Somali nationalism

Somali nationalism (Somali: Soomaalinimo) is a nationalist ideology advocating for the unification of all Somali people who share a common ethnicity, language, and culture, under a single banner. Its earliest manifestations has its roots in the Middle Ages with the Adal Sultanate and the Ajuran Sultanate whilst in the contemporary era its often traced back to the “Mad Mullah”, as he was known by the British Empire during the Scramble for Africa.^[1] The Somali Youth League, a political organisation founded in 1943 was one of the most influential political parties in Somalia prior to independence.^[2][3] The Somali guerilla militia Al-Shabab is also noteworthy for incorporating Somali nationalism into its Islamist ideology.^[4][5]