Aden Abdullah Osman Daar

Aden Abdulle Osman Daar (Aaden Cabdulle Cismaan Daar (Aaden Cadde), عدن عبد الله عثمان دار) (1908 – June 8, 2007) was a Somali politician and the country's first President. He was born near the Ogaden in the town of Belet Weyne to a Mudulood Hawiye family.

Political career

When Somalia gained its independence on July 1, 1960, Daar was elected as the nation's first president. In the 1967 presidential election, he was defeated by Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, his former Prime Minister. His term as president ended on June 10, 1967.

However, Daar's successor, Shermarke, was assassinated only two years later. The slaying led to a coup d'état on October 21, 1969 (the day after Shermarke's funeral), in which the army seized power without encountering opposition -- essentially a bloodless coup. The coup was spearheaded by Major General Muhammad Siad Barre, who was at the time the commander of the army.

In 1990, with the country edging towards anarchy, Daar and about 100 other Somali politicians signed a manifesto expressing concern over the destruction, killings and flight of refugees as a result of the civil war in Somalia. He was arrested along with more than 50 others by Barre's faltering regime.

Later years

After his release, Daar spent the better part of his later years on his farm in Janale in southern Somalia.

In May 2007, it was erroneously reported that he had died in a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. It was later clarified, however, that he was on life support; in critical condition, but not yet dead.

Daar died over two weeks later in Nairobi on June 8, 2007 at the age of 99.

The Transitional Federal Government, headed by current President of Somalia Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, declared 21 days of mourning, complete with a national memorial service, and issued a statement to the effect that Daar would receive a state funeral. It also voted to rename Mogadishu International Airport after him.

References

• Reuters: Somalia's first president dead at 99