While Osmanya gained reasonably wide acceptance in Somalia and quickly produced a considerable body of literature, it proved difficult to spread among the population mainly due to stiff competition from the long-established Arabic script as well as the emerging Somali alphabet developed by the Somali linguist, Shire Jama Ahmed, which was based on the Latin script.
As nationalist sentiments grew and since the Somali language had long lost its ancient script,[1] the adoption of a universally recognized writing script for the Somali language became an important point of discussion. After independence, little progress was made on the issue, as opinion was divided over whether the Arabic or Latin scripts should be used instead.
In October 1972, due to its simplicity, the fact that it lent itself well to writing Somali since it could cope with all of the sounds in the language, and the already widespread existence of machines and typewriters designed for its use,[2][3] the government of Somali president Mohamed Siad Barre unilaterally elected to only use the Latin script for writing Somali instead of the Arabic or Osmanya scripts.[4] Barre's administration subsequently launched a massive literacy campaign designed to ensure its sole adoption. This led to a sharp decline in use of Osmanya.
A little known fact was that this script was printed regularly in Somalia in the prestigious corriere della Somalia http://www.corriere.it/.
Corriere della Somalia: Moadishu; daily; Arabic and Italian; Government Information Department.
Press of Somalia.
Bollettino Mensile della Camera di Commercio, Industria ed Agricultura della Somalia: Mogadishu; f. 1944; Monthly; Italian; Published by Chamber of Commerce of Somalia.
Il Faro: Mogadishu; Monthly; Italian; Catholic.
Al Liwa (The Flag): Hargeisa; Weekly; Published in Arabic by private concern.
People's Union: Harheisa; Weekly, published in Arabic by private concern; alligned to the Somali Democtratic Union.
Somali News: Mogadishu; Weekly; English; government owned.
La Tribuna: Mogadishu; Monthly; Italian.
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