He was one of the first modern politicians to emerge in the Protectorate and later became one of the first initiators and pioneer leaders of the political struggle between Somali people and colonial forces.

[4] Haji Farah Omar Ileye (Somali: Xaaji Faarax Oomaar Ileeye) was born in 1879 in Xagal, a town near Berbera in the Sahil region of Somaliland and is from the Reer Daahir sub-division of the Habr Je'lo Isaaq clan.

His time and experience as a commander shaped his views and ideology and would be the cause behind him becoming a modern anti-colonialist figure and one of the first initiators and pioneer leaders fighting the violation of the rights of the Somali people due to colonialism.

[4] His study of law became Farah Omar's key to paving the way for his political struggle for independence, and it became a weapon against British colonial rule in the country.

The same year he returned to Somaliland to organize opposition to British efforts to create a written Somali language, fearing that the Isaaqs in Kenya would lose their privileged status as Asiatics.

A document, signed by 125 local akils and elders, declared:[10][14] We the undersigned Akils and elders of British Somaliland do hereby declare that we have come to the conclusion that we have nominated and appoint Haji Farah Omar to represent British Somaliland subjects grievance and we fully authorize him to represent in whole matters which injures and interests the tribeBy the end of August Farah was gaining considerable support in Hargeisa, where he was eventually elected as its spokesman with the backing of the local branch of the Qadiriyyah tariqa.

With the pressure of Haji Farah, and with the almost universal opposition to a written Somali language, the Governor of British Somaliland at the time Vincent Glenday had no choice but to hold the Protectorate's educational policy in abeyance.

[15] Haji Farah's political agitation and activism did not find favour with the British colonial authorities and was seen as a dangerous threat, which led to him being arrested and exiled to the Socotra islands off the coast of Somalia in modern-day Yemen.

The famous Habr Yunis poet Haji Adan Ahmed Af-Qallooc describes the conditions under which Farah was imprisoned in his poem Raqdii Bashiir (The Corpse of Bashir), written in July 1944.

Ma duugoobin Qaybdiid, lafuhu waana duhanayaane Da'dii u ahaa baa Faarax, jeelka loo diraye Imminkuu siduu dawri yahay, debedda meeraaye Loo diid dadkii uu dhaliyo, duunyaduu dhaqaye Dad oo idil soo eri, ninkii daalinka ahaaye There were others killed playfully, About which nothing was done.

When the British government realized and confirmed that he was weak and powerless, and that in addition to old age had many illnesses that he could no longer handle, Haji Farah was eventually released him from prison at the end of World War II.