Tributes pour in for top musician who died in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Another legendary Somalia musician died in a Mogadishu hospital on Thursday night after years of battling with a disease, a top official confirmed, in yet another setback that could raise questions about the welfare of music icons in the Horn of Africa nation.

Abdi Tahlil Warsame, 68, died after being bedridden for years now, with family members saying that he had been paralyzed for some years. Born in 1952, Abdi's music spanned for decades and was popular both locally and in the diaspora.

Ismael Mukhtaar, the spokesperson for the ministry of information, said the legendary musician had been in "poor" health for years, adding that the government was "saddened" by his death.

"He was a true legend and we're saddened by his death," Mukhtaar said in a Twitter post. He added: "His music will forever remain in our hearts and as government, we send our deepest condolences and sympathies to the family."

A family member told Garowe Online that the musician had been living in abject poverty despite his iconic contributions to the country's music and tourism industry, spending decades in communicating positive stories about Somalia through his music.

Moments after his death, social media was awash with updated video clips of him entertaining audiences both abroad and at home, with many describing him as a "true legend of Somali music" in several posts on Twitter and Facebook.

Dozens of Somalis paid tributes to the musician, whose records are still played within Somalia despite many years of absence from the performance stages. It's not immediately clear when he stopped performing in live concerts.

Mogadishu residents asked the government to give him a decent burial, with some piling pressure on officials to locate former musicians for assistance when they are alive. He was buried on Friday in accordance with Islamic protocols.

Ambassador Ahmed Awad, the country's Foreign Affairs minister, hailed the deceased as an all-time maestro, adding that his death was a "tragic" loss to Somalia and the entertainment industry globally.

"He was a gifted singer and an honest man. Abdi Tahlil is one of my favorite artists. May Allah the Almighty reward him with Jannah. We shall truly miss this legend, but his legacy will live forever and ever," he posted on Twitter account.

"Hudeydi, the ultimate Oud maestro.
Daud Ali Masxaf, the legend of the lute.
Omar Shooli, relentless entertainer.
Abdi Tahlil Warsame, prodigious singer. Legends don’t die. Legacies live forever and ever. May the Almighty have mercy on them," added Mohammed Hirmoge, a former strategic communication officer in Villa Somalia.

"Deeply saddened by the death of Abdi Tahlil Warsame, The legendary of the Somali music icon. One of the founders of modern Somali music, He was arguably the greatest artist of our times. What a big loss for the Somali nation and the music world," said Abdikadir Sadik, a Mogadishu resident.

His death comes barely two months after passing on of legendary Wabeeri Band singer Omar Abdulle Osman alias Shooli, who died in Mogadishu in April also after many years of battling with a disease.

Omar, famously known for composing and singing inspirational songs, had died at Aden Adde Hospital in the capital Mogadishu. The government paid tributes to his long music career which also spanned for decades.

Earlier in April, the country also lost legendary songwriter, pianist, and poet Ahmed Ismail Hussein alias Hudeydi, who succumbed to the deadly Coronavirus, which has continued to wreak havoc across the world.

Hussein, 92, died in London after battling with the virus for few days and was interred in the UK, where he had lived for the better part of his life since the end of Somalia's deadly civil war. The three were arguably the best Somali musicians during their time.

GAROWE ONLINE