Ambassador Mohamed Garad

Son of the Sultan of the former Somaliland protectorate, Muhammud Garad, visited Seychelles during the last week of September 2004 for the first time, in a bid to explore newly founded family ties, according to Seychelles Nation newspaper.

Sultan of the Warsengeli Tribe, Muhammud Ali Shirreh was forced to leave his four wives and 14 children in Somalia when he was exiled to Seychelles on HMS Odin in May 1920.

A Somali newspaper article said, "his independent policy, strength and indifference to the powers surrounding him, including the British has vexed London and led to his arrest and deportation to Seychelles."

Among the exiles to Seychelles, King Mwanga of Buganda, King

Kabarega of Bunyoro, King Nana Agyinian Prempeh of Ashanti and Premier of Egypt Saad Zaghloul Pasha were all companions to the Sultan.

He resided at Anse Etoile where he had two children, one boy and one girl with two Seychellois women. His son Léon Désir, now 82 years of age lives in Maldives on Mahé.

The Sultan left Seychelles in May 1928 on SS Karapara for Bombay and he reached Somaliland via Aden where he had more children, one of whom is Mr Gara, now 73. Mr Désir's daughter, Amya Jovanovic Désir had vowed to find her roots when she came across an article in a Cable & Wireless book in 1997 regarding the Sultan.

While in Japan for a tourism workshop, Mrs Désir met a man from Djibouti, Fouad Meraneh who incidentally knew her unknown relatives and had promised to help her out.

Her first breakthrough came with a fax from Mr Meraneh stating that his wife knew some of her grandfather's descendants who lived in the United States and Canada.

Ambaasdor Garad with nieces and nephews

Excited to have discovered a new branch to his family, Mr Garad willingly came to Seychelles this week for a five-day visit where a reception was held in his honour.

At a long over-due family reunion, Mr Garad said, "I realise we have two homes now. In Somalia the family is indeed a very large one consisting of a first uncle, 16 aunts, 22 brothers, 15 sisters and a few cousins all of whom are from my father's side of the family. My father, like his forefathers, always maintained a large family, which in our culture befits a great Sultan."

The Warsengeli Sultanate has been in existence for the last six hundred years.

Mr Garad said, "My father was the 24th Sultan and one of his grandsons - my nephew - is now the Sultan. He also suggested, "imprisonment exalted a person's status so much so that in Ghana those who were put behind bars as a result of their fight for freedom used to put the abbreviation "P.G." - Prison Graduate - after their names on their degrees as an honorific title."

During his short stay, Mr Garad visited Praslin and La Digue and met as many of his close relatives as he could. Referring to Seychelles as "the heavenly islands" Mr Gara said that his stay has been enjoyable, memorable and rewarding.

Mr Désir said he was indeed very happy to see his brother for the first time and the family hopes to stay in contact with each other.

Mr Garad, Mr Désir and his daughter also paid a visit to the State House where they met Vice President Joseph Belmont.
 

             Biyo Kulule

         Togga Laag

            Buur-gaaban

         Geed Xiji ah(Maydi)

        Geed Xiji ah (Beeyo)

President Abdillahi Yusuf

Prime Minister Dr. Ali  Geddi

   The Yibir Of las Burgabo :
    By Mohmood Gaidon