 the Somali state of itopia and um one of the places that it's open that you need to visit is what's the name? Karamarda. What? Karamarda. Does it have an English name? No, no. And why is it so famous? Because it's upstairs and it's the biggest mountain in this city. Okay the biggest mountain in this city. So which means when you're up there you can see the entire city? Yes. You can see the entire city from here. Oh this is our view yeah? It's crazy. It's very difficult. I really can't believe I'm doing this man but um I think the view up there will be worth it and I'm going up there it's also like a record because it's gonna be climbing up to the highest peak of um the Somali state of itopia and you all know what I wish Prabhu to learn so I just have to come with you guys man so yeah let's climb together man. Oh my god to Somali state are beautiful people it's your favorite village boy Mr. Ghana baby right here in itopia you know what this is my seventh time in itopia and this time around I'm not in a disababa because anytime that I come to an itopia where I stay it's a disababa but today I decided to go somewhere else and this place that I am is called Jig Jiga it's a Somali state inside itopia do you guys know that and um if you don't know I'm here to educate you. I'm in the capital city that is Jig Jiga and when I came here this is where I stayed it's called Royal International Hotel and the man who has this hotel is actually a fan like I couldn't believe it he used to based in America no America Canada and he moved back to Somali state of itopia to build this beautiful hotel that is saying so you know what whenever I travel I always want to educate you so come with me let me show you how this place was from. Bismillah my name is Kamal Hashi I'm a lecturer at the University of at Jig Jiga University where we're based now what I'm speaking from to one of my YouTube channel who's really in Jig Jiga now for another two but lucky to be part of this video made about Jig Jiga or Somali region in general so we're here in Jig Jiga which is the capital city of Somali Jinal state and in case you don't know what Somali Jinal state is so it is one of the regions in Ethiopia. Itopia is made of 10 regional status and two city administrations namely at Sababa which is the capital city of the country and Dredawa which is like 150 kilometers away from Jig Jiga the capital city of Somali regional state. Well yeah I know as one of my is walking the town he may be surprised at looking at two flags one the federal flag and that the regional flag that's verified in Ethiopia we're still all Ethiopians but all the regional states have their own flag to just represent themselves as a region but as in that that it doesn't affect the fact that the regional status cooperatively work together and also accommodate anybody or anyone who comes from the other region to to the next region and and also vice versa but yet we still have every region has its own regional administrator the president and also its own regional council while there is still the House of Representatives at the federal government level like a lot of things are run on the regional level and they have their own budgets their own government structure but we still have some big federal offices like the electricity the telecommunication you know like men men men ministries that really helps get the country connected we will still have the federal police but again we still have also regional police who keep the security so this is a very federal system again which has its own regional divisions but but this is something we we as Ethiopians have a choice to live together and also make sure that every region has its own representation and has a room to accommodate its own uniqueness and its own way of life spending 10 days in jikjiga was very confusing because the region is blended with the culture of both Somalia and Ethiopia it felt like I was in both countries at the same time so you might be wondering are the people living in here Somalis or Ethiopians we are Ethiopian and after being Ethiopian there are many tribes you can break down into which can then make you Somali Ethiopian even the currency that they use in here is the Ethiopian bear very interesting right did you know that we've got Somali Ethiopians living in Africa leave that as a comment in the comment section but I have been here and I can testify that the people living in here speaks both language which is Amaric which is for the Ethiopians and the Somali language by the people of Somali now let's find out how this region was formed when colonization was abolished there was a meeting held in Mogdishu amongst all Somalis 15 men gathered a group now known as Eswayel 15 Somali individuals represented all five Somali regions and that is a simple start of how Somalia gained independence at that time the Ethiopian Somali region did not gain its independence then in 1977 a group called WSNF was formed shortly after the group was formed a civil conflict erupted amongst our people though the Somali Ethiopian region was represented in those 15 people we were still not granted our independence this group that was formed in 1977 then took it upon themselves to fight for their independence they fought against Ethiopia to gain full independence they were not successful let me give you an idea an image of what the land what Chikchiga used to be to what it is today Chikchiga used to be a place full of wells these wells were built by Yemenis Chikchiga broke off into just three neighborhoods those three neighborhoods even to this day play a huge part in the history of Chikchiga they have historic landmarks such as the mosque there are still the wells that were functioning back in the day that are functioning today and it was the chefs of that time that were our founding forefathers this then became the full settlement of a Somali town people even from the countryside knew that this would be the point that they could come to find their Somali brothers and sisters there were no tribes and recognitions back then it was just where are you from I'm from the Chikchiga region you know what when I go to Chikchiga one of the interesting things that I found that is so fascinating is this um cars that you're using here what is it called and why is everyone using Bajaj because I feel like there are more Bajaj than cars why you know yeah there's a lot of people in town and there's not that much cars so we use this as taxi and to go around the city so use Bajaj as taxes yeah like it's like I'm seeing a small Bajaj and I'm seeing another one like kind of bigger yeah bigger why is that so there is a kind of VIP and normal one that's interesting so VIP takes how many people just three more maximum three and you go just why when you go one to go to so many places okay are you going in Hari you take the VIP yeah the smaller one and the VIP yeah so the big ones are like commercial yeah everyone can use it yeah it's just a little bit just to go to another place oh okay it goes around the city all over wow and is it expensive to take a Bajaj the smaller one it's expensive yeah it varies on the side depends on the time yeah you you are going around like 30 minutes it should be like 50 minutes okay so one hour will be a hundred bills yeah no we need to try the Bajaj and let's check it out since we are in Jig Jiga we need to have that Jig Jiga experience man but I don't think I need a VIP one welcome to the city of Bajaj the double J city Jig Jiga like I always been saying that I am not a tourist but a traveler so I have to have a full experience of Bajaj you know what come with me let's enjoy this Bajaj ride together Superali and I've met someone from Ghana yeah from Ghana how did you know YouTube oh wow nice to meet you man having fun man thank you so much man all right Jig Jiga and somebody just recognized me I mean this is amazing man knowing that you've been recognized all over Africa that's interesting man and we are out here waiting for Bajaj I need to stop Bajaj why aren't they not stopping for me are they outfall I need a Bajaj oh man it's it's because of the fall man here it's fall it's like okay we're lucky today Bajaj man I can't believe that finally we go Bajaj it's crazy so whenever you come to like Jig Jiga the Somali state of Ethiopia I think this will be your taxi that was so much fun I think I'm in love with Somali music oh my goodness but I should ride through the street of Jig Jiga one thing that got me thinking was how all the men of Jig Jiga were rushing for one particular plant I don't know what is the name of this do you have this in your country because I felt like this is only for men because I only saw men rushing I mean I nearly got slapped just by interrupting someone from picking his own plants man it's it's it's crazy let me know how you call this in your country but I think Steven tried it and at the end of the day what happened to him I think he's going to tell us after this video so I'm in Jig Jiga right now this is all church and it's all over the country like everywhere that you go and the men rush for this thing and I don't even know the reason why they cheat it but maybe me I think this is a man because the women doesn't take it you can take it to the ground or you mix it you're mixing it I know some of you will be asking me whether it's safe to walk in Jig Jiga I tell you that Jig Jiga is 100% safe because it's night time and I'm out here with Steven Naima and she doesn't have a name you know we just walking in the street just going to search for food to eat so literally outside Jig Jiga is safe I've been here for 10 good days walking in the street without thinking of somebody snatching my phone by the way let me hold my phone very well all right so yeah this is how it is here in Jig Jiga man