Dakar, 29 (APS) – A rumor attributed to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye according to which Arabic would become the official language of Senegal to replace French has excited social networks in 2024, as has another also viral, suggesting that the Senegalese head of state would have asked his fellow citizens to no longer hang his photo in administration offices.
There was, before this rumor about the choice of Arabic as the official language in Senegal and that in the photo of the president, another fakenews relating to the payment of taxes of French companies established in Senegal, in connection with political orientations and economic aspects of the new Senegalese authorities.
This fake news was widely shared across the country and even in certain countries in the sub-region, via platforms claiming to be pan-Africanism in particular.
In messages published in French, English and Arabic, the people behind this rumor claim that “for the first time since its independence, [le Sénégal a] adopted Arabic as an official language at the end of April 2024, replacing French”, i.e. a few weeks after President Faye was sworn in.
A Facebook account identified under the name Adam Chaibani, for example, took the opportunity to call for “an end to colonization […] » and make “the liberation of Africa our fight”.
What was really happening with the Arabic language in Senegal?
Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye announced, on April 17, 2024, following a Council of Ministers, having decided to create a Directorate of Religious Affairs and the Integration of Arab education graduates, which will be attached to the presidency of the Republic. This announced direction was made official in September of the same year with the appointment of a director, Professor Djim Dramé.
Since this new institutional creation, no other decision has been taken on issues relating to the Arabic language in Senegal. If it is true that the Arabic language has a strong sociological and spiritual anchor in Senegal, the fact remains that there has never been any question of a change in the linguistic regime in Senegal, whose Constitution confers French official language status.
It is perhaps in the dynamic of formalization of Arab-Muslim education and religion in Senegal, which began mainly in the 2000s, that the President of the Republic Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced its full and complete integration into the system. Senegalese education. But the idea of a change in the linguistic regime in Senegal, materializing the transition from French to Arabic, has never been put forward by the public authorities.
Also in 2024, precisely between July and August, social networks attributed to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye comments according to which he asked his compatriots to no longer hang his photo in their offices.
These same remarks, which are falsely attributed to him, were made in 2019 by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in front of deputies from his country on the occasion of his inauguration.
”I really don’t want my photos in your offices, because the president [de la République] is neither an icon nor an idol. Instead, hang up photos of your children and look at them every time you make a decision.” A Facebook post that went viral attributed these words to the Senegalese president.
The message was at times taken up by activists of the president on local television sets and the post was sometimes shared hundreds of times and generated as many comments on social media, especially on Facebook, APS observed, Thursday 1is august.
The quote is taken almost verbatim from the inauguration speech delivered by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in July 2019. The latter had made these remarks in front of deputies. He was talking about corruption in his country.
A political context favorable to the proliferation of fake news
Here is the original quote, which appears in a speech available on the Ukrainian leader’s official website: ”And for that, we need people in power who will serve the people. That’s why I really don’t want my picture in your offices, because the president [de la République] is not an icon or an idol or a portrait. Hang up your children’s pictures instead and look at them every time you make a decision.”
The rumor is accompanied by comments, including the following: ”The first time in history. Truly, Senegal always gives good (sic) examples unlike my Guinea… Instructive and symbolic at the same time… Thank you, here is a man of God, a true leader. Senegal and the Senegalese are blessed.”
This was the third statement to go viral and falsely attributed to the Senegalese president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, since his inauguration in April 2024. Before this rumor relating to the official photo of the Senegalese president in the offices, there was a another false news relating to the payment of taxes of French companies established in Senegal. These rumors spread on social media suggested that French companies were operating in Senegal without paying taxes, before the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, announced that these taxes will now be paid to the Senegalese public treasury.
These fake news, some crazier than the others, seem to find fertile ground in the current geopolitical context, characterized by a so-called ‘anti-French’ sentiment and above all, the arrival in Senegal of new leaders announcing a systemic rupture and advocating fair partnerships. and balanced between France and its former African colonies.
SMD/ASG/OID/FKS
