Novelist Muhammad Khair Abdallah Remembered as Pillar of Sudanese Story Club

The death of Muhammad Khair Abdallah, novelist, short story writer, journalist, and President of the Sudanese Story Club, has left a deep void in Sudan’s cultural scene. Abdallah, who succumbed to cholera in Kosti on February 22, 2025, was remembered by colleagues as a man who gave his life to literature and culture.

For decades, Abdallah championed the Sudanese Story Club, helping to revive it after years of silence. He believed in the power of literature to shape national identity and placed great confidence in the younger generation, urging them to carry the torch of cultural work and creativity. His popular newspaper column “Al-Hababa” became a voice for reflection, satire, and literary engagement.

His prolific output included novels such as Imperial Delirium, Al-Manous, Al-Ba’ati, and The Night the President Killed Me. He also penned a biography of his friend, the poet Abuzar Al-Ghafari, entitled Days with Abu Dhar al-Ghafari… When Khartoum Was in the Grip of Friends. These works reflected his wide-ranging interest in the intersections of literature, history, and human struggle.

At a memorial organized by the Kosti Organization for Culture and Development, speakers emphasized his humanity and humility, qualities that endeared him to all who knew him. They hailed him as a unique model of writer and leader who built bridges across generations in Sudanese cultural life.