Abdullahi Haji

My Life Through News Media

Abdullahi Haji Abdi, Dr Abdisalam M Issa-Salwe, Ahmed Sh Mohamud

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English

Looh Press Ltd
27 August 2025

Biography: general; Media studies; Media, information & communication industries; Press & journalism

ABDULLAHI HAJI: MY LIFE THROUGH NEWS MEDIA captures the extraordinary journey of Abdullahi Haji Abdi, one of Somali broadcasting's pioneering voices whose career spanned the most transformative periods in Somali history.

In Somali culture, news is community connection itself. For a predominantly oral society that endured colonial rule and didn't see official Somali orthography until the 1970s, radio became the primary vessel for preserving cultural identity. Abdullahi Haji emerged as one of the most trusted voices in this tradition.

The memoir chronicles Haji's transformation from student to trailblasing broadcaster whose fearless journalism resonated across the Horn of Africa. His legendary 1972 interview with Somalia's president Siad Barre, boldly asking ""When will you return to your barracks?"", shocked listeners worldwide and defined his career.

When Somalis were scattered by civil war, Haji's voice became a unifying force connecting millions to their shared heritage and news from home. This memoir weaves personal reflections with broader themes of displacement and cultural preservation. This is the story of how radio waves carried a nation's heartbeat.

By: Abdullahi Haji Abdi
Edited by: Dr Abdisalam M Issa-Salwe, Ahmed Sh Mohamud
Imprint: Looh Press Ltd
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 11mm
Weight: 395g
ISBN: 9781912411900
ISBN 10: 1912411903
Pages: 166
Publication Date: 27 August 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

ABDULLAHI HAJI ABDI was born on October 15, 1939, in Warder, Ethiopia's Somali region. After Quranic education and Ethiopian Air Force pilot training at Bishoftu, he launched his broadcasting career at Ethiopian radio in the early 1960s following journalism training in Germany. In 1969, he joined the BBC Somali Service as a pioneering voice during its most influential period. His distinguished career covered major events including the Ogaden War and Ethiopian-Somali conflicts, while conducting investigative research on khat's social impact across East Africa. Now retired in London, he authored a memoir ""ABDULLAHI HAJI: MY LIFE THROUGH NEWS MEDIA"" to preserve broadcasting history, cementing his legacy as the voice that connected Somali communities worldwide during unprecedented dispersal. Dr. Abdisalam M. Issa-Salwe (PhD) is Somali scholar, researcher, lecturer, and author as well as celebrated veteran of Somali Studies. He is written, edited, many scholarly articles and books. Some of his published works include: 'The Collapse of the Somali State: The Impact of the Colonial Legacy' (1996); 'Cold War Fallout: Boundary Politics and Conflict in The Horn of Africa (2000); 'Oral Culture and Computer Mediated Communication: Social Dynamics of Mailing Lists (2010). He is currently Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Head of the Deanship of Curriculum Development. Dr Abdisalam is also Professor. Mr Ahmed Sheikh Mohamud has been a senior Somali career diplomat who served his country as a Deputy Chief of Mission at the Somali Embassy, Washington, D.C. USA, and ambassador to Nordic Countries, Somali Ambassador to Kenya, Permanent Representative of Somalia to the UN Centre for Human Settlement (Habitat) and UNEP in Kenya. He worked as a Head of Service at the Ministry of Higher Education and Culture, Director of Department for Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affair. Mr Mohamud is graduated with MA in International Relations, Postgraduate Diploma in International Advanced Studies and Community Leadership Development Programme. Currently, Mr Mohamud is the Coordinator/Facilitator of Democratic Dialogue Initiative (DDI) based in London, United Kingdom. He is also a researcher on conflict in the Horn of Africa at the Institute for African Alternatives (IFFA), London.

Reviews for Abdullahi Haji: My Life Through News Media

❝It's long past time for a biography of legendary broadcaster Abdullahi Haji. This book will definitely be useful for the future generation, providing them with a way to emulate Abdullahi Haji and become contributors to the development of modern communication media. An extremely honourable task that extends our name and honour.❞ - Dr Abdisalam M Issa-Salwe and Amb. Ahmed Sheekh Mohamud (editors) ❝What surprised me was that even his detractors would always request Haji to interview them.❞ - Mohamed Abdullahi (Former Head of BBC Somali Service (1993-2000) ❝Perhaps most remarkably, this memoir reveals radio journalism's capacity to serve as a bridge across seemingly insurmountable divides.❞ - Amb. Yusuf Garaad (Former Head of BBC Somali Service (2000-2012) .