Dear Editor,
The passing of Ayube Hamid on January 21 brought to an end an era unparalleled in the annals of radio broadcasting in Guyana and the Caribbean. His was a presence that dominated the airways for nearly six decades, with his weekly Monday night radio programme, ‘Indian Memory Album,’ and its theme song, Suhani Raat. Ayube’s dynamic voice, intermingled with the soothing musical selections of yesteryear that he featured, provided that much desired elixir for Guyanese at the beginning of the new week. In those days of radio only, listening to ‘Indian Memory Album’ was a weekly ritual throughout the land, especially in the rural areas, where the soothing sounds of the programme were just the right therapy for the hard-working agricultural folks before they hit the sack in preparation for another day’s work.
President Jagdeo was on target when he said, “Ayube Hamid has become an icon in Guyana. He has served as an inspiration to several generations of Guyanese and his passing is a tremendous loss to our whole country.” As a broadcasting icon, Ayube’s commanding and charismatic voice on Radio Demerara and GBS, in a wide variety of programming from Indian musical shows, including ‘Indian Melody Time,’ ‘Geet Nirala,’ and ‘Rhythms of Russian Bear,’ to ‘In Search of a Star,’ to the midday newscast, rendered him a household name years before the introduction of television. He was also the driving force behind the success of Guyana’s annual Quaseeda competition, his own brainchild.
As further noted by President Jagdeo, Ayube Hamid was a devout Muslim, who “reached across religion and race, because for him, there were more important things… that we belong to a wider humanity, we are part of a value that is bigger, and that value is important for us to move forward.” From his teenage days, Ayube was affiliated with the Queenstown Masjid and the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO). The annual Khushiali Fair, held on the grounds of the MYO, featured among the cultural extravaganzas he helped organize.
For those of us who had direct dealings with Ayube Hamid, one characteristic that stood out was his disciplined, no-nonsense approach to everything he did.
It was this, coupled with his charismatic voice and personality, that over the years endeared him to the broadcasting authorities and propelled him upwards as he assumed greater responsibilities, both behind the microphone and in management. Indeed, a void in the broadcasting field has been created with the death of this cultural giant.
For a developing nation, Guyana can today lay claim to a very high quality of radio (and television) broadcasting. Many will agree with me that much of the credit for this must be attributed to the lofty standards set by Ayube Hamid.
My deepest condolences are extended to Ayube’s immediate family and, also, to his extended family, the Guyanese public.
Yours faithfully,
Abel Peters
