Senegal

By Maryam Ahmad

Senegalese-born TikTok star Khaby Lame, the most-followed personality on the platform, recently met with Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, in Dakar. The visit focused on youth empowerment and using social media for positive change.

Lame, who was born in Senegal before relocating to Italy, expressed his commitment to giving back to his homeland. He underscored the importance of education and digital literacy, highlighting how platforms like TikTok can inspire and educate young people.

President Faye praised Lame for his global influence, noting that his journey from humble beginnings to international fame inspires African youth. The president encouraged young people to leverage digital opportunities for self-development and economic growth.

Beyond meeting with the president, Lame partnered with UNICEF during his stay in Senegal. Over four days, he engaged with children in health, education, and climate change awareness programs. His visit aimed to draw attention to the challenges faced by African youth and promote initiatives that support their growth.

Lame’s visit underscores the power of social media influencers to drive change. His collaboration with government and international organisations highlights the role digital platforms play in shaping the future of young Africans.

Many Nigerian youth are also turning to social media for career opportunities, so Lame’s story motivates content creators and entrepreneurs across the continent. His rise to fame proves that talent, creativity, and persistence can open global doors, regardless of one’s background.

In a historic visit, President Bola Tinubu received his Senegalese counterpart, President Bassirou Faye, at the Aso Rock Villa on Thursday.

This marks Faye’s first official visit to Nigeria since assuming office last month. 

Faye, who arrived at 3:09 pm, was greeted by President Tinubu at the Villa’s forecourt.

The Senegalese president’s victory in a delayed presidential election in April made him the youngest president in Senegal’s history, securing over 54% of the votes. 

The State House was adorned with both Nigerian and Senegalese flags in preparation for the visit, which was announced by President Tinubu’s social media aide, Dada Olusegun. 

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations and exploring areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Senegal.

The visit is seen as an opportunity to boost economic growth and development in the West African region. 

Faye’s visit marks a significant milestone in Senegal-Nigeria relations, building on a long history of cooperation between the two nations.

The outcome of the meeting is expected to be announced soon, but the visit has already highlighted the importance of strengthening ties between the two countries.

By Uzair Adam Imam

President Tinubu is scheduled to travel to Senegal on Monday in response to the ongoing political crisis gripping the West African nation.

As reported by the Western Post, Tinubu, who also serves as the Chairman of ECOWAS, aims to engage in discussions with President Sall to advocate for upholding the country’s constitution and preventing Senegal from descending further into crisis.

One of the key objectives of Tinubu’s visit is to urge for the immediate conduct of presidential elections, highlighting the importance of restoring stability and democratic processes in Senegal.

By Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf

The reigning champions and the best national team in the continent, Senegal, had met its waterloo at the hands of the host, Ivory Coast, who must be buoyant, having qualified to the Round of 16 by the skin of their teeth when all around them was doom and gloom. 

The Teranga Lions entered the tournament as the undisputed favourites to record a back-to-back triumph. They justified their billing by becoming the only country to win all three group games, often at a canter. The stage was set for Mane and Co. to dominate the knockout stages. However, the Ivorians read a different script.

The Elephants came into the tournament as the host country with little expectations. Gone are the days of Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Kalou and Zokora. So, one expected the host to mount a serious title challenge. But no one expected them to lose embarrassingly to Equatorial Guinea either. Ultimately, they qualified into the knockouts as the worst of all the 16 entrants. Few people gave them a chance to overcome the swaggering Senegal. And that’s what they just did.

Such is the cruel nature of winner-takes-all international football. The Ivorians must now be cautiously optimistic about their chances, having surmounted the most difficult of obstacles. Senegal must be ruing what might have been while they lick their wounds.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

In a significant development in the world of football transfers, it has been confirmed that Sadio Mane’s agent, Roof Björn Bezemer, is set to embark on a trip to Japan to negotiate terms with Al Nassr.

The Saudi Arabian club has expressed keen interest in acquiring the talented winger from Bayern.

Last week, Sadio Mane gave his initial approval for negotiations with Al Nassr, signalling his willingness to consider a potential move to the Middle Eastern club.

However, it’s worth noting that Mane had expressed his desire to stay at Bayern Munich and was adamant about remaining with the team.

Despite the player’s stance, Bayern Munich has decided to part ways with Mane, making it evident that they are open to his departure.

This development has provided Al Nassr with a glimmer of hope to secure the services of the highly regarded footballer.

Roof Björn Bezemer, the intermediary representing Sadio Mane, is now entrusted with the task of sitting down with Al Nassr officials to discuss the terms of the potential deal.

The negotiations are expected to be crucial in determining whether the transfer will come to fruition.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari.

The Vice President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Dr Mansur Muhtar, said the action for the implementation of the Blue Deal on Water and Sanitation aligns with the key pillars of IsDB’s water policy.

Dr Muhtar stated this at the 9th World Water Forum held in Dakar on March 22, 2022, where he attended alongside a delegation of experts he led.

The Blue Deal is reportedly an action plan outlined by ministers in charge of water and heads of delegation assembled for the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal (21-26th March 2022)

“We are well positioned to support member countries’ efforts in implementing the Blue-Deal actions through provision of financing, technical assistance, capacity development and leveraging Islamic finance instruments,” Dr Muhtar stated

Dr Muhtar stated that the IsDB water sector policy is concurrent with the actions advocated for in the Blue Deal.

“Capacity development and solutions transfer for an improved governance of the water sector is a very important pillar of the policy,” he added.

The Blue Deal aims to achieve the urgent need for water and sanitation targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The World Water Forum, which is organized by the World Water Council and the host country, is the largest event that talks about global issues on the water. It takes place every three years, and the 9th Forum in Dakar is the first one to be held in Sub-Saharan Africa.

By Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani

It is no longer news that another African coach has won the African Cup of Nations, bringing it to six out of the last nine editions won by African coaches. Coach Aliou Cisse of Senegal joined the illustrious list of African coaches that have won it in the period under review:  Hassan Shehata of Egypt, three times, Steven Keshi of Nigeria, Djamel Belmadi of Algeria,  all once.

While I don’t know have anything personal against expatriate coaches, I have everything against the perception that our African coaches are not technically sound to manage our national teams. This is absurd. There are good coaches all over the world.

There are brilliant football managers all across mother Africa who should not be disapproved merely because of what can be referred to as our syndrome of not valuing our own. It shouldn’t be so. 

Of course, Nigeria’s best coach in history is a Dutchman, Clemens Westerhof, who coached Nigeria from 1989 to 1994: winning silver in Algeria 1990, bronze in Senegal 1992, and winning gold in Tunisia 1994.

Westerhof Qualified Nigeria to her maiden World Cup, played some of the most entertaining football ever in Africa and achieved the highest ranking by an African national team, 5th in April 1994 FIFA rankings.

Thus, there isn’t any way I would despise foreign coaches. It isn’t logical. However, I advocate that they be given fairgrounds to compete with our local coaches, and when appointed, all should be supported sufficiently to succeed. 

It is still fresh in my mind how Nigeria Football Federation got itself trapped in a web it is still striving to overcome. They sacked Gernot Rohr at the eleventh hour, which I still think is debatable. Yet, they went ahead to ‘appoint’ a new manager while an interim manager was in place. Who does that before a major tournament and the World Cup playoff around the corner? 

I had thought they should have waited for the AFCON to conclude before appointing any manager, especially with an interim manager already appointed. And all those who shared my views have been proven right with the latest development of allowing the interim manager, Austin Eguavoen, to continue until after the World Cup playoff against Ghana.

I think we would have been saved all this rigmarole if the NFF had at least trusted him enough to be the interim manager and not gone ahead to supposedly have an agreement with someone to succeed him regardless of his performances. 

Until, the Nigerian football fanatics reigned and rallied around the interim manager after some spectacular displays at the group stage of the AFCON, which seemed to have been adequate to make NFF take this recent decision, despite our shock elimination at the last 16 by Tunisia.  May we learn to give our best any job, support, and trust them to deliver. God bless Nigeria. 

Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani wrote from Turaki B, Jalingo, Taraba State via abdulrazaksansani93@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A stadium is set to be named after Sadio Mane in his home town of Sedhiou in Senegal after helping his country to win the just concluded AFCON.

Senegal’s minister of culture and communication, Abdoulaye Diop, confirmed the news this past week.

According to Diop, the stadium is named after the region’s favourite son.

“I would like, through this decision to give the name of Sadio Mané to the Stade de Sédhiou, to express the recognition of all the daughters and sons of the region, towards a man who makes known to the humanity as a whole, Bambali and its regional capital, namely Sédhiou,” Diop was quoted saying by the local media.

Diop added that “Sadio Mane really deserves this honour.”

The Liverpool forward scored the winning penalty as Senegal beat Egypt 4-2 to win the 2021 African Cup of Nations held in Cameroon for the first time in history. Mane also earned the love and respect of millions of people owing to his charity works.