali community in the United Kingdom.
Hawa Aden Mohamed – social activist; chairperson of the Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development
Musse Olol – American social activist and Chairman of the Somali American Council of Oregon (SACOO)
Hibaaq Osman – political strategist; chairperson of the ThinkTank for Arab Women, the Dignity Fund, and El-Karama
Hawo Tako (d. 1948) – early 20th century female nationalist whose sacrifice became a symbol for pan-Somalism
Shadya Yasin – Somali-Canadian social activist and member of the Ontario Premier's Council on Youth Opportunities
Artists
Aar Maanta – singer-songwriter, composer, and music producer
Abdi Sinimo (c. 1920s–1967) – artist and inventor of the
Balwo musical style
Abdullahi Qarshe (1924–1994) – musician, poet and
playwright known for his innovative styles of music which included a wide variety of musical instruments such as the guitar, piano, and
oud
Alisha Boe – actress, known for portraying Jessica in Netflix's original series 13 Reasons Why.
Ali Feiruz (1931–1994) – musician; one of the first generation of Somali artists; prominent member of Hobolada Waaberi musical troupes
Amin Amir – Somali-Canadian cartoonist and painter
Elmi Boodhari (d. 1940) – pioneer, writer and poet, known as (King of Romance) among Somalis
Nuruddin Farah (b. 1945) – considered one of the greatest contemporary writers in the world
Musa Haji Ismail Galal (b. 1917) – writer, scholar, historian and linguist; one of the foremost historical authorities on the Somali astrological, astronomical, meteorological and calendrical systems
Hadrawi (Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame) (b. 1943) – songwriter, philosopher, and Somali
Poet Laureate; dubbed the "Somali
Shakespeare"
Afdhere Jama (b. 1980) – Somali-American writer based in San Francisco
Abdulkadir Ahmed Said (b. 1953) – film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor
Entrepreneurs
Nasra Agil – Somali-Canadian civil engineer and entrepreneur
Omar A. Ali – entrepreneur,
accountant, philanthropist, and specialist on
Islamic finance; formerly CEO of
DMI Trust, currently chairman of Integrated Property Investments Ltd and Quadron investments
Faisal Hawar – engineer and entrepreneur; CEO, President, and co-founder of the International Somalia Development Foundation as well as the Maakhir Resource Company
Amina Moghe Hersi (b. 1963) – entrepreneur; has launched several multimillion-dollar projects in
Kampala,
Uganda, such as the Oasis Centre luxury mall and the Laburnam Courts; runs Kingstone Enterprises Limited, one of the largest distributors of cement and other hardware materials in Kampala
Aden Mohammed – banker and entrepreneur; managing director of
Barclays Bank in East and
West Africa; under his tenure BBK won the Banker Awards 2009
Hussein Mohamed – entrepreneur; Vice Chairman of the Eastleigh Business Association
Hodan Nalayeh – media executive and entrepreneur; President of the Cultural Integration Agency and the Vice President of Sales & Programming Development of Cameraworks Productions International
Hussein Shire – businessman; founder and former CEO of Gateway Bus Company
Rageh Omaar (b. 1967) – Somali-British author and television news presenter; formerly a
BBC news correspondent; in 2009, he moved to a new post at
Al Jazeera English, where he currently presents the nightly weekday documentary series Witness
General
Yusuf Tallan – former Somali military commander
Models
Halima Aden (b. September 19, 1997) – American fashion model. She is noted for being the first Somali-American to compete and become a semi-finalist in the
Miss Minnesota USA pageant.[1]
Jawahir Ahmed (b. 1991) – Somali-American model; as Miss Somalia, won 2013 Miss Africa Utah and was 2nd runner up in the 2013 Miss United Nations USA pageant
Yasmin Warsame (b. 1976) – Somali-Canadian model; in 2004, she was named "The Most Alluring Canadian" in a poll by Fashion magazine
Royals
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (c. 1506 – February 21, 1543) – Imam and General of the Adal Sultanate who invaded Abyssinia and defeated several Abyssinian emperors.
Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din (fl. after 1344) – Somali Governor of the Ifat Sultanate
Mustafa Mohamed Moalim (Mustafa Maxamed Macalin) (1943–2009) – first Somali fighter pilot; chief of the Somali Air Force School; chief of the Somali Air Force Operations
Ahmed Sheikh Jama – academician, writer, poet and politician; former Minister of Information of Puntland
Farah Ali Jama – politician; former Minister of Finance of Puntland
Abdirizak Jurile – Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (1989-1991); Minister of Planning and International cooperation (2005-2008); Minister of telecommunications (2009-2011); Member of the Upper House of the Federal Government of Somalia; Senator (2016)
Maryam Kassim – Minister of Social Development of Somalia
Amina Mohamed – former Chairman of the International Organization for Migration and the World Trade Organisation's General Council, and current Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Kenya
Ismail Qasim Naji (Ismaaciil Qaasim Naaji) – chief of staff of the Transitional Federal Government
Ahmed Abdi Ogle (1937–2006) – first Somali to serve in the Kenyan Parliament in the 60s; three times elected and served as Assistant Minister and later Deputy Mayor of Nairobi
Mohamed Aden Sheikh (c. 1925–2010) – intellectual, former head of Somali Technological Development, former Minister of Education, and former Minister of Health
Abdallah al-Qutbi (1879–1952) –
polemicist theologian and philosopher; best known for his Al-Majmu'at al-mubaraka ("The Blessed Collection"), a five-part compilation of polemics
Sa'id of Mogadishu – 14th-century scholar and traveler; his reputation as a scholar earned him audiences with the
Emirs of
Mecca and Medina; travelled across the
Muslim world and visited
Bengal and China
Shaykh Sufi – born Abdul-Rahman bin Abdallah al Shashi (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله شاشي) (1829–1904), 19th-century scholar, poet, reformist and astrologist
Uthman bin Ali Zayla'i (d. 1342) – 14th-century theologian and
jurist who wrote the single most authoritative text on the
Hanafischool of Islam, four volumes known as the Tabayin al-Haqa'iq li Sharh Kanz al-Daqa'iq
Hussain Bisad – tallest Somali man alive; has the largest hand span in the world
Haji Ali Majeerteen – popularly known as al-Majeerteen; was a Somali Sheikh and poet
^Spearce, Walter (August 1903).
Somali Campaign. The third leader is Deeria Goori, of the Dolbahanta tribe, who was badly wounded at the Battle of Gunrburru ... These men are the heads of their respective tribes, and are all wealthy and powerful.
Said Sheikh Samatar (1943–2015) – prominent scholar and writer and former professor of history at Rutgers University; main areas of interest are history and
linguistics
Hanan Ibrahim – social activist based in the UK; founder of the Somali Family Support Group (SFSG)
Fatima Jibrell (b. 1947) – Somali-American environmental activist; co-founder and executive director of the Horn of Africa Relief and Development Organization ("
Horn Relief"); co-founder of Sun Fire Cooking; was instrumental in the creation of the Women's Coalition for Peace
Hirsi Magan (Xirsi Magan Ciise) (1935–2008) – activist, scholar and one of the leading figures of the
Somali Revolution
Adam Matan – activist and community organiser who was the first Somali-Brit to be awarded the OBE medal by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge for services to the Somali community in the United Kingdom.
Hawa Aden Mohamed – social activist; chairperson of the Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development
Musse Olol – American social activist and Chairman of the Somali American Council of Oregon (SACOO)
Hibaaq Osman – political strategist; chairperson of the ThinkTank for Arab Women, the Dignity Fund, and El-Karama
Hawo Tako (d. 1948) – early 20th century female nationalist whose sacrifice became a symbol for pan-Somalism
Shadya Yasin – Somali-Canadian social activist and member of the Ontario Premier's Council on Youth Opportunities
Artists
Aar Maanta – singer-songwriter, composer, and music producer
Abdi Sinimo (c. 1920s–1967) – artist and inventor of the
Balwo musical style
Abdullahi Qarshe (1924–1994) – musician, poet and
playwright known for his innovative styles of music which included a wide variety of musical instruments such as the guitar, piano, and
oud
Alisha Boe – actress, known for portraying Jessica in Netflix's original series 13 Reasons Why.
Ali Feiruz (1931–1994) – musician; one of the first generation of Somali artists; prominent member of Hobolada Waaberi musical troupes
Amin Amir – Somali-Canadian cartoonist and painter
Elmi Boodhari (d. 1940) – pioneer, writer and poet, known as (King of Romance) among Somalis
Nuruddin Farah (b. 1945) – considered one of the greatest contemporary writers in the world
Musa Haji Ismail Galal (b. 1917) – writer, scholar, historian and linguist; one of the foremost historical authorities on the Somali astrological, astronomical, meteorological and calendrical systems
Hadrawi (Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame) (b. 1943) – songwriter, philosopher, and Somali
Poet Laureate; dubbed the "Somali
Shakespeare"
Afdhere Jama (b. 1980) – Somali-American writer based in San Francisco
Abdulkadir Ahmed Said (b. 1953) – film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor
Entrepreneurs
Nasra Agil – Somali-Canadian civil engineer and entrepreneur
Omar A. Ali – entrepreneur,
accountant, philanthropist, and specialist on
Islamic finance; formerly CEO of
DMI Trust, currently chairman of Integrated Property Investments Ltd and Quadron investments
Faisal Hawar – engineer and entrepreneur; CEO, President, and co-founder of the International Somalia Development Foundation as well as the Maakhir Resource Company
Amina Moghe Hersi (b. 1963) – entrepreneur; has launched several multimillion-dollar projects in
Kampala,
Uganda, such as the Oasis Centre luxury mall and the Laburnam Courts; runs Kingstone Enterprises Limited, one of the largest distributors of cement and other hardware materials in Kampala
Aden Mohammed – banker and entrepreneur; managing director of
Barclays Bank in East and
West Africa; under his tenure BBK won the Banker Awards 2009
Hussein Mohamed – entrepreneur; Vice Chairman of the Eastleigh Business Association
Hodan Nalayeh – media executive and entrepreneur; President of the Cultural Integration Agency and the Vice President of Sales & Programming Development of Cameraworks Productions International
Hussein Shire – businessman; founder and former CEO of Gateway Bus Company
Rageh Omaar (b. 1967) – Somali-British author and television news presenter; formerly a
BBC news correspondent; in 2009, he moved to a new post at
Al Jazeera English, where he currently presents the nightly weekday documentary series Witness
General
Yusuf Tallan – former Somali military commander
Models
Halima Aden (b. September 19, 1997) – American fashion model. She is noted for being the first Somali-American to compete and become a semi-finalist in the
Miss Minnesota USA pageant.[1]
Jawahir Ahmed (b. 1991) – Somali-American model; as Miss Somalia, won 2013 Miss Africa Utah and was 2nd runner up in the 2013 Miss United Nations USA pageant
Yasmin Warsame (b. 1976) – Somali-Canadian model; in 2004, she was named "The Most Alluring Canadian" in a poll by Fashion magazine
Royals
Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (c. 1506 – February 21, 1543) – Imam and General of the Adal Sultanate who invaded Abyssinia and defeated several Abyssinian emperors.
Ali ibn Sabr ad-Din (fl. after 1344) – Somali Governor of the Ifat Sultanate
Mustafa Mohamed Moalim (Mustafa Maxamed Macalin) (1943–2009) – first Somali fighter pilot; chief of the Somali Air Force School; chief of the Somali Air Force Operations
Ahmed Sheikh Jama – academician, writer, poet and politician; former Minister of Information of Puntland
Farah Ali Jama – politician; former Minister of Finance of Puntland
Abdirizak Jurile – Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (1989-1991); Minister of Planning and International cooperation (2005-2008); Minister of telecommunications (2009-2011); Member of the Upper House of the Federal Government of Somalia; Senator (2016)
Maryam Kassim – Minister of Social Development of Somalia
Amina Mohamed – former Chairman of the International Organization for Migration and the World Trade Organisation's General Council, and current Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Kenya
Ismail Qasim Naji (Ismaaciil Qaasim Naaji) – chief of staff of the Transitional Federal Government
Ahmed Abdi Ogle (1937–2006) – first Somali to serve in the Kenyan Parliament in the 60s; three times elected and served as Assistant Minister and later Deputy Mayor of Nairobi
Mohamed Aden Sheikh (c. 1925–2010) – intellectual, former head of Somali Technological Development, former Minister of Education, and former Minister of Health
Abdallah al-Qutbi (1879–1952) –
polemicist theologian and philosopher; best known for his Al-Majmu'at al-mubaraka ("The Blessed Collection"), a five-part compilation of polemics
Sa'id of Mogadishu – 14th-century scholar and traveler; his reputation as a scholar earned him audiences with the
Emirs of
Mecca and Medina; travelled across the
Muslim world and visited
Bengal and China
Shaykh Sufi – born Abdul-Rahman bin Abdallah al Shashi (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله شاشي) (1829–1904), 19th-century scholar, poet, reformist and astrologist
Uthman bin Ali Zayla'i (d. 1342) – 14th-century theologian and
jurist who wrote the single most authoritative text on the
Hanafischool of Islam, four volumes known as the Tabayin al-Haqa'iq li Sharh Kanz al-Daqa'iq
Hussain Bisad – tallest Somali man alive; has the largest hand span in the world
Haji Ali Majeerteen – popularly known as al-Majeerteen; was a Somali Sheikh and poet
^Spearce, Walter (August 1903).
Somali Campaign. The third leader is Deeria Goori, of the Dolbahanta tribe, who was badly wounded at the Battle of Gunrburru ... These men are the heads of their respective tribes, and are all wealthy and powerful.