Sometimes I feel more Toubab than others. And since French is not my first language, sometimes I have to read things slowly, or even twice, to understand them well. But there are these cases when I read them four, five times, and I still think I must have made a mistake. This seems to happen more often when I read news about M. Abdulaye Wade, 83, current president of Senegal.
See the picture?
From the Atepa Group's website
It is a projected (and severely over sized) vision of the Monument to the Renaissance of Africa, conceived by Wade Senior. It symbolizes "an Africa that frees itself from all sorts of domination to enter a new world" (source). It is also meant to compete with the (smaller, bien sûre) Statue of the Liberty on the other side of the Atlantic. When I arrived in Dakar I lived about a kilometer from it, and the thing was still far from having a recognizable shape. Little by little we could see two sets of legs, then a torso, and then I left. If all goes well (the construction, my plans) I will see it shortly after it is finished: the project is scheduled to finalized in December. Apart from the monument, the area around the monument will be geared towards tourism, including a lookout to the city of Dakar, several restaurants, stores, and conference space.
Nothing out of the ordinary, although this is one of many faraonic monuments in a city that, in my humble opinion, could use those funds to build badly needed infrastructure (garbage collection, sewage) and a better public transit system for all those who spend four hours a day traveling between the banlieu and the Plateau. But it's ok, said Mr. President, because we haven't paid for the construction of the monument: we have exchanged it for the lot where it will stand, and we will be able to enjoy its (and his) glory for the next 1,200 years.
None of this convinced those opposing the construction of the monument -- and let me tell you: they're a good bunch. A number of those who are listened argue that the monument is an offense to the arts, others that it is insulting the modesty of a nation of believers and that it is an aggression to the beautiful landscape of the Mamelles area (for a couple of reactions see here and here). I agree with number one and three, and declare myself incapable of intervention regarding number two.
Anyways: it's a matter of life that we don't always agree with politicians. But what about someone who is an elected official (a President of the government is not any kind of elected position), who has a salary for the job that he does, which is to keep a country running properly, and then decides to add "extras" to his salary? What about M. Wade Senior saying that, since it was his idea to build the monument, it is therefore his intellectual property? And that his son (Wade junior, who failed in the last Dakar elections and has ambitions to be the next president of Senegal) will be in charge of keeping the business running so that he, Wade senior, can reap a generous 35% of the benefits?
Excuse my Toubabness, but I don't get it. And I'm not the only one.
>> EDIT: I just found out about a new and creative version of the monument that has been circulating around the internet, showing the Wades in their heroism. The Minister of Communication doesn't like it very much ... Maybe he also has intellectual property rights over the statue?
