From independence for 1960 to di present day, several presidential couples don take turns at di Palace of di Republic on Avenue Roume for Dakar, di capital. Although dem no officially get specific function at di top of di State, di wives of presidents, from Léopold Sédar Senghor to Macky Sall, don leave dia mark on di life of di nation.
“Behind evri great man na woman, but why not say a great woman? After all, if a man dey great, na partly tanks to her. Di woman gatz dey dia to support her man and propel am to di top so e fit become great.”
Dis statement by Fabien Sullivan Grandfils, for di Dictionary of Quotations, dey particularly relevant to di first ladies wey don accompany dia men, wit all di sacrifices dem don make, on di winding road wey don take dem to di supreme magistracy.
Who be dis women wey don accompany Senegalese presidents?
Colette Senghor
Colette Senghor, née Hubert, wey die on 18 November 2019 at di age of 93, na di second wife of President Léopold Sédar Senghor and First Lady of Senegal for almost twenty years.
President Macky Sall pay warm tribute to her, and recognise her as “a discreet woman and a woman of di shadows”.
President Diouf, wey succeed Senghor in power and wey don work closely wit her, tok for di funeral say “she be marvellous woman from evri point of view and a remarkable woman” wey im consider “one of di most remarkable First Ladies for di world and for history”.
Born on 20 November 1925 for Mouzay (Meuse) into a Norman noble family, Colette Hubert marry Léopold Sédar Senghor, a member of parliament from Senegal, on 18 October 1957.
One year later, for 1958, di couple born Philippe Maguilen Senghor, dia only pikin, wey die for car accident for Dakar on 6 June 1981.
For im Lettres d’hivernage (published by Le Seuil, 1972), President Senghor pay a moving tribute to im wife Collette Senghor. “To Colette, my wife, wey inspire me to write dis poems”, e later tok, and explain say Colette na di source of im inspiration and strength.
Wen President Senghor die for 2001, she fight for part of im archives to dey preserved for di Salle Djilor for di Espace Senghor for Verson.
President Senghor bin marry Ginette Eboué from Guyana, daughter of di former govnor of Chad Félix Eboué. E get two children with her, Francis-Arfang and Guy Senghor, bifor dia divorce for 1955.
Elisabeth Diouf
Married to President Abdou Diouf since 1963, Elisabeth Diouf na di mother of four children: Pedro, Habib, Fabienne and Yacine.
A Catholic by faith, Elisabeth Diouf, na mixed-race woman of Lebanese origin. She play a leading role for Muslim-Christian dialogue for Senegal during her husband reign as president (1981-2000).
Discreet and veri measured, di second First Lady of Senegal, wit her Solidarité-Partage foundation, don leave her mark on Senegalese social life wit her many charitable activities.
As part of im social policy, President Abdou Diouf make access to drinking water a priority. As a result, di kontri major cities bin dey connected to di water distribution network and rural areas bin dey equipped wit boreholes.
Di processing of agricultural products, wit di “consume locally” policy, na priority. Di mechanisation of di processing of agricultural products bin dey supported.
Dis period bin dey marked by di granting of a number of grain mills by First Lady Elisabeth Diouf, through her Solidarité-Partage foundation.
Dem nickname di presidential couple Mr Drill and Mrs Mill.
Viviane Wade
Viviane Vert, born on 13 September 1932 for Besançon, France, become Senegal third First Lady afta di kontri change hands for 2000. She meet President Wade for 1952 for Besançon University.
Di couple marry for 1963 and move to Senegal, where dem get two children: Karim wey dem born for 1968 and Sindiély wey dem born for 1972.
Like all First Ladies, Viviane Wade bin support her husband through her Education-Santé association.
She be di promoter of di hospital for Nénéficha, a Bedick village 40 kilometres from Kédougou, near Bandafassy.
Dis modern hospital, wey dia financing dey estimated at 200 million FCFA, bin dey inaugurated on 6 November 2002. E bin include one operating theatre, one maternity ward, one nursing home and accommodation for doctors and nurses.
A few years later, e fall into complete disrepair and dem close am on 30 June 2013, bifor dem reopen am for 2014 wit di help of di NGO World Vision, and dem set am up as a health post.
Mrs Wade ambition na to support di development of dis remote locality for di south-east of di kontri. She don also invest heavily for education.
Marieme Faye Sall
Marieme Faye Sall wey dem born for Saint-Louis become Senegal fourth First Lady on 2 April 2012.
Enrolled at di Higher Institute of Technology at Cheikh Anta Diop University for Dakar, she study electrical engineering, but fail to obtain a degree.
Di presidential couple meet for 1992, wen Marième Faye Sall bin dey for Lycée.
Di birth of her first child force am to leave university for 1995. A mother of three, Marième Faye Sall bin act as close adviser to Macky Sall for di 2012 presidential election, against incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade.
Once in power, Marieme Faye Sall set up di Servir le Sénégal foundation to help her husband wit im social policy.
She don help deprived households in various ways through charity work. Veri ambitious, her presence and influence don dey more noticeable at di top of di State dan former First Ladies Colette Senghor, Elisabeth Diouf and Viviane Wade.
As proof of dis, one minister of di Republic of Senegal publicly tank her for contributing to im appointment to di goment.
Mansour Faye, her older brother and current mayor of Saint-Louis, don hold several ministerial posts for various goments under President Macky Sall.
Just bifor di end of Macky Sall term for office, Marieme Faye Sall dissolve di Servir le Sénégal foundation. Dis decision don spark reactions for Senegal.
In short, di various First Ladies wey don succeed one anoda for di Palace of di Republic don exert a definite influence on di life of di Senegalese nation, in one way or anoda.
Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye, two First Ladies you suppose sabi
For di first time in Senegal political history, president wey get more dan one wife go lead di kontri.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, wey win di presidential election of 24 March 2024, get two wives: Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye, wey di Senegalese pipo go get to know during im tenure.
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