Senegal lost, yesterday in Dakar, one of its pioneers in regional information, Sammy Lucien Chaupin, who died following a long illness. Aged 80, this native of Saloum has marked the history of the Senegalese press through his remarkable career and his professional commitment.
Sammy Chaupin began his career in the field of information at the Information Commissioner of the Sine Saloum region, then covering the current regions of Kaolack, Fatick and Kaffrine. This position was established until the administrative reform of 1984 under the government of Abdou Diouf. He then joined the Senegalese Press Agency (APS), where he held several management positions in various regions of the country, notably in Casamance and eastern Senegal, under the direction of Cire Thiam, reports Le Soleil.
However, it was under Bara Diouf, then general director of the newspaper Le Soleil, that Sammy Chaupin experienced a significant evolution in his career. Called to direct the Kaolack branch, he transformed this regional office into one of the most important in the country. His expertise in rural areas and his commitment to the development of regional information have made him a respected professional, appreciated by local authorities, including former Minister of State Babacar Ba, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs.
Under his leadership, Sine Saloum became the first region to have a full page daily in Le Soleil, covering subjects as diverse as trades, culture, livestock and local social issues. As a manager, he knew how to surround himself with young talents, some of whom, such as reporters Ibrahima Ndiaye, Saliou Fatma, Mamadou Cissé and Babacar Noël Ndoye (today dean of the sports press), contributed to the growth regional information.
-After his time at Kaolack, Sammy Chaupin joined the central desk of the newspaper Le Soleil to supervise the regions, before joining the Internal and External Promotion department, which would later become the current commercial department. In this context, he produced several commercial notebooks in Senegal and internationally, notably in Togo, under President Gnassingbé Eyadéma.
After his retirement, Sammy Chaupin devoted himself to personal affairs while remaining a direct collaborator of the late Sidy Lamine Niass, further strengthening his footprint in the Senegalese media landscape.
His death leaves a void in the world of regional press, but his legacy remains alive through the generations of journalists he trained and inspired.
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