Somalia’s ‘King of Oud’ dies from coronavirus

Ahmed Ismail Hussein Hudeydi, considered by many to be the founding father of modern Somali music, has died in London after contracting Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.

Active towards the end of Italian rule, Hudeydi became a leading figure within the independence movement and throughout the early stages of de-colonisation.

Never afraid to speak or sing, his mind, the authorities once tried to ban music, describing it as “the devil’s work”.

He earned the nickname ‘King of Oud’ because to the instrument he played, his love for which he described as a sickness; whenever he saw one he had to pick it up and play it.

Born in the port city of Berber in 1928, Hudeydi grew up in Aden, Yemen, but returned to Somalia as a young man.

When his country was engulfed by civil war, he was forced to move to London, where he stayed for the remainder of his life.

Hanna Ali, director of the London-based Kayd Somali arts organisation, said “his music embodied the sound of the long struggle to freedom and independence”.

Many have been sharing their tributes to “one of the greatest Somali musicians of all time”, not least the writer, Nadifa Mohamed, who spoke of how he transcribed the “independence journey into music and poetry”.

Hudeydi was 92.

Photo: Twitter/najivisuals