Teacher quits job to become deputy PM of Somalia

A TEACHER told his boss he couldn’t come back to work – because he was now deputy prime minister of Somalia.

Mohamed Ibrahim, 64, had worked as a learning support teacher at the Newman Catholic College in Brent, North London, for the past two years.

But he told headteacher Richard Kolka that he would not be available for the start of term last week.

Instead he is in his home country of Somalia, which is suffering from its worst famine in 60 years.

Mr Ibrahim said in his resignation email he was “unexpectedly called to my country” over the summer after being made deputy PM and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

His former head Mr Kolka said: “I was amazed and awestruck. What an honour but what a responsibility. He was always such a humble guy. I’d no idea he was involved in the political life of his country, let alone at such an important level.”

In his email, Mr Ibrahim said: “I was unexpectedly called to my country during the summer at a time when it is facing a ­humanitarian crisis. I will always have Newman Catholic College in my head.”

He has promised to visit the school when he comes to London after a UN General Assembly meeting in New York this month.

Source: Voice of the Mirror: Page 10