Rabat – Moroccan journalist Driss Ouhab died Thursday morning in Casablanca at the age of 56 after suffering severe health complications due to COVID-19.
A graduate of the Higher Institute for Media and Communication (ISIC) in Rabat in 1988, Driss Ouhab was among the first to join the staff of Moroccan television channel 2M after its launch in 1989.
Driss Ouhab presented the very first live news bulletin on the channel. He worked as a broadcaster in the news department until 2001.
In addition to dialoguing with politicians, the late journalist covered local and international news.
Driss Ouhab also participated in the production of a number of 2M television shows, in addition to working with the channel’s sports department. He also worked for Radio 2M and occupied the post of editor-in-chief for television reports.
The iconic figure that the 1980s and 1990s generations grew up watching also offered journalism training courses at private institutes.
The death of Driss Ouhab brings to mind the names of several other prominent Moroccan figures who passed away this year, from several fields, including cinema, television, politics, and art.
These include actors Aziz Saadallah, Anouar Joundi, Abdeljabbar Louzir, and Abdeladim Chennaoui, who worked as a presenter as well.
Saadia Kritif, also known as Touria Jabrane, who occupied the post of Morocco’s Minister of Culture and contributed significantly to enriching theater in Morocco, died on August 24.
Jewish Moroccan musician Marcel Botbol died from COVID-19 on April 1 in Paris. The Fez native interpreted Andalusian Gharnati music and popular Moroccan repertoires.
On Wednesday, Moroccan plastic artist Mohamed Melehi also died from COVID-19 in the French capital. Melehi was famous for designing the logo for the city of Agadir.
COVID-19-related complications claimed the life of iconic Moroccan Rabbi Yossef Abdelhak on October 25. Abdelhak was a well-renowned teacher at Talmudic schools and was considered a pillar of Morocco’s Jewish community.
