How I Accumulated My Wealth Foreign rule brought with it new values, ones we were unfamiliar with. These values gradually permeated people's minds, slowly changing their outlook on life. The generation that grew up under the dual rule came to consider work and material gain as a mark of success. Work and material gain were not esteemed values during the Mahdia; rather, austerity and martyrdom for the sake of God's religion were the ultimate aspirations of the vanguard of men in that era. Consequently, religious scholars, who were steeped in the principles of the Mahdia and whose personalities were fully formed during its time, were unable to keep pace with life under foreign rule. Some attempted armed rebellion, like Wad Hububa, while others withdrew entirely from the new life, staying in their homes awaiting their end.

I viewed the matter from a different perspective. I believed that armed rebellion at that time was doomed to failure. I also saw withdrawal from life as a defeat I would not accept, as I believed my duty compelled me to preserve the legacy of the Mahdia so that this bright chapter in our country's history would not be in vain. In the early days of the dual rule, I began to contact the Ansar and send them emissaries to boost their morale, so they would uphold their covenant and remain loyal to their pledge to Imam Mahdi. While I was in contact with the Ansar, I was also thinking of working and earning an honest living. However, it never occurred to me then that my endeavors would expand to such an extent, nor did I imagine that the wealth we had disdained during the Mahdia would become a shield to protect the Ansar and a means for general national gain.

It occurred to me to go to Aba and try to find a way to earn a living there and improve the condition of the Ansar and my family. I informed the government of my intention and contacted Sultan Pasha, whose advice the government always sought before making any decision concerning me. After considerable persuasion, the government agreed to my travel. This was in 1908. I traveled to Aba from Omdurman by animal transport, accompanied by a few Ansar. In Aba, I began clearing the land of trees and bushes to prepare it for cultivation. Some of the local inhabitants there objected, and others stood in my way. The dispute intensified until the objectors filed a case before the Inspector of Kosti, Mr. Lyle. The inspector told me that he did not recognize your