The freedom movement, 1895 to 1960
Mohammed Awale Liban (Maxamed Cawaale Liibaan)
Hagi Mohammed Awale Liban was the Somali scholar who designed the flag of Somalia in 1954: a blue field with a white five-pointed star, each point standing for one of the five Somali territories. He later served as Chief of Cabinet of the Presidency under Aden Adde and head of the civil service under Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, and emigrated to Canada in 1991.
Mohammed Awale LibanMaxamed Cawaale Liibaan · Mohamed Awale Liban
- Known as one of
- The freedom movement, 1895 to 1960
- Era
- Toward independence, 1920 to 1960; The Republic, 1960 to 1991; Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012
- Sources
- 1 sources
Who was he?
Hagi Mohammed Awale Liban was a Somali scholar noted for designing the flag of Somalia in 1954 (Wikipedia, Mohammed Awale Liban). Wikipedia says he was from the Reer Maxamuud of the Majeerteen, mainly based in Mudug, and that his nephew is the anti-qat campaigner Abukar Awale "Qaad-diid" (same source). See The flag.
Designing the flag
Under the Italian trusteeship, a legislative council of Somalis, Italians, Arabs and Indians was set up in early 1954 to prepare laws; members were chosen by parties and organisations, not elected (Wikipedia). Liban sat for the Somali Labour Trade Union (same source). When the council discussed a national flag, he proposed that only the Somali members should decide it, and the debate was put off to the next day (same source).
That night he designed a blue flag with a white star in the middle, each of its five points standing for one of the five Somali territories divided by the colonial powers (Wikipedia). He presented it the next day, and Wikipedia says the blue stood for the United Nations (same source).
Public service
He served in every Somali government until 1964 (Wikipedia). He was Chief of Cabinet of the Presidency under President Aden Abdulle Osman, and director general of personnel, the head of the civil service, under President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke (same source). He retired after the 1969 military coup and emigrated to Canada in 1991 (same source).
In short
The man who drew the Somali flag overnight in 1954 and later ran the young republic's civil service.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Mohammed Awale Liban · en.wikipedia.org
Mohammed Awale LibanMaxamed Cawaale Liibaan · Mohamed Awale Liban
- Known as one of
- The freedom movement, 1895 to 1960
- Era
- Toward independence, 1920 to 1960; The Republic, 1960 to 1991; Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012
- Sources
- 1 sources
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Where this matters
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
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