Khojali Osman
Khojali Osman of Al- Halfaya, Khartoum North, was a popular Sudanese artist who was known throughout the country for his soothing voice and romantic music. He was known for singing songs such as ma bnikhtalif, habba, habba, asma3na marra and hajri w fatishi. The period from 1975 to 1994 witnessed the growth of his fame at great speed. His life was cut short in a mysterious incident outside the Musicians club in the Sudanese cultural capital, Omdurman.
Murder
On November 10, 1994, Suleiman Adam Musa, a known religious fanatic, had gone into the club with intent to kill, under the pretense that he was delivering post to some singers. Khojali, who had been closest at hand to him along with another artist, Abdel Gadir Salim, were the random subjects of his attack. The latter survived. Official spokespeople for the authorities dubbed the killer as a 'mad man', although this was debated because Musa had held a 10-minute conversation with Salem, one of his subjects in which he appeared perfectly sane, whilst he had also carried the traits of not a mad man, but of a reasonably sane extremist. He called Allah Akbar (God is Great), and declared himself a mujahid as he carried out the stabbings.
The incident sparked great emotions in the hearts of the Sudanese who believed that the 'mad-man' had acted under the guidance of the fanatical government.
Unlike some other Sudanese artists who had openly resisted the oppression of the government that had controlled media transmission to prevent popular love songs that were not about love for one's country or religion from being aired, Khojali remained mutual. Regardless of this, he is the first artist to have been killed in a politically motivated attack in the country’s history.
It was revealed after the attack that Musa had intended to harm the Sudanese artist, Mohammed Wardi, who was famed for his bold and free opposition of the government. Upon finding him away in London to promote his latest release, Musa lashed out on Khojali, and Salem as the random alternatives.
Family
Khojali Osman left behind a wife, five children, and a world of unique songs that no 'mad-man' can erase from Sudanese history.