[Afro-Photo] Youssou N'Dour For President
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Zachary
Jan 4, 2012, 4:52:43 PM1/4/12
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Yes, the most famous mbalax star in Senegal is indeed running for president in the country's elections to be held in February 2012. While his music plays in literally every town and village in Senegal (and The Gambia as well for that matter), we will see if he is able to bring fans of his music to the polls.
In the following video message translated from French, N'Dour says his candidacy is a result of the men and women of Senegal calling for him to run. He asks potential voters to look beyond his lack of university education because he has, through travelling, "studied at the school of the world".
N'Dour will be running against current president Abdoulaye Wade who is 85 and seeking his third term in office. In 2011 Wade angered many in the nation by trying to reduce the percentage of votes required to avoid a runoff election from 50% to 25%. After major protests, with hip hop musicians at the vanguard of those those expressing discontent, Wade backed down.
With as much name recognition as he has, N'Dour will like still have to prove that he's a qualified as a policy maker and is representative of the values the Senegalese people believe in. Senegal is a majority muslim country with some particularly conservative areas. With N'Dour's entertainment lifestyle his has garnered criticism from conservative religious leaders in the past. In response to the criticism, N'Dour produced the album Egypt which was his attempt to show that his music was in line with the teachings of Islam. The album went on to win a Grammy, but a Grammy and a Presidency are too entirely different prizes. Most likely the conservative religious leaders will be vocal about a Youssou N'Dour candidacy.
N'Dour says his run for the presidency will be to limit the dubious spending of the Wade regime, the most ostentatious edifice of which is the North Korean-built Monument of the African Renaissance that came with a price tag of $27 Million. I have actually been to the statue in Dakar and seen its incredible grandeur and I'm still rather certain it's not worth the power outages that happen all over Dakar because spotlights shine on it all night long.
I do wonder with as many connections and business interests as Youssou N'Dour has however, whether he'll be able to affect the political and economic change he has promised in the country. It will be interesting too to see how much being a celebrity translates into political support in Senegal, considering in the US, many voters cast their ballots based on political character created largely by media agencies.
For a change-oriented Senegal it may be best to go with a guy with truly revolutionary vision that is without the baggage of Senegal's elite establishment. That would be Thiat of the Keur Gui Crew, as seen in the video below.
Here's to a free fair and safe election in Senegal next month.
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Posted By Zachary to Afro-Photo at 1/04/2012 12:40:00 PM
In the following video message translated from French, N'Dour says his candidacy is a result of the men and women of Senegal calling for him to run. He asks potential voters to look beyond his lack of university education because he has, through travelling, "studied at the school of the world".
N'Dour will be running against current president Abdoulaye Wade who is 85 and seeking his third term in office. In 2011 Wade angered many in the nation by trying to reduce the percentage of votes required to avoid a runoff election from 50% to 25%. After major protests, with hip hop musicians at the vanguard of those those expressing discontent, Wade backed down.
With as much name recognition as he has, N'Dour will like still have to prove that he's a qualified as a policy maker and is representative of the values the Senegalese people believe in. Senegal is a majority muslim country with some particularly conservative areas. With N'Dour's entertainment lifestyle his has garnered criticism from conservative religious leaders in the past. In response to the criticism, N'Dour produced the album Egypt which was his attempt to show that his music was in line with the teachings of Islam. The album went on to win a Grammy, but a Grammy and a Presidency are too entirely different prizes. Most likely the conservative religious leaders will be vocal about a Youssou N'Dour candidacy.
N'Dour says his run for the presidency will be to limit the dubious spending of the Wade regime, the most ostentatious edifice of which is the North Korean-built Monument of the African Renaissance that came with a price tag of $27 Million. I have actually been to the statue in Dakar and seen its incredible grandeur and I'm still rather certain it's not worth the power outages that happen all over Dakar because spotlights shine on it all night long.
I do wonder with as many connections and business interests as Youssou N'Dour has however, whether he'll be able to affect the political and economic change he has promised in the country. It will be interesting too to see how much being a celebrity translates into political support in Senegal, considering in the US, many voters cast their ballots based on political character created largely by media agencies.
For a change-oriented Senegal it may be best to go with a guy with truly revolutionary vision that is without the baggage of Senegal's elite establishment. That would be Thiat of the Keur Gui Crew, as seen in the video below.
Here's to a free fair and safe election in Senegal next month.
--
Posted By Zachary to Afro-Photo at 1/04/2012 12:40:00 PM
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