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MOGADISHU, 12 November 2026 Some of the information in the book 'Hal-abuurkii iyo Haldoorkii Suugaanta Abwaan Abdi Bashir Indhabuur' has sparked controversy after members of the Heegan Group, part of the Somali Police Force, disputed its accuracy and questioned the historical details and attribution of several songs to the late poet.
Abdulaziz Ali Ibrahim, known as ‘Xildhiban’, the author of the book, told Dawan that he began writing it on January 10, 2019. He said some members of the late poet's family contributed to its preparation.
He rejected allegations that he had failed to consult the poet's relatives before writing the book, saying he had evidence of his communication with the late poet's children and their involvement in its publication.
"Some members of Indhabuur's family helped me write the book. I have evidence of the exchanges I had with the children of Abwaan Bashir Indhabuur, and they also took part in the publication of the book," Xildhiban said.
Responding to questions about the accuracy of the songs included in the book, the author acknowledged that mistakes could occur, saying he was only human. However, he maintained that he had not invented the song information himself.
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He said he sourced the songs mentioned in the book from recordings held in Radio Mogadishu's archives, describing the collection as one of the sources he used to document the poet's literary works.
The Heegan Group had earlier disputed the attribution of five songs to the late Indhabuur, triggering a wider debate over the ownership of literary works and how historical information about Somali poets should be verified.
Xildhiban also argued that Abdi Bashir Indhabuur was a Somali creative artist whose life and literary works form part of the country's broader cultural heritage and therefore deserve to be documented.
He maintained that he has the right to write about the poet's life and Somali literature without seeking special permission from any individual or group.
"There is no one I need to seek permission from to write about Somali literature," he said.
The controversy has once again highlighted the importance of verifying sources when documenting Somali literary history, particularly where disagreements arise over song ownership and the contributions of poets to artistic groups.