We should do our best not to have Egyptians lured to emigrate or live elsewhere, but if they opt to do just that, we must assist them in maintaining their allegiance to Egypt. However, even if they do leave, don’t fret; Egyptians eventually all come back.
According to an announcement the Egyptian squash legend Mohamed El-Shorbagy made early in June, he will play, from now on, for England, instead of Egypt. In his announcement Shorbagy said, “I’m really excited to be representing England now.” He also said, “As a British citizen, I will give everything I can to a country that has supported me for so many years.”
In 2006, Shorbagy, still a young lad, began playing squash by representing Egypt. When he turned 15, he headed to England to study and has lived there since. He studied at the University of the West of England in Bristol and became an English citizen last year.
Shorbagy spent years at the top of the squash world rankings reaching Number 1 in November 2014, March 2018, February 2020, and again in July 2021. He remained the best squash player in the world for 50 months.
Soon afterwards, a fierce attack was launched against Shorbagy. On social media, Egyptians were livid. They frowned upon Shorbagy’s move to play for England and considered him a traitor, one who didn’t remain loyal to his home country. Very few felt that it was Shortagy’s prerogative to play for whichever country he chooses, but the majority were infuriated by his decision.
The injustice in the reaction is very evident. Shorbagy’s main flaw, the one hurdle he couldn’t overcome, was the fact that he is a public figure, but, in all fairness, the number of Egyptians who are also allegiant to other countries around the world are in the millions. Shorbagy’s move was neither in defiance nor apathy, but it was a personal opportunity—something many Egyptians do.
When Egyptians become dual citizens, they are bound by duty and loyalty to the countries they’ve chosen to live in or become citizens of; they vow to be respectable, devoted citizens; they sing these countries’ anthems; and, with all due respect, they work on these countries’ behalf. By exhibiting such ethical and moral values, Egyptians are true to their nature. They exemplify what Egyptians are all about: law-abiding and hard working citizens. They don’t live elsewhere, seek other countries’ goodwill, and then resent paying tribute to the giving country. It is reciprocal; it is goes both ways.
Egyptians who travelled to study abroad and opted to live elsewhere are by far more than one can count. Late Dr. Ahmed Zuwail, the chemist and Nobel Prize winner; Dr. Farouk El-Baz, the space scientist and geologist, are examples of such a calibre. Football players, such as Mohamed Salah and Ramadan Sobhi, play professionally for foreign teams. Omar El-Sherif, the Egyptian movie star, became a famous international movie star in the sixties.
In fact, we take pride in Egyptians who triumph and make it abroad, be they actors such as Ramy Malek and Mena Massoud; be they economists such as Baroness Minouche Shafik, Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science;; or be they opera singers such as Fatma Said and Farrah el-Dibany.
And we should be proud. These Egyptians are a wealth that should not be overlooked, a strength that should be recognized for what it’s worth. They are Egyptian ambassadors.
The issue is how we can keep our sons and daughters at home in the first place, but if they do leave, we should have their backs, endorse their efforts, and woo them into remaining loyal. We should assist our diaspora in remaining Egyptian at heart and to continue to promote Egypt.
More importantly, it is guaranteed that the majority of Egyptians sustain their Egyptian identity and do come back at one point in time. You see, Egyptians are very Egyptian by nature.
Egyptians hardly ever forget their place of birth, their culture, and their identity. Omar Sharif once said that he regretted becoming a world star and had he remained in Egypt. he would’ve been better off and rewarded with a better life. His later years were all spent in Egypt.
Sir Magdi Yacoub, retired professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Imperial College London, chose Aswan in Upper Egypt to establish his Aswan Heart Centre, where thousands of Egyptians travel seeking treatment. He epitomizes philanthropy and goodness.
Mohamed Salah is one of the most giving athletes and remains attached to his roots; he is actually eradicating poverty from Nagrig, his home village. And after the many projects in Germany including the largest railway station in Europe, civil engineer, Hany Azer, returned to Egypt to work on the Suez Canal tunnels.
Let’s not go far. Azza Radian Sedky, is a case in point. She spent all her adult life overseas, and yet for the last 25 years Azza has returned to Egypt to spend half the year. Her daughter who has lived all her life abroad has her two children take Arabic lessons via Zoom from Egypt. The grandchildren, 6 and 10, may not speak Arabic perfectly, but crave Mouloukhia, Bamia, and Kofta, and are looking forward to their fifth trip to Egypt.
Why do these folks maintain this level of attachment? It’s innate. It is as the song goes:
I left, for what else could I have done?
Who chooses departing by their own hands?
But I never forgot your love; it remained in me.
Why should I apologize for my absence?
You were never absent for a moment, rather you stayed with me.
Azza Radwan Sedky is a retired communication professor living in Vancouver, Canada
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