no one is going to honour Sayidka, you ninny! and he didn't unify anything. It's good that the people of Somaliland are being proactive in learning about their history.

Welcome SYS.

The monument built by ABdi Illey should be demolished, it is does NOT respect the image of SAYID, It is cultural misappropriation, where current SLAVES trying to reattach themselves to the great hero. What a shame.

The Sayid and his legacy is respected by the overwhelming majority of Somalis. Most authors (Somali and non-Somali) agree he is the father of modern Somali nationalism. This event honoring the Sayid is part of an internal struggle among the Derwish youth to silently protest what is currently happening in their land. Believe me there are undertones of rebellion and resistance in this event honoring a brave man who went toe to toe with a much more powerful colonial enemy.

lunatic, mad Mullah and many other monikers were used by the colonial press, just like the Iphone generation is using Al-shabaab to describe the independent movements of yesterday. Since Somali nationalism was not well established in 1901, religion was the only way to mobilize Somalis. It wasn't the Sayid Mohamed alone, but the independent movements of that era also used religious based campaigns, among them was the Mahdi of Sudan, Omar Mukhtar of Libya and others. Every historian, wheter Somali or colonial agree that Sayid Mohamed was an icon of the Modern Somali Nationalism.The British colonials had studied the Somalis and concluded that they are fiercely independent which could lead to anarchy. The French who also, tried to explain the nature of the modern Somaliman said that, " They will never have a hero", because , unfortunately the hero might belong the wrong tribe. In the eighties , when I was a freshman in Gahyr university in Somalia, someone gave or I bought, I do not remember how exactly , but I got a book about the struggle of the Daraawiish by Aw Jamac Cumar Ciise. ( Taariikhda Daraawiishta), and After I read that book, my whole world thinking was influenced by that book when it comes of Soomaali nationalism and the heroes who were our great grand fathers. In 1901, the British were the most powerful country in the world both in military , colonial rulership and power, yet, that proud Darwiish told them , " Dalka malihid Anigaa ku Idhi dooroolaha e". I know thiese I phone generation might not understand, but the struggle of the Darwiish wasn't a flip in the pan, or something that came and went, but a movement that has left a huge legacy among our region . It was a carefully built organization that created cities, built castles from Taleex, to Eyl, Bari, Hobyo and all the way to Hiiraan. It lasted 21 years and it has defeated 16 British expeditions. The Darwiish who created and built that movement was a simple man , " doon ayuu ka soo degay isagoo baakoorad laad laadinaya". That simple man built a movement that lasted 21 years. No army ,both British, Indian and Somali couldn't defeat him. Finally , an airplane was taken by ship reassembled and flown from Aden, in Feb, 1920, and bombed these castles, while modern cannons and machine gun maimed tens of thousands of Darwiish. This were the proud Somalis who are in our history. Before I even read the reply from Ducaale and others , I knew they will say that " Reer Hebel Buu ahaa oo dad buu Xasuuqay". The Somalia of 1970 and early eighties built these monuments not only for Sayid Mohamed, but also Ahmed Guray, Xaawo Taako and Dhagax Tuur. It named schools to the icons of independent history like Sheikh Bashiir who was killed In Burco by the British, Sheikh Hassan Barsame of Benadir and lowers Shabeelle who fought the Italians, and even SYL members like Cismaan Geedi Raage , Saqaawadiin and others. For most of you guys history starts from 1981-1991, everything else belongs to Reer hebel. In history what counts is the foundation and the legacy people leave behind. Go read about Churchill, he said Indians are subhuman; those who were conquered were weak and uncivilized races replaced by more powerful race. Yet, his biggest achievement is not what he said or what crimes Britain committed, while he was commander of the navy, but his heroic speech against the Nazis and the sacrifices he made Britain to be free. The same goes with Sayid, and everything else is footnote in history. Of course these nations have Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Michelangelo, and Napoleon,. We Somalis also have the Great Darwiish who weren't only a military commander, but also an eloquent poet who is among the top Somali poets, if the number one. Of course today we live in an era of upheaval that puppets, oligarchs , criminals and warlords are using the Darwiish for their own interest. Why would those who denounced the great Darwiish throughout history suddenly allow his celebration. Cabdi Illey has erected a statue of the man who fought Ethiopia, and now the secessionists want to use the Darwiish for their own agenda. He fought these colonial projects from Berbera to Taleex, Imey, Bari , all the way from Hiiraan. Those who fought with them were great men who sacrificed a lot and evey Somali should be proud that " IN aan isku siji nahay Kuwaas oon ku faano"

this is positive to see. its actual substance. this is the sort of quite leadership Somalis need not the usual one-upmanship known to be used by folks.

Would he have to recuse himself fromc cases involving Somalia? Congrats to him.