Prefacing the book he is preparing to publish, “The Path of Bourguiba”, Driss Guiga, former minister of Bourguiba for thirty years, in Internal Security, Public Health, Education, Tourism, having left remarkable traces everywhere he went, finally decides, on the eve of celebrating the century, to relate his journey, his encounters, his victories and perhaps his defeats.
Even before it is asked of him, this great man of what was a great era, that of the founding of modern Tunisia, answers the question: why now? Why is he, who imposed on himself a duty of reserve for so long, speaking today?
“For the simple reason that our country is currently experiencing a political malaise which, with the help of disinformation on social networks, is creating great confusion in people’s minds. Some are taking advantage of this to obliterate the achievements of this founding period and especially to attack the founders and pioneers as well as the institutional and cultural symbols created by the national liberation movement.”
So, he, Driss Guiga, decided to testify with measure, sincerity, humility, presenting in the form of a story his personal experience, the events he lived, the people he met, people of all conditions, from the humblest to the highest.
“I learned to become Tunisian, to love a homeland, to defend its cause and put myself at its service, because one is not born Tunisian, one becomes one. This basic culture is the foundation of any civic project whatsoever. Without rooting in a homeland and devotion to its service, no political project is worth anything.”
We cannot thank Si Driss Guiga enough for reminding us of this in these troubled times.
For the rest, he relies on history
It is up to her, he tells us, to judge whether this era that he lived through as a major player, to which he devoted himself, and to which he bears witness today was truly fundamental to the destiny of our country.
He firmly believes in it, but he has decided to limit himself to saying what he has lived, what he has known, what he has done. And that is already a lot, one would like to say to the one who was a great civil servant. In the preface of this book that he has chosen to call “The path of Bourguiba”, it is obviously to the leader that he pays homage.
“In any case, I see today that this work has endured: it still strongly structures the political culture of our country and its culture in general.
Because among its founders there was a master builder who paved the way, drew up a road map and acted in an exemplary manner to establish the stages.
This man is Bourguiba, and that is why this book bears his name in its title. For having loved Tunisia with a passionate and exclusive love, for having placed the meaning of the State at the heart of politics, for having placed the emancipation of women at the heart of social emancipation, for having made Tunisia play in the court of the greats of this world, Bourguiba was a great, very great Tunisian.
And if there is a singularity of Tunisia in the concert of nations, it is to the singularity of Bourguiba that we owe it.” Thanks again Si Driss Guiga for reminding us.
