Ahmed Farah Ali 'Idaja'

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Ahmed Farah Ali ('Idaja')(Born in Mudug Region, Somalia-1948) (Somali: Axmed Faarax Cali [Idaajaa]) is one of the first Somali language writers and 'father' of the Somali written folklore. His magnum opus is the publication of the story of Somali oral poetry (including a large collection of examples):

Poesia orale somala: storia di una nazione (a cura di Francesco Antinucci e Axmed Faarax Cali Idaajaa), ed. Ministero degli affari esteri-Dipartimento per la cooperazione allo sviluppo, Roma,1986

Ahmed F.C. Idaja is also a political analyst and worked with the BBC Somali-section. He is also the editor of the work several poets.

The collection of Ismaciil Mire's poems introduced, annotated and written down by Axmed Faarax Cali 'Idaajaa', ed. Wasaaradda Hiddaha iyo Tacliinta Sare (Ministry of Culture and Higher Education), Akademiyaha Dhaqanka (The Academy of Culture), Mogadishu, 1974

In 1991, a civil war broke off in Somalia which prompted a brain exodus from that Horn African country. Idaja was not an exception in this as he left his home country, Somalia, to his now adopted home, Holland. This, however did not affect his distribution to the Somali Falklore as he continued from diaspora his writing and indeed his, well known, programme 'fanka iyo suugaanta' on the Somali section of the BBC. He has also engaged in promotional tours for his work across Europe and North America as well as Nairobi, Kenya, where most of his work are now published. It is worth mentioning that, A london based prominent Somali newspaper called 'Kasmo' dedicates a column for his work