The founder and manager of Hiraan Online, the oldest Somali news website, Ahmed Haji Ilmi Guure, passed away last night in Ottawa, Canada. after a long illness.
The deceased left behind a great legacy in aviation and journalism.
His biography.
Ahmed Haji Ilmi Guure was born in Jalalaqsi city in Hiran region in 1956. He spent his early life in Beledweyne city. The deceased received most of his education in Mogadishu. During his studies, Ahmed Haji Ilmi Goure was trained as a pilot at the famous Lufthansa Aviation Training Center in Bremen, Germany. When he returned to the country, he worked for Somali Airlines.
His courage and calmness were tested in 1991 when a plane he was traveling on from Mogadishu to Djibouti was hijacked during the civil war in Somalia, which he landed safely at Luuq Airport, without any harm to the passengers. on it. And it was a testament to his skill and composure.
After the country’s civil war, Ahmed and his family moved to Canada in 1992, where he began his studies in computer science at Algonquin College in Ottawa, eventually finding a position at Nortel Networks, at that time the top of the Canadian telecommunications industry.
In 1999, Ahmed saw an opportunity to connect the continents and welcome the Somali diaspora. He founded Hiran Online, which he established in Ottowa, on July 1, 1999. It was the right step in its time, and it became the pioneer of the platform for presenting the Somalia Peace Conference in 2000 held in the city of Carta. in Djibouti. And Hiraan Online became a symbol of the beginning of its central role in the Somali press.
For 25 years, Ahmed has dedicated himself to creating a reliable news source that shines with truth and honesty. However, his dream of re-establishing Somali Airlines prompted him to obtain a Master’s degree in Aviation Management from Coventry University in 2019, and his knowledge was recognized by the Ministry of Transport of Somalia, becoming a senior advisor. I’m working on his vision.
Ahmed Guure’s death has caught the attention of social media. Abukar Osman, the Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations, who was a relative and close friend of the deceased, said, “I am very saddened by the death of my uncle and friend, Captain Ahmed Guure. unimaginable.”
Sahra Abdi of VOA Somali, who used to work with the deceased, recalled the times she worked for Hiraan Online in the years 2005-2009. “Hiran Online will be around forever,” she said.
Others, such as Noura Ahmed, highlighted the impact of the death of Ahmed Haji Ilmi Goure on the Somali media: “Where would the Somali media be without Hiran,” she said.
The well-known Somali journalist, Abdicasis Golfyare, said, “Innaa Lilah Wa Innaa Ileyhi Rajicoon, may God have mercy on Ahmed Gure, his death is sad, and may God give patience to his family and relatives.”
Farhan Jimale, the spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s office and a former BBC reporter, said he was very saddened by the death of Ahmed Goure: “Innaa Lilahi Wa Innaa Ileyhi Rajicoon, may God have mercy on my brother and friend of the media Ahmedey Elmi Goure, the founder and Broadcaster editor. Hiraan Online, in addition to his journalistic skills, Ahmed Guure was a pilot – a valuable person, open-hearted, hard-working, humorous, pious, loved by his friends and family.
Ahmed Guure’s life testified to the power of perseverance, ambition and unwavering efforts. His contributions to the Somali media and his dream for the bright future of Somalia’s aviation will always be remembered, and his legacy is above the clouds.
Captain Ahmed Guure is survived by his wife, seven children and two grandchildren. Dalmar Ahmed Guure will assume the role of Managing Editor, ensuring that his father’s vision continues to guide Hiraan Online.
