The Somali nationalist hero and poet, Sayyid Mohamed Abdulle Hassan fought with the British for 21 years before he and his troops were defeated in the rangelands of Northern Somalia. He died in 1921.

He turned himself twice in his grave
With anger resting on his face he rose
He wanted to ask a very simple qustion
"Please listen to me Somalis" he said
"I hear so much about you in here
Are you with us in this other world?
The British are telling me stories"
I died to live for my beloved country
But you are living to kill your country
Though of same origin we are not same
Please return all my poems to me
You don't deserve to keep them any more