ETHIOPIAN reggae singer Eyob Mekonnen died on August 12 in Kenya at age 37.

A story on the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) website said Mekonnen had suffered a stroke the previous week.

According to the BBC, fans of the ailing singer helped raise funds for his treatment in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. He was airlifted to neighbouring Kenya but died one day after being admitted to hospital.

“He was one of a kind… humble and extremely loyal,” said his close friend and manager Eyob Alemayehu.

“A man of his word, reliable, caring, a strong believer, very upfront, talented and much, much more,” he added.

Eyob Mekonnen was born 1975 in the town of Jijiga, in eastern Ethiopia. He founded a five-man group called Zion Band, which recorded songs in the native Amharic tongue.

His anthems “promote morality, love, peace and social consciousness,” said Alemayehu.

He later went solo and toured sections of Europe and North America.