Tribute To Satirist Ahmed Ragab

Remembering Ragab

  Days after the passing of Egypt's king of satire Ahmed Ragab, the tributes are still flowing in. Within hours the Journalists Syndicate released a statement mourning the great journalist at the age of 86. Crowned the Dean of Satire, Ragab was hailed as a "gentleman knight and a fierce fighter with his satirical style, and his pen mocked to defend the rights of Egyptians, especially those unable to express their everyday suffering. He also had great qualities, which earned him the love of his colleagues and his students." The syndicate went on to laud the satirist as "a beacon in the newspaper Akhbar Al Yom who has won numerous awards, most recently Personality of the Year (2013) at the Arab Journalism Awards in Dubai. His readers eagerly awaited his daily column “Nos Kelma” (half a word) for five decades, and along with his colleague, the late cartoonist Mustafa Hussein, who passed away last month, they created many ideas and characters from the reality of the Egyptian society. … God have mercy on the departed and rest his soul in peace, and grant his family and relatives, and the rest of his friends and students and loved ones, patience and solace. Here's how friends and media personalities remember the legendary satirist: "Gone is the honest man whose words came from his heart and into ours, and from his mind into ours, who affected our consciousness with his words." Writer and columnist Farida El Shobashy "The death of satirist Ahmed Ragab is a heavy loss for Egyptian journalism. We will not have another like him soon. It’s going to take a long time before we have another Ahmed Ragab." Novelist Youssef El Qaaid "God bless Ahmed Ragab, he put a smile of delight on the faces of Egyptians, and passed away within a few days of his comrade Mustafa Hussein. May they rest in peace." Amre Moussa, former secretary-general of the Arab League "The Egyptian and Arab press, not just Al Akhbar El Youm, have lost a writer known for his professionalism and commitment to professional ethics. He was a symbol of the national press. God bless Ahmed Ragab who together with the late, great Mustafa Hussein put a smile on the lips of the nation’s weary sons and contributed in expanding the horizons of hope in the faces of those with demands and needs." Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb "There’s never been anyone like Ahmed Ragab and there never will be anyone like Ahmed Ragab and I’ve had the honor to know no one like Ahmed Ragab, God have mercy on Ahmed Ragab." Talk show host Amr Adib on Twitter "Farewell Ahmed Ragab. We don’t have the words to give you your due, you who taught us the eloquence of conveying meaning. In just half a word [playing on the title of Ragab's column, Nos Kelma (Half a Word)]." Lawyer and analyst Khaled Abu Bakr on Twitter "He was a patriot first and then a great writer. He wrote about everything that concerned Egyptians, Egypt has lost a great writer and a great human being, it’ll be hard to find someone like him again, but that’s life." Football legend Taher Abu Zeid "Egypt and the Arab world have lost the maestro of satirical journalism with his mighty, biting style, the dean of satire, Ahmed Ragab and his extraordinary talent, the bold knight, prince of the smile. Composer Omar Khairat "Ahmed Ragab was of great value and rare journalistic stature. He sided with the poor with his quick, brief words in Nos Kelma." Governor of Alexandria General Tarek Mahdi