Obituary: Sammy Lucien Chaupin, a pioneer of regional information, has passed away

With the disappearance yesterday, in Dakar, of Sammy Lucien Chaupin, following a long illness, Senegal loses a pioneer of regional information.

An octogenarian, this native of Saloum had a brilliant career in the Senegalese press where he started at the Information Commission of the Sine Saloum region which brought together the current regions of Kaolack, Fatick and Kaffrine until the 1984 reform, under Abdou Diouf. He had to manage several offices of the Senegalese Press Agency (Aps) under Cire Thiam, particularly in Casamance and eastern Senegal. Bara Diouf, then general director of Le Soleil, called him to his side to direct the Le Soleil branch in Kaolack, which later became one of the most important regional offices of the national star. A true professional with knowledge of the rural world, Sammy Chaupin carried out remarkable work there to the satisfaction of the authorities including the former Minister of State, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, all-powerful Babacar Ba.

Sine Saloum was the first region to obtain a full page daily in Le Soleil with different sections such as Large and Small Trades, Culture, Livestock, etc. As a good manager, Sammy Chaupin surrounded himself with a young team including the now deceased reporters, Ibrahima Ndiaye, Saliou Fatma, Mamadou Cissé and the current dean of the sports press Babacar Noël Ndoye.

From Kaolack, he joined the central desk of Le Soleil for the Regions desk before landing in the Internal and External Promotion department which will become the current sales department. he produced several commercial notebooks across the country and in Togo under the late president Gnassimbe Eyadema. Admitted to retirement, he was a direct collaborator of the deceased Sidy Lamine Niass before devoting himself to his own businesses.

Abdoulaye Thiam