By Nassir al-Sayeid al-Nour
FEBRUARY 23, 2025 — On Saturday, February 22, Sudanese short-story writer and novelist Mohamed Khair Abdullah (1958-2025) died in the city of Kosti, after suffering from endemic cholera.
The Sudan intellectual and cultural scene has been shocked and saddened by his sudden death. Mohamed Khair was born in the town of al-Fashoyia in White Nile State, and he studied in Kosti and Khartoum. Critically, for the Sudanese literary scene, he was founder of the Sudanese Story Club, which highlighted the work of many emerging writers and left a lasting mark on the Sudanese cultural scene.
In a statement, the Sudanese Journalists’ Union praised Mohamed Khair’s devotion to the promotion of creative writing, and he is mourned by fans and friends on different social-media platforms.
Mohamed Khair was an iconic Sudanese short-story writer and promoter of the short-story form. Under his leadership, the Sudan Story Club published books and periodicals, held workshops and readings, and was famously known for its weekly symposium in coordination with UNESCO in Khartoum.
He also published a number of his own literary works. He was particularly famous for his sarcastic novels, in which he addressed many topics considered taboo. His published works included: A Dirty Biography, Delirium of an Old Man, The Night the President Killed Me, and A Slave’s Wedding. His latest novel was published late last year, titled Memoirs of a Dead Poet.
In reports of his death, many particularly remembered how he encouraged them to write. Author Hamed Bakhit told Ultra Sudan that Mohamed Khair, who wrote a thousand words every day, had advised him to write, adding, “Write, because if you want to change the reality in Sudan, you can change it only by writing every day.”
Also read: “The Story of X, the Story Writer,” by Mohamed Khair Abdullah, which appeared on Baladi in Nassir al-Sayeid al-Nour’s translation.