Sudan’s Independence

Sudan’s Independence
The story of the birth of a free and independent Sudanese people
1 January 1956: The day the British left the country
Ratum and the Boy from Independent Sudan

There are days that pass for peoples just like any other, and there are days that go down in history and never fade from it.

1 January 1956 was one of those days.

That morning, Khartoum was not merely waking up to a new day; it was waking up to the birth of a nation.

After 56 years of British-Egyptian joint rule, and following many years of the national movement, political resistance and the struggle for self-determination, the day for which the Sudanese had waited so long finally arrived.

Sudan has become an independent, sovereign state.

The scene in Khartoum was like the final chapter of an old era and the first chapter of a new one.

🇬🇧🇪🇬 From the flags of the dual monarchy to the flag of Sudan

On the morning of Sunday 1 January 1956, crowds gathered outside the Presidential Palace; senior statesmen and politicians were in attendance, including Prime Minister Ismail al-Azhari and opposition leader Muhammad Ahmad Mahjoub, alongside representatives from Britain and Egypt and prominent Sudanese figures.

At approximately 9.02, the British and Egyptian flags began to be lowered.

That scene held greater significance than a mere military ceremony.

The two flags that had been flying over Sudan since the end of the nineteenth century were being lowered for the last time.

A few minutes later, the Sudanese flag was raised.

Historical records and photographs show that Al-Azhari and Al-Mahjoub were present at the ceremonies to lower the two flags and raise the Sudanese flag, The Durham University Archives also hold photographs of the celebrations and the crowds gathered around the Kitchener statue, as well as images of British troops preparing to leave Sudan following independence.

And so the scene changed:

The flags of the dual rule are being lowered…
The Sudanese flag is flying.

🕘 Nine o’clock… the moment of birth

It was exactly nine o’clock when Ismail al-Azhari announced, from inside Parliament, the birth of the independent State of Sudan.

In his historic speech, he said:

«At this very moment, at exactly nine o’clock on this day, 1 January 1956… we proclaim the birth of the first democratic and independent Republic of Sudan.».

Al-Azhari was not merely talking about the end of the occupation.

He was talking about taking on a new responsibility.

This is a very important point.

The man who declared independence did not say that the task was complete.

In fact, he stated quite clearly:

«If our duty in the struggle for liberation ends today, our duty to protect our independence, safeguard our freedom and build our comprehensive renaissance has only just begun.».

In other words, for him, independence was not the end of the road.

That was the start of the real test.

🇸🇩 What happened in Parliament?

The raising of the flag alone did not constitute a declaration of independence.

One of the most significant political moments in Sudan’s history took place in Parliament.

When the Speaker of Parliament put the resolution declaring independence to the vote, the MPs raised their voices in approval.

Yes, just one… but it was a ‘yes’ that gave birth to a nation.

Historical accounts describe the scene as follows: the MPs’ voices rose loudly, whilst the galleries erupted with applause, and cannon fire rang out outside in celebration of independence.

Crowds had gathered around the parliament building and in the streets of Khartoum.

Following the vote, MPs from both the government and the opposition congratulated one another and mingled with visitors and foreign guests in a grand celebration.

Take a good look at the picture:

Government and opposition in a single day,
They exchange congratulations,
And the people outside Parliament are celebrating,
And the cannon heralds the birth of the state.

That was before Sudanese politics subsequently eroded much of that consensus.

📰 Khartoum used to read about its history in the newspapers

The Sudanese press was not reporting an ordinary news story that day.

The newspapers were witnessing a historic moment.

In the early days following independence, the press archives show us how the newspapers became a daily record of the birth of the new state.

On 3 January 1956, *The Sudan Times* published a special issue on independence, reporting that numerous countries had recognised an independent Sudan.

On 4 January, the stage was titled:

«The First Week of Independence»

The newspaper reported on the continued recognition of Sudan by other states and the country’s readiness to join the United Nations.

On 8 January, the newspaper began reporting on the formation of the first national government and the establishment of a diplomatic service for an independent Sudan.

On 9 January, whilst political negotiations on the formation of the government were ongoing, the newspaper reported that Sudanese people at home and abroad were continuing to celebrate independence.

In other words, Sudan did not wake up after independence to find that everything was over.

In fact, he found himself faced with an even bigger question:

How do we build a state?

🇸🇩 Sudan was not just a new flag

Following the raising of the flag, the process of building state institutions began.

It was necessary to find a head of state to replace the governor-general.

It was essential to establish national institutions.

It was essential to draw up a constitution.

Then there was the issue of the South, with all its complexities.

These included the civil service, the armed forces, the police, the judiciary, the economy and foreign relations.

Sudan found itself facing a new world that it had to deal with as an independent state.

For this reason, Parliament approved transitional arrangements, including the formation of an interim Sovereign Council, the drafting of a new constitution, and the consideration of the situation in the south when drafting the constitution.

Independence, then, was not merely a celebration.

It was a whole nation waiting to be built.

🇬🇧 And what did the British do?

It is important not to distort history with slogans.

The British withdrawal from Khartoum on 1 January was not a military battle.

Khartoum did not fall that day.

The Sudanese have not yet entered the Presidential Palace following the battle.

Rather, independence came about as a result of a political and constitutional process and the 1953 Agreement on Self-Determination, which paved the way for the establishment of a transitional government and subsequently the determination of Sudan’s future.

When Independence Day arrived, the British and the Egyptians were both parties to the transition process.

In his speech, Al-Azhari expressed his gratitude to the British and Egyptian governments for fulfilling the obligations set out in the February 1953 Agreement.

He said that they were lowering their flags, which had flown over Sudan for decades, so that the flag of independent Sudan might be raised in their place.

However, political recognition does not mean that all traces of the British presence disappeared at that very moment.

British forces continued with their withdrawal arrangements, and historical photographs document the presence of British troops at Khartoum Central Station as they prepared to leave the country following independence.

And this is how it unfolded:

Sudan became independent,
And the British forces began to withdraw,
And the new state has begun to take control of its own affairs.

🎉 Khartoum didn’t sleep that night

As for the fans, that was a different story altogether.

The Sudanese took to the streets to celebrate.

The streets were filled with processions and chants.

A large public celebration was held in Kitchener Square, and historical sources document scenes of crowds celebrating independence around the statue of Kitchener.

In Omdurman and Khartoum, political, social and popular celebrations took place side by side.

Supporters, members of the Khatmiyya, Sufi orders, politicians, students, civil servants, workers, traders, city-dwellers and people from the provinces…

On that day, they all found themselves faced with one reality:

There is a country called Sudan which has become independent.

The song associated with that moment went:

«Today we raise the banner of our independence’
»History records the birth of our people’

It wasn’t just a song.

It was an expression of an entire generation’s sense that it was witnessing history unfold before its very eyes.

🗣️ Al-Azhari: Independence is not the end of the battle

One of the most noteworthy points is that Al-Azhari’s speech was not a speech of revenge.

He did not call for revenge against the British.

He did not say that Sudanese people should live as prisoners of the past.

Rather, he called for people to overcome their fear and mistrust, and to build Sudan as a single nation.

He said:

«And that we undertake this grave duty as brothers working together, as a solid structure in which each part strengthens the other, and that we face the future as the sons of a single, cohesive and strong nation.».

And this is where the historical significance of the speech becomes apparent.

Because Sudan, having emerged from dual rule, needed something more than independence:

He needed national unity and institution-building.

🌍 Immediately after independence, Sudan began to make its mark on the world stage

It wasn’t long before countries began to recognise Sudan.

In the early days, the newspapers reported on the international recognition of Sudan.

Sudan then began taking steps towards joining the United Nations.

On 18 January 1956, the press reported that Sudan had applied for membership of the United Nations.

On 21 January, Sudan became a member of the Arab League, according to the Sudanese press archives for that year.

On 1 February, the newspapers reported on the first British ambassador to Khartoum, the Pope’s congratulations to Sudan on its independence, and developments in the new state.

In other words, within a few weeks, Sudan has gone from:

Colony/bilateral rule → Independent state → A state seeking its place in the world.

When we see the image of Al-Azhari and Al-Mahjoub in front of the palace, with the British and Egyptian flags being lowered and the Sudanese flag being raised, we should not view it merely as a ceremonial image.

We must ask:

What were the Sudanese dreaming of on that day?

They dreamt of a strong nation.

In an independent state.

In a country that respects its citizens.

In a country not ruled by a foreign power.

A country that brings together the north, south, east, west and centre.

A country where citizenship takes precedence over tribe, sect and political party.

Al-Azhari’s speech itself clearly placed this responsibility on the Sudanese people:

The duty of the struggle for liberation has come to an end, and the duty to protect independence, safeguard freedom and build a renaissance has begun.

And this phrase is perhaps more important than the entire flag-raising ceremony.

Because independence is something that peoples can achieve.

But a country cannot be built on celebrations alone.

🇸🇩 1 January 1956

That morning:

The British flag was lowered.

The Egyptian flag was lowered.

The Sudanese flag was raised.

The state declared its independence.

The crowd cheered.

The cannons boomed.

Parliament celebrated.

The two-man refereeing team has left.

And a new nation began to seek its place in the world.

That day was a moment of undeniable joy.

It also marked the beginning of a responsibility from which there was no escape.

The British have left Khartoum…
🇸🇩 May God have mercy on all those who fought for Sudan’s independence.

🇸🇩 May God have mercy on the nation’s martyrs.

🇸🇩 And glory to Sudan, on the day it raised its flag as a free and independent nation.

1 January 1956 — a day on which not only did the British leave, but the Sudanese were also faced with the responsibility of an entire nation.