Aden Abdullah Osman Daar

Aden Abdulle Osman Daar (Aaden Cabdulle Cismaan Daar [Aaden Cadde]) (1908 – June 8, 2007) was a Somali politician and the country's first President. He was born near the Ethiopian border in the town of Belet Weyne.^[1] When Somalia became independent on July 1, 1960, he was elected as the first President of Somalia. In the 1967 presidential election he was defeated by Abdirashid Ali Shermarke. His term as president ended on June 10, 1967. However his successor, Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, was assassinated two years later. The slaying led to a coup headed by Mohamed Siad Barre, who then became a military dictator. In 1990, as the country was edging toward anarchy, Osman was among about 100 politicians who signed a manifesto expressing concern over the destruction, killings and flight of refugees as a result of the civil war. He was arrested along with more than 50 others by Barre's faltering regime. After his release, Osman lived mostly on his farm in Janale in southern Somalia.^[2] He spent his later years in Janale in Southern Somalia and in May 2007 it was erroneously reported that he died in a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.^[3] It was later clarified, however, that he was on life support, in critical condition, but had not yet died.^[4] He died over two weeks later in Nairobi on June 8, 2007, aged 99.^[5] The Transitional Federal Government declared 21 days of mourning, complete with a national memorial service, and said that he would receive a state funeral.^[6] It also voted to rename Mogadishu International Airport after him.

References

• Reuters: Somalia's first president dead at 99

1. ^ Aden A. Osman president of somalia
2. ^ Aden A. Osman, 99; first president of independent Somalia
3. ^ Aweys Osman Yusuf, "Somalia: First President Dies At the Age of 99", Shabelle Media Network (allAfrica.com), May 22, 2007.
4. ^ Mohamed Abdi Farah, "Somalia: Former president in coma (correction)", SomaliNet, May 22, 2007.
5. ^ "Somalia's first president dies at age 99", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), June 8, 2007.
6. ^ Body of First President Arrives in Mogadishu

•  • e Presidents of Somalia
Daar • Shermarke • Mukhtar* • Barre • Muhammad* • vacant, 1991-95 • M. Aidid* • H. Aidid* • vacant, 1997-2000 • Abdiqasim • Ahmed * interim