Africa Daily
Africa Daily
Can you make a living as an artist in Somalia?
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May 12, 2025
14 minutes
Available for over a year
“90% of Somali people don’t know the value of art. That is the problem.”
Maslah Abdi Dahir has been threatened by the Islamist insurgent group Al Shabaab who believe portraiture is ‘haram’ or forbidden under Islam. Other Somalis have told him art is a waste of time with so many people out of work.
But the Prime Minister spotted and praised his work and he has 250K followers on TikTok.
So what drives the 28 year old founder of Mogadishu’s art centre and school?
For today’s Africa Daily, Peter Musembi speaks with Maslah Abdi Dahir – and one of his students Anisa Abdulahi Farah.
Produced by Mohamed Gabobe in Mogadishu.