# Khadra Dahir Ige (Khadra Daahir Cige)

> Khadra Dahir Ige (1957–2022): Hargeisa-born Waaberi singer, one of the leading female voices of the 1970s and 1980s.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/khadra-dahir-ige/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who was she?

Khadra Dahir Ige was a Somali singer, and one of the best-known female stars of the 1970s and 1980s ([Wikipedia, Khadra Dahir Ige](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khadra_Dahir_Ige)). See [Somali music](/en/society/somali-music/).

## Early life

She was born in Hargeisa in 1957, in [British Somaliland](/en/history/british-somaliland-1884-1960/) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khadra_Dahir_Ige)). At school she played basketball in national tournaments (same source).

## Waaberi

In 1974, aged 17, she joined the dance unit of the national music group Waaberi ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khadra_Dahir_Ige)). She recalled that in the 1970s Somalis became more accepting of women as singers (same source). Many of her songs were written by the poet Hassan H. Abdullahi, known as Hassan Ganey (same source). Her songs include *Afka lagama sheegto adigoon jeceyl arag* and *Yabaal* (1975) (same source).

## Later life

She retired from singing in 2002 and lived in Hargeisa ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khadra_Dahir_Ige)). In February 2012 the website Berbera News ranked her third among 15 artists in its list of "160 Great Somalis" (same source). She died at the International Hospital in Hargeisa on 25 June 2022, aged 65 (same source).

## In short

A Hargeisa-born Waaberi singer who was one of the leading female voices of the 1970s and 1980s.

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