Veteran Somali journalist dies, aged 80

One of Somalia’s most celebrated veteran journalists has died suddenly at a hospital in the Somali capital Tuesday, family announced.

Abdi Haji Gobdon, a pioneering long-time journalist as well as a former government spokesman has died after a brief illness at Daru Shifa hospital, his brother Abukar Gobdon announced.

His work largely focused on patriotism and promoting peace in a desperate attempt to educate the seaside capital’s population, majority of them a young generation about peace.

Tributes have been paid to the prominent journalist whose family said had no history of illness apart from a long-running breath complications prior to his death.

Mr. Gobdon worked in both the print and broadcast media.  He was well-known for his radio programs in 1980s which he had started on early 1960s soon after the horn of Africa nation gained its independence.

His former colleagues note that Mr. Gobdon had a passion for broadcasting, a talent which has drawn the admiration of the Somalis for the journalist.

His fans included the former Somali president Mohamed Siad Barre who later appointed him as his spokesman, according to his former colleagues described him as a ‘towering’ and ‘talented’ journalist.

Many of his colleagues recalled his stature in the field of journalism.

His death has been met with touching tributes on the social media as thousands of Somalis paid their respects to the late journalist, saying that his death was an enormous loss in particular for the media
fraternity and the nation in general.