In the third anniversary of the coup, 1972 the military regime announced that Somali language would have orthography and the Latin script was chosen. The question is “Did the military regime bring about this important achievement?” The answer is only a partial yes. Since the earlier years of Somali Liberation struggle for independence, Somali nationalists wanted the Somali language to have orthography. Various Somali researchers were involved in various ways to come up with a model. They presented their findings to the civilian governments, but no action was taken. When the military regime made the decision in 1972, there were several scripts available which previous governments were unable to decide upon which script to adopt. One single achievement of the military regime was to take a practical action on this matter and selected the Latin script.  

From a national perspective and for future generations, this was a very important decision. It was the restoration of a major aspect of national pride. Soon after the decision was made, implementation followed; an extensive programme of literacy campaigns was unleashed and for several months, the higher schools and colleges in the country were all closed as the students, teachers and many civil servants as well as military personnel were despatched to the countryside to take part in the literacy campaigns.

Somalis were fascinated by the idea of being able to write and read their language so easily and in a short period of time. After a few months not only those who lived in Republic but Somalis in the other Somali territories of Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti were also able to write to their families and loved ones in their own language. The country's profile both in the African continent and internationally was bolstered; for instance the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) congratulated and praised the Somali government's literacy programme. The introduction of the Somali language as the official language of the state was significant for national pride, not only in Somalia but in the African context too.

In the 1970s Somalia provided military training and assistance to liberation movements in Africa: Mozambique, Angola, and South Africa. Leaders of these movements used to visit Mogadishu to thank Somalia for its support.  

Somalia was regarded as one of the progressive countries on the continent. The Organisation of the African Unity "OAU" held its conference in Mogadishu in 1974, when Somali Artists "Waaberi" sang the song “Africa don’t sleep "Afrikaay ha seexan" in the national theatre in the presence of African heads of states and other dignitaries.  They were very impressed by the country’s sense of Pan Africanism and high culture.   Siad Barre was nominated head of OAU in that year too. The rule of the OAU states that the President of the host country must become its President in the following year.  After his nomination Barre immediately went on a tour of the African continent to further raise the profile of the country as well as boost his own personality cult.

Many students returned to the country after they completed their higher studies in various countries such as United States, Europe, Arab countries, Soviet Union and China. They brought with them modern ideas, knowledge and experience and this rejuvenated local culture and knowledge. In Mogadishu cafes one could meet these young intellectuals who were well informed about world affairs and about great social thinkers such as Plato, Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Adam Smith, Niccolo Machiavelli,  Hegel,  Karl Marx,  Lenin, Ibn khaltum, and  Paul Sartre,  as well as    their African counterparts such as Kwame Nkrumah, Frantz Fanon and Nyerere.       Like Paris in the years of J. Paul Sartre, in the 1950s and 1960s popular   conversations among young people and students were about how many books you read or which book you are reading, and there were also study circles both in religion and secular knowledge.   

In the early years Siad Barre used to meet with some of these young intellectuals, particularly those of socialist learning but he did not allow other members of the Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) or ministries to be present at those meetings. He used the knowledge and information he had squeezed from them particularly concerning World Revolutions and history later in his meetings with government officials to impress them how much he knew more about these subjects. If any one in the meeting interrupted or contradicted him, he would immediately say, let me correct for you, that was not the correct answers, even before the other speaker finishes his speech “An kuu saxee ee sidaa ma aha". His meeting with these young learned intellectuals also served another purpose, to know each of them, what region he came from, to which clan he belonged, and his political persuasion, checking in case anyone of them might one day be a threat or ally.

In the early years, Siad Barre made his headquarters in a military camp "Aviazione" at the corner of the capital that had been the main military headquarters during the Italian administration. Siad Barre lived there for nearly ten years before he moved to Villa Somalia, the site of former civilian Presidents. This was part of his tactics in seeking popular sympathy. He wanted to portray himself as the man of the people who was not interested in a lavish lifestyle, but in fact this was strategically planned for security reasons.

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