Once upon a time the town was known as Lama Jiidle (between two roads) and it was ruled by the sultans of the Silcis, a subclan of the Hawiye Gorgaarte. The Silcis imposed heavy taxation on the people of the area, who were the Geledi, a subclan of the mirifle (rahanweyn), and the Wacdaan, another subclan of the Hawiye Gorgaarte.
The subjects had to pay a measure (suus) of grain every day from each household that was collected and loaded on a camel or a donkey. A tax was also imposed on those who brought their stock to water at the river. People were also compelled to go on Fridays to pray at the mosque in Lama Jiidle, instead of in their own villages.
The final ruler of the Silcis was Sultan Aboukar Abroone. He used to send his daughter Imbia to collect the daily tribute of grain, accompanied by her Habash (slaves). But one day the Geledi made the decision to free themselves of the oppression or to perish trying. So when the Sultan’s daughter came to collect the tribute, she received a beating instead of grain.
When the daughter ran to her father the sultan and told him what happened, he said: they have cut off my mouth, wa la i afgooye , so Lama Jiidle is known as Afgooyo ever since. The saying “they have cut off my mouth” means ”they have cut off my supplies (of grain)”.
Then the Geledi attacked the Silcis and defeated them utterly and they (Silcis) became an insignificant, scattered people.
And this how the victorious Geledi established their sultanate at Afgooyo (Lama Jiidle) and became the masters of all people between the jubba and shabelle.
Sources: The Social Structures of southern somali tribes by Virginia Luling
The subjects had to pay a measure (suus) of grain every day from each household that was collected and loaded on a camel or a donkey. A tax was also imposed on those who brought their stock to water at the river. People were also compelled to go on Fridays to pray at the mosque in Lama Jiidle, instead of in their own villages.
The final ruler of the Silcis was Sultan Aboukar Abroone. He used to send his daughter Imbia to collect the daily tribute of grain, accompanied by her Habash (slaves). But one day the Geledi made the decision to free themselves of the oppression or to perish trying. So when the Sultan’s daughter came to collect the tribute, she received a beating instead of grain.
When the daughter ran to her father the sultan and told him what happened, he said: they have cut off my mouth, wa la i afgooye , so Lama Jiidle is known as Afgooyo ever since. The saying “they have cut off my mouth” means ”they have cut off my supplies (of grain)”.
Then the Geledi attacked the Silcis and defeated them utterly and they (Silcis) became an insignificant, scattered people.
And this how the victorious Geledi established their sultanate at Afgooyo (Lama Jiidle) and became the masters of all people between the jubba and shabelle.
Sources: The Social Structures of southern somali tribes by Virginia Luling
