Protectorate opinion united behind joining Somalia while the SNL dominated public displays

Evidence

When we arrived it was clear that the extremist party … SNL, had succeeded in whipping up considerable following… . During my first two days I visited the principal towns in the Protectorate, and the extent of SNL control was shown by the way in which they organized quite large crowds to sit down with their backs to me as we passed through. I held meetings with political leaders and tribal elders in these towns and although the SNL put their demands in a more offensive manner, it was clear there was considerable unanimity between almost all sections of opinion in demanding very substantial constitutional advance … to enable them to have the chance of joining up with Somalia by the end of 1960 when that territory became independent. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 451