By Haudland
Recently the Somali Regional government installed a statue in the middle of Jijiga town (the regional capital). This statue is for the 19th century “Somali patriot” who fought with all forces within the Horn of Africa. Historical books and literatures are full of the ideal he had waged battles and wars. In this short article I would like to consider whether he was an Ethiopian and deserve a multi-million dollar statue in the centre of the regional capital. And examine the legacy this man will send to our next generation. Ethiopia is championing a democratic state in which nation/nationalities live in equality, fraternity and brotherhood. The symbolic representation of this man hardly reflects these ideal.
Before we engage with these question let us see the historical background to the emergency and rise of Sayyid Mohamed Abdillahi Hassan. Sayyid Muhammad Abdullah Hassan (born 1856, Somalia, died 1920, Ogaden) was Somalia’s religious and nationalist leader (called the ‘Mad Mullah’ by the British). For 20 years he led armed resistance against British, Italian, and Ethiopian colonialist forces in Somalia.
He was born and brought up in the current Somaliland from his ogaden father and Dhulbahante Mother around the Talex area. As all local children he went to the local quranic school and studied Islamic religion. He was the eldest son of Sheikh Abdille, a religious Ogaden Somali. Hassan’s hero was his maternal grandfather, Sade Mogan, who was a great warrior chief. In addition to being a good horseman, by 11, Hassan had learned the entire Qur’an by heart. In 1875, he worked as a Qur’anic teacher. He then devoted 10 years to visiting centres of Islamic learning in Somalia and Sudan. He then travelled to Saudi Arabia and to perform his Hajj Pilgrimage. It was during his visit to Mecca and Medina he met with a religious fanatic known as Muhamud Saleh, the founder of Salihiyya order.
He was a religious zealot indoctrinated in religious fanaticism, just like the current al- shababa leader, Ahmed Godane, Mukhtar al zubed. Initially he mobilised Somali clans’ men for his doctrine of war against infidels and non-believer and waged war against both British and Ethiopian forces in the Horn of Africa. When the Somali clans were disillusioned with the motive of his fighting, they started to abandon him in bulk. To enforce obedience, he used some cruel form of punishment against anyone who opposed him. It was at this time that he relied a lot on his clans men. At the end of his life, he was much more a clan leader who simply waged war against anyone. As a result, he attacked many Somali clans both in Somaliland and Puntland and Somali regional state and after he simply resorted to looting and pillaging ordinary people and killed.
A turning point in his history was when he killed the Suldan of Dhulbahante Somali clan who lend him a lot of support during his campaign of hatred among Somali. His Islamic teaching in Berbera, current Somaliland port, had not gone well with the local population who already used to follow a moderate Islamic sect. As the result, the fanatic leader became isolated and irrelevant for the cause of Somali people in the Horn of Africa. A tribal raid under Somalis armed by the British killed the remaining Dervish but failed to catch Hassan. Along with some followers, he escaped to Arsi Oromo in Ethiopia where he tried to stabilize his position. In 1920, Hassan died of influenza at the age of 64.
Mohamed Abdillahi Hassan known as the ‘mad Mullah’ by the British was a fanatic religious leader who simply resorted to common criminality to advance his objectives. There is a striking similarity between him and the current Somali regional state, Abdi Mohamed Omar. The latter formed the Liyu police forces just as the fanatic religious leader did more than hundred years ago. He enlisted his own tribes’ men. Initially he attacked his own ogadeni clan to get the green light from his EPRDF/TPLF masters in Harar and Addis Ababa. Then he waged war in to the Somali clans in the regional state. It is an open secret that the liyu police forces also carried out operation beyond current Ethiopian border just like what the Mad Mullah used to do.
There are many Ethiopian Somali who fought for Ethiopia in the long past immediate recent. We are baffled by the decision of the Somali regional government to put a statue in the middle of the jijiga town of this fanatic. The most surprising thing is Ethiopian’s so called federal government tacit acceptance of somebody who plundered and bloody the people’s nose as a hero. While the people of Somali regional state are suffering in much form of manmade calamities, it is a beggar belief to build substantial statue at the cost of tax payers.
Taking into account all these, then the question everyone asking is what the purpose of erecting a statue in jijiga town for a person who preached hatred, religious, cultural and clan intolerance among Somali people and wider Ethiopia. It is also putting a torn in wound to inaugurate this statue on the day of nation/nationalities by Ethiopian Prime Minister, Haile Mariam Desalagn . What message this is sending to next generation.
Personally I don’t have any grudge against this man and his ideal. I might be judging a person sitting in period and time that completely different from his time. However, it is completely a mockery of Somali culture and an insult to the nation/ nationality and clan and tribe democracy the current Ethiopian government want to advance. The next generation of the country will get the opportunity of reading the historical fact written about this man in many books and literatures. They will get opportunity to read his poems in which contain his venomous hate toward other religious sect, Christianity, clan and nation/nationalities. Moreover, this man’s policy at the beginning was based on “greater Somalia” idea. When he failed, he turned to his close affinity with his clansmen by persuasion, sometime by force. He led expeditions against many Somali clans who opposed his indoctrination.
I could not believe my eyes when I saw The Head of the 5Th Kilil giving a speech in the parliament of Ethiopia to accept Sayeed Abdulaah Hassan as an Ethiopian Hero this is a joke as l was watching the Ethiopian parliamentarians they were surprised to what this man is talking about and they were clapping just to despise him.
The Mad Mullah is a well renowed outlawed indoctrined fanatic terrorist Religious cult
who in his times was criminal fugitive which ended in futile failure and went down into the
historical books as the Mad Mullah. By all accounts he should be considered notorious
Mad Mullah and he's neither Ethiopian hero nor greater Somali Nationalist. His statue in
the Middle of Capital Jigjiga should be brought down and replaced by Ahmed Gurey.
Cheers.
Sayid Mohamed Abdulle hassan was the most forefront Somali hero who ignited the freedom torch for the first time in the region. Not a secret the British Somalilanders hated him for opposing their whoring ways and for carrying portable latrine cans for the colonialist instead of refusing Sayyid's call to standing up to war to liberate themselves. Unlike Somalilanders it was because of him that both Somalia and Ethiopia fought victorious off white colonists to keep and attain their independent that is why today there are nations of Somalia and Ethiopia thanks to the continuation of Sayid who started those movements.
On the other hand, pro-colonists Somaliland having chosen slavery, captivity over freedom which they failed fighting for, thereby lost Hawd to Ethiopia and the rest to Somalia.
Today the cowardly Somaliland British poop carrier’s descendants remain stateless, unrecognized powerless can only resort to insulting one of Somalia/Ethiopia's national heroes so cheapish a just baseless clannish motivated.
He was neither a hero nor an Ethiopian He was a poppet of the British. He arrived to Isaaq-land as mere refugee from Cagdheer Ogaadeen wild tribe. The British wanted to expand inland after establishing themselves in Berbera. They needed someone to help them conquer inland area by making an excuse of chasing a rebellion. They needed a leader who command such a gang. That is why the British used abdallah Hassan to organize a fake resisstance against themselves. The British knew that with their supperior fire power and airforce they could ultimately defeat that kind of resisstance of nomads but they wanted to justify their inland expansion. They succeeded and when they made full use of the puppet Abdullah Hassan, whom they sent from Berbera. They wanted him exploit him by fleeing to either Ethiopia or Somalia. He maintained close secret contacts with British. He agreed secretly to flee to Ethiopia as part of the secret deal with British to help them also conquer parts of Ethiopia, by again making an excuse of chasing the puppet they called as mad mulla. But he died after contracting malaria in Iimey.
He was neither a hero, nor a fighter he was a fanatic killer who believes on the Saliyhiya a minority Salafist-type, Wahabi type sect of Islam. He was a hardliner who failed to convince the people of British Somaliland protectorate about the objective of his blood-letting campaign. He miserably came short to convince very few, that was why he was defeated Somaliland's camel constabulary or camel corps. This killer do not deserve, and the statue in Jigjiga will come down as his statue in Mogadishu was came down also. Viva Somalilnad
He was Ogadeni hero according to tribal claims and an Ogadeni regional governor today has proclaimed him as a habashi hero. Anyways, Mad Mullah use to receive weapons from Habashis because he use to claim he was fighting on their behalf to kick the colonials out.
Even during the time when Menelik was sending a letter claiming all the Somali inhabited lands as Habashiland, he was helped by the uncles of Mad Mullah who had extensive knowledge of the train to make his claims. As a result, now even Buhoodleh is divided into two rather than the border line being miles away from the settlement. That is because the Ogadenis wanted to also make a claim to Buhodle using the habashi king Menelik.
Also, there were "poets" who were agents of Habashis who use to instigate tribal wars so they could help occupy and divide up the Somali tribes while the habashis continued to make a case for their claim to Somali lands.
waxuu ahaaba wuu dhintay Sayyid Mohamed waxaana sheegtay Taariikhda cid hadda wax ka badli kartana maba jirto. Somalidu iyaga oo ka duulaya Habka Qabiilka ayay Ninkooda Wanaagsan "disceridit"gareeyaan. Xilligan Dadka ay ahayd ugu horeyn inay ku faanaan waxay ahayd Somaliland laakiin Waa Ogaadeen ayay ku diideen. Caqligeenno Ma kor si kasta oon wax u baranno ama u noolnahay.
History does not lie. This guy has killed so many people in Somaliland and tried to wipe them of the history of the Horn. Equally he killed a number of British soldiers in Somaliland a history that neither Ethiopia nor the world should be proud of. As long as the people of Somaliland are undermined and their voice buried in the dark chapters of history people like him will be celebrated as heroes hence why war is still going on in these areas. Promoting peace is more important then creating fake statues.
Dear Ahmed,
you are right the Sayid killed my people Somalilanders, he waged a war aginst my grand father, when he refused his ideology, although my grand father was a sheikh form Mecca as well, that doesn't meant we have to shut off the sayid, History doesn't lie, you mentioned it, and don't forget that history is what makes the people, sayid put us in the history and eventually made us.. so we should be proud of him, Ethiopia is referring to him, so she can be part of the history, simply they have no hero at all to refer to him? Sayid Moxamed Cabdulle Xasan AHUN, didn't want British Slavery, and he waged a war his burry hands
@Hassan Ali
Are you muslim? why are you referring to him as Mad Mullah? Just because the non believers British colonial called him Mad Mullah so are you going to follow them as well?
Sayyid Mohamed Abdillahi Hassan may ALLAH rest his soul in peace, grant him bestest place in jannatul-firdaus and make his grave wider amen he was a great leader and champion of Somali cause he's only wish was to defeat the oppressors (Ethiopian, European colonists) and give the Somali people freedom so he died for Somali cause.
The leaders of Somaliland and Puntland are sellout and stooges who have destroyed our beloved country who our ancestor father Sayyid Mohamed Abdillahi Hassan may ALLAH rest his soul in peace fought for.
The Somali youths of today should not follow the colonial borders which was meant to divide and weaken the Somali people.
Mad Mullah was no different from the current terrorist leader of Al-shabab. If his movement were alive today, they will be considered a terrorist just as they consider Ina-Godanas group.
So I do not see this mullah as a hero but a terrorist who murdered a lot Somalis both in Somaliland, Somalia and zone five because, he thought they support the infidels just the way Alshabab are doing today to every Somalis who do not subscribe to their Ideology.
He was a warlord much like the ones in Xamaar now, all he cared about was his tribe on top and everyone else on the bottom. He raided and stole fellow Somalis camels and lied about it saying that they supported the brits when in reality it was only an excuse to consolidate his power into his own clan. He was defeated by Somalilanders bc he was a thief, a murderer.
It got so bad that many Somalis were fleeing to Yemen for sanctuary bc they were caught between him and the brits. He was no hero, he was made into one by Siyad afcanyo as a propaganda tool for siyad just like the mad mullah to justify daroodism and give a false sense of pride in men who in polite society would be shunned.
The sayid was a famous terrorist hooligan with a knack for royal spirits as mentioned in one of his poems below
Sooner I guzzle flames rush off my eyes
I suffer neither hangovers nor insanity
And mercy abandons me …
wab markaan ka siiya indhaha wahab ka duulaaye,
ma wareero mana waasho,
naxariisna waan kala wareegnaaye
A delusional isaaq made up those verses years later
…
All authentics are in the Dervishes Registry book.
These are the fake history books I was talking about: Dervishes Registry book.
Is the wacal registered as a Somali-Ethiopian in that book?
If it did, that means it was a fake book, because you claim otherwise (that he is not a Somali-Ethiopian)
If it did not. Again it your book is still fake because the wacal's statute representing his true nationality is confirmed in his hometown and not in a ghost town in the middle of nowhere.
A man who fought the English, the mightiest country in those day for 20 years killing their general,destroying their armies to the extent forcing them to leave the Somali soil cannot be regarded as terrorist. Sure, Saying Mohammed killed any Somali who spayed for British for good reason, simply since the served his enemies. For those guys that hurl insult on this great somali hero, I say to them "shut up" coz their ancestor's muster, the British themselves not only, begged during the war, admired but wrote a lot about Said Mohammed. Hey guys your grand father used to say say to their English musters "waanu kuu basanbaanay uunu kuu bohulyownay ingriis dhaladow halkeen kaa dhunkannaa". So please read the history before you say something that is not realistic.
Gee or Subag what ever your name this man "mad malluh" was no fighter he was a terrorist.
Again even his poetry betrays his ignorance and clannishness! A fool is his own informer. Anyone who calls this mad man a hero is out of their minds.
He turned on the regular people and stole, raped and murdered anyone who wasnt in his tribe. If anyone questioned his tactics he turned around and accused people of being spies for the british.
Like Osman said he was a fanatic megomaniac, he used the british as a boogeyman to fool a few of his clansmen but when that didnt work he showed his full colors and completely went bat sh… crazy attacking Somalis left and right. He was defeated bc the local people had enough and joined forces against him with the British! Now thats what I call a kick in the bo ll ocks, what freedom fighter looses the support of the people? He wasnt a freedom fighter he was a clannish warlord who fancied himself a prophet and he got what was coming to him when the local people said enough was enough.
This is exactly why Somaliland is different, our people dont suffer fools for very long. We are a peaceful people but we are not naive.
Ask anyone, there isnt a single clan that isnt his own that speaks well of this mad mullah and there is a reason for it, just like siyad.
the only language you Reer Waqooyi can understand is "Qabiil iyo Qabyaald" war taalada waxaa u dhisay Nin Ogaadeen ah Jigjiga ayana laga dhisyay ee dhibka ay idinku haysaa waa maxay? Sababta uu Dagaalka iyo Dilka ugu waday Isaaq waxay ahayd Jaajuusnimadooda iyo Gaalo-jacaylka ilaa maanta ay Astaanta u leeyihiin.
Sayid Mohamed Abdalla like his ilk of Afweyne, Hassan Sheikh Mohamed, Abdillahi Yusuf, Morgan, Gani, Ali Mahdi, Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, were all shredding the same crocodile tears. What Ina Abdalla Hassan shared with his ilk is that using the pseudo Somali idea to have committed crimes against our people. Like Afweyne, Morgan and Gani they will not be forgotten or forgiven even after their death. They will surely face their fate in the day of judgement for killing innocent civilians. I am sure killing people in the name of Wanlaweyn will not absolve them from their crimes in that day of judgement. The proof that fighting for a fake cause is that fact that he is now rightly declared an Ethiopian.
Somalia, is now Adal Land, Somaliland, Djaboutiland, Puntland, Ogadeinaland, Jubbal Land, Bandir land,NFD land,and my tribe land..Alahayaw noo sahal,,
no darood boy, somalis aare from somaliland, djabouti , somalia, nfd and k5
Sayid Moxamed cabdulle Xansan, was true Somali, and we should not compare with Godane who has a blood on his hands, and about Ethiopia, my friend is simple, they are the biggest beneficiary of our chaos, and to claim the Sayid as their own is a dream which will never come true, because we won't allow it.
Axmed Ibrahim,
instead of shredding crocodile tears here, why don't you tell the people of Jigjiga who built the statute for the dead wacal in his hometown and registered him now for his true identity of Somalo-Ethiopian that after all he is not of that nationality. You write AHUN. I am not so sure about that. Man qatala nafs biqayri xaq faxibahuhu cinda Allah. Killing people in the name of Wanlaweyn is never justifiable.
I realy feel uneasy of being neighbor and share region with such a people filled with hate for all Somalis and its history.
Waar inta uu sayid maxammed idinka laayay waxaa aad uga badan intuu cigaal xabbadda ku laayay iyo inta uu siilaanyo uu darxumada iyo gaajada ku laayo maalin kasta.
Gee,
You are another wanlawayn shredding crocodile tears here. If you study in your fake history books that Ina Candaddal Hassan, Afweyne, Gani, Morgan and many others were your heroes, we study in our history books that these were butchers and they will be remembered for their merciless, unislamic, barbaric acts against humanity in Somaliland. One of our history books is correct and the other is fake. It will be the youmal qiyama which history book was the correct one.
Tear,
I am sorry walaal to hear the extent your hate to the Somali people wherever they are! I am 100% sure that you would wrote supportive article had Abdi Iley, the president of the Regional State built the statue of colonel Mengistu Haili Mariam in the heart of Jijiga. That what marks the difference between you and fellow Somalis.
To write history book one has be be conscious first and should not possess hostile attitude. But your Eyes and mind only magnify negative aspect of history disregarding positive areas. Afwayne built your country, educated your people, saved from famines, allowed to import goods without taxation,,,,
Gee,
If you read fake history as you claim, did you ever come across in your fake books anything to do with the killing of innocent civilians by this Somali-Ethiopian wacal you call Sayid. Or did you ever read in your books what Afweyne did to our people. If you did, what did you feel for these victims of your cruel uncles. Now I see you are shredding fake tears and you say I hate you, would you call your uncles loved us when they were massacring our people. Jigjia is an Ethiopian country, do I care whether they build a statute for a wacal or for a Gabre. None of my concern. What concerns me is how we in the past felt for your crocodile tears.
Neither Afwayne nor Abdulle are my uncles. I am Samaroon and they are Darood, what worries me a lot is your hate, it really bad to be neighbour with such people> If Jijiga is another country why you yell about the statue built there? What Afwayne did to your country is visible, so you do not need a book to notice that, just you need to have conscious mind and fair judgement,,,,,
Faking all over the place is your true colour. I am not saying Jigjiga is another country. It simply is. If you want to verify the truth just visit it without your fake wanlaweyn passport and you will be thrown into deep alambaqa until you wake up to the conscious mind you are talking about. It will be fair judgment – don't just take my words, go and experiment with them. Going back to my question: would you say your uncles loved us when they were massacring our people?
visit a doctor adeer
Is that your fake way of saying I have no answer for the question: would you say your uncles loved us when they were massacring our people?
Croc, you're truly sick individual. How do you live with yourself? Gee, I read how you tried to reason with a drunkard but it didn't work. This individual is really what is wrong with the folks in that part of Africa–full of hatred and ignorance.
Another wanlaweyn fake exam candidate trying to answer the question all wanlawayns failed to answer: would you say your uncles loved us when they were massacring our people?
it is funny how you say ''your uncles loved us when they were massacring our people'' what uncles the ones who killed us ehh ''somali-itali'' more than you ehh ''The Repulic of Somaliland''? we (the civilians) have done nothing to you; we went through the same if not FAR worse . it was the government of Siyad Bare, hate him if you wan, he is no ''uncle'' of ours! its scary how you are brain washed by tribalism.
@ Gee
If you are Gondarbuzi why are you crying for mad malluh?
hyadadu dhlada aheyd weydii
what language does this wanlaweyn speak: "hyadadu dhlada aheyd weydii". Is he or she learning Somali now? This is my evidence that wanlaweyn always fake it.
Prove sayidid was educating and championing for people to free themselves. While most learned the meaning and the benefits of own government one tribe (to remain nameless !saaaq) foolishly missed the point untill 1991 when everything melted, too little too late!!
Dalkaba idinkaa Dad u ahe, Dowlad Maw Noqotaan
Ileen Doqoni calaf maleh, Dubaaxi maxaa u Diiday
Government of the people, by the People for the People
OMG fools have no luck, why reject to have it all
what is this fool talking about?
To cap it all, the Sayis was a fake wacal. He faked that he was fighting for a Somaliweyn cause, while indeed he was a Somali-Ethiopian wacal. Or he is faking now in his death by assuming the Ethiopian nationality. So you judge it for yourself.
This man was a drunk terrorist who used to murder clans that did not follow him. He murdered thousands of dhulos and MJs and few warsengali. He used to write poems about mens private parts.
Waar waa kan isaga oo private parts sharxaya, Markuu waayay wuxuu ku caayo Cali Jaamac ayuu yidhi
Huurale Cali Jamaac iyo, huluq dameer baa leh
So called Sayid Mohamed, was "fake sayid" who was craving to find a place in the kinship of the prophet Mohamed(PUH). Only a member of Ashraf tribe ,decendends of Prophet Mohamed, ( PUH) can bear this honnorific title and Abdile Hassan was no near Sayid .. ..
Sayyid Mohamed was terrorist, but he was not Ethiopian. He was Somalilander.
Mohamed Abdillahi Hassan (the mad mullah) was a 19th century terrorist who killed innocent civilians and waged a war of hatred in the Horn of Africa. Erecting a statue in jijiga to commemorate his killing is an insult to EPRDF/TPLF regime which is fighting to contain the current extremism in Horn of Africa. His statue in jijiga will be an inspiration for those who want to preach hatred and animosity against the Ethiopian Christian rule. Abdi mohamed omar, the somali regional state, has now dug his grave. When EPRDF cadres read about this man's history, they will come after him. The only option for him is to remove this statue before they set on him.
Sayid fighter his whole for greater Somalia tell me when he became Ethiopia hero
Did he fight for Ethiopia no
Did he ever go to Ethiopia no
You stole that statue from muqdisho Somalia
Ethiopia stoled every statue that was in Somalia after the war break out in Somalia