Diomaye Is Sonko -By Efe Agabi

Diomaye is sonko is the slogan they evoked a new consciousness to retire the old for a new order in Senegal. Over 60 percent of the population in Senegal are below the age of 25 years. When it was evidently impossible for Sonko to run for the coveted office, he willingly allowed his close pal to run on the Jetstream and the young people chorused. “Diomaye is Sonko, the rest is history.

Faye 44 and Sonko 49 would lead Senegal as president and prime minister in a period of economic uncertainty. With rising unemployment and inflationary trends, expectation is very high from the inexperienced duo.

“I will work towards providing peace and national cohesion and make sure we preserve the most cherished resources which is our national stability.

Senegal would be a country of hope, at peace with an independent justice system and a stronger democracy” Faye said. Very promising lines from the President but in the coming months, reality would set in. the president would now walk through the most tumultuous crucible in human history, the throes of power. A philosopher said, all men can survive adversity if they choose to, but if you want to test the integrity of a man, give him power. To assume power is to subject self to the immortal test of integrity. Having declared ownership of two cars and a modest building, will the new President sustain his mien and resolve to live a life of self-denial, prudence and frugality. Can he resist the allure and paraphernalia of power that made hitherto strong men very weak, numb to human suffering and disconnected from the street. Will Faye sustain the social networks that provided the lather for him to step into political stardom or he will now remain on the high horse where Lazarus cannot access him. Time is the revealer of the intention of men

A peep into his political and academic history reflect that Faye did not ride on the support of the political elites in the country. Faye was not given power on a platter of gold, he was not allowed to win as claimed by some social commentators, he kissed the bullet, he trudged dangerous paths, he was imprisoned, he built networks and synergized with like minds
He did not attend the fanciful universities in the world, he did not study abroad, and he was a tax inspector with good but very humble educational background. He speaks eloquently and always very specific on the issues, methods and timelines. It was the young people that made him president, not his money bags. Faye leveraged on the social reach of social media to galvanize the energy of young people. Again, it is reenacted that social media is a potent threat to the old order. It permeates places that could not be reached before the emergence and wide proliferation of social media for real time communication

Faye is out to cross sword with the frontiers of imperialism, his decision to renegotiate oil deals as they edge close to becoming a major oil and gas producing country is a glimpse of what is in the offing. Faye would not serve the gods of the global west. He made it very clear in his posturing that he will not hobnob with the monsters in the west. This could energize a Pan-African movement as we continue search for escape from this web of economic servitude to the west. His appointment of Sonko as Prime Minister is a good start, a sign of gratitude for his pal and readiness to build a team of patriotic young minds that would make his administration work for the people, but again, this friendship between Faye and Sonko would now pass through the crucible. May we not experience another duo of Thomas Sankara and Blaise Compaore in Burkina Faso, a duo that shared the same patriotic interest before greed crept into the heart of Blaise Compaore which led to the demise of one of the finest leaders in African history. Some authors have argued that the ousting of Thomas Sankara ended sociopolitical and economic revival in that country. May we not also see the reenacting of Brutus and Julio Ceasar as we progress in this quest for participatory democracy in West Africa.

Senegal has demonstrated that military intervention as seen in the trio of Mali, Niger Republic and Guinea do not offer the only promising solution for gerontocracy practiced and enveloped with the garb of democracy in other countries in the region. But more importantly, Senegal echoed in the peacefulness of the election that electoral instruments and institutions have evolved beyond the suppression, control and interference of the executive arm. The professional conduct of the security before, during and after the election exemplify the strength of their institutions. As barrack Obama rightly said “Africa does not need strong men, it needs strong institutions”. Evidently, it is the institutions that would protect the decision of the people made through the voting cubicle to manifesting in electoral victory for the most competent, popular and prepared candidates. But when the institutions are weak, dependent and at the beck and call of the strong men, they become unavoidably induced due to moral bankruptcy and this is to the detriment of the people.

Juxtapose the foregoing narrative with the “not too young to lead” movement in Nigeria and the hurdles herein. The conjoined twin of religion and ethnicity and the throes of party politics frustrated the not too young to serve movement. It started with the intent to float a new political party due to the impenetrability of the mainstream parties and unaffordability of the party tickets. It is true that young people cannot muster the financial war chest to afford the ticket in th the APC, PDP and LP, but a movement that is organic, driven with altruism and patriotism could create a national consciousness to defy the odds.

It will require swimming against the tide or a Jetstream, but the machinery of nature would always stand with and for the just.

Nigeria is due for that surgical operation