al-Tijānī Māḥī

El-Tigani el-Mahi (; April 1911 – 8 January 1970) was a Sudanese scholar, academic, and a pioneer of African psychiatry. He played a major role in the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule, and was the transitional president of Sudan after the Sudanese October 1964 Revolution.

He was an avid collector of historical artefacts, and knowledgeable about Egyptology, and Sudan's history and literature.

Early life El-Tigani el-Mahi was born in Kawa village, White Nile Province in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan in April 1911. El-Mahi completed his primary education in Kawa, and middle school in Rufaa, Sudan. The college was established by British colonial authorities to provide a Western-style education to Sudanese students, and many of its graduates went on to become prominent figures in Sudanese politics and society. While at the college, el-Mahi became involved in student politics and was a vocal advocate for Sudanese independence. He was also an avid reader and writer, and contributed articles and essays to the college newspaper and other publications. After his Diploma, he worked at the Sudan Medical Service, where he worked in Omdurman, Kosti, Khartoum, and Wadi Halfa.

Psychiatric career In 1947, el-Mahi went to London with a scholarship to study psychiatry. In July 1949, he obtained the Diploma in Psychological Medicine from the University of London,

Upon his return to Sudan, he established the Clinic for Nervous Disorders in Khartoum North. He worked in various locations across Sudan, including Omdurman, Kosti, Khartoum, and Wadi Halfa. He was appointed Director of Mental Health for the Ministry of Health in Sudan in 1957, a position he held until his death. During that meeting el-Mahi stated:

el-Mahi is credited with establishing modern psychiatry in Sudan and played a key role in developing the mental health services in the country. He was a pioneer in the study of traditional medicine and ethnopsychiatry in Sudan, etc. and their relationship to mental health, while collaborating with traditional healers in Sudan. He asserted that patients were more cared for under religious-traditional healers than in hospitals. was highly commended by academics and medical professionals throughout the Arab World.

el-Mahi was granted a Doctor of Science from Columbia University and the University of Khartoum. In 1972, during the third Pan-African Psychiatric Conference, a memorial lecture was held in his honour. el-Mahi was one of the founders of the Sudanese Writers Union, an organisation that played a key role in promoting Sudanese literature and supporting the development of Sudanese writers. He also established the Institute of African and Asian Studies at the University of Khartoum, which became an important centre for research and scholarship on African and Asian cultures and societies. He was made a member of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo. In addition to Arabic, he was also proficient in English, Hausa, Latin, and Persian.

Political career

Before Sudan's independence el-Mahi was one of the leading figures in this struggle, and his ideas and activism played an important role in shaping the direction of Sudanese nationalism and the broader independence movement. In the 1930s, el-Mahi became involved in nationalist politics in Sudan, and helped to found the Graduates' General Congress (GGC), a leading nationalist organisation that sought to mobilise Sudanese public opinion against British colonial rule. el-Mahi was involved with the GGC and was a vocal advocate for Sudanese independence. During the year when his country gained independence, el-Mahi joined the Egyptian Medical Corps as a chief psychiatrist to support the resistance against the 1956 tripartite invasion of Egypt.

During this time, professionals and workers demanded deep socio-economic reforms to strengthen democracy, which led to the victory over the military regime. After the Sudanese October 1964 Revolution overthrow General Ibrahim Abboud, el-Mahi served as a member of the first Committee of Sovereignty, from 3 December 1964 to 10 June 1965, which presided over the interim coalition Government that paved the way for general elections. He served as president of the council and thus head of state in 1965.

1965 Elizabeth II's visit to Sudan Elizabeth II during her visit to Sudan in February 1965. Left to her is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on her right is el-Mahi and behind her is Abdel Halim Mohamed.

On 8 February 1965, Elizabeth II visited Sudan and met with El Tigani El-Mahi, the President of the Supreme Council at the time. The visit included stops in Khartoum and El Obeid. On her first day, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were welcomed by President El Tigani El-Mahi at Khartoum airport, before being welcomed by a large crowd as they drove from the airport to the Republican Palace, and she stayed at the colonial-era Grand Hotel in Khartoum, during her visit. In a photograph taken during the state drive from Khartoum Airport, El Tigani El-Mahi is seen standing on the right side of the Queen's car, while an army officer from the entourage stands on the left. Prince Philip is also visible in the photograph, standing on the left and wearing a trilby hat.

The Queen also received a garland of flowers from two girls in Khartoum, as part of the warm welcome she received during her visit. One of the highlights of the Queen's visit was the afternoon of camel racing, which she attended with El Tigani El-Mahi. The two were seen together in an open-topped Rolls Royce car as they drove onto the race course, accompanied by a crowd of excited Sudanese spectators. The Queen also witnessed tribal dancing during her visit, adding to the cultural exchange that took place between the two countries.

The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh were also received by the people of Omdurman, including the Mayor Mansour Ali Haseeb, and the welcoming ceremony included a traditional Sudanese dance performance. However, this democratic era was short-lived as a successful coup d'état took place in 1969, led by Colonel Gaafar Nimeiry against the government of President Ismail al-Azhari and Prime Minister. This coup signalled the end of Sudan's second democratic era and saw the beginning of Nimeiry's 16-year rule.

During that period, el-Mahi remained committed to his vision of Sudanese nationalism and cultural identity, and was critical of many of the policies and practices of the post-independence governments. He was particularly concerned about issues of regional inequality and the marginalisation of certain groups within Sudanese society, and advocated for a more inclusive and egalitarian approach to governance. However, he focused on his literary and psychiatric work.

Death el-Mahi died in Khartoum on 8 January 1970. He is remembered as one of the most important intellectual and political figures in Sudanese history, and his contributions to the country's struggle for independence, Sudanese culture, politics, and intellectual life continue to be celebrated by scholars and activists today.