On Tuesday September 24, 2024, Professor Amadou Mahtar MBOW passed away at the age of 103. This eminent intellectual, godfather of the second university of Dakar, leaves behind an immeasurable legacy marked by his unwavering commitment to education, culture and the dialogue of civilizations.
The career of this exceptional man fully justifies his designation as godfather of our university. This choice constitutes, moreover, a well-deserved tribute to a life dedicated to the emancipation of peoples through knowledge.
The choice to name our institution “Amadou Mahtar MBOW University” is highly symbolic. This name is not only a tribute to a brilliant career, but also a recognition of his role in the emancipation of African minds and his fight for universal access to education.
After studying in France, he returned to Senegal with a single objective: to transmit knowledge and contribute to the awakening of an independent Africa. Throughout an exceptional career in the service of the Senegalese State, Professor Amadou Mahtar MBOW left his mark by placing people and education at the heart of his concerns before beginning a brilliant international career.
The first African to head UNESCO, Professor MBOW transformed this prestigious institution into a space for dialogue for peace, culture and universal education, and he never stopped serving, even after leaving UNESCO .
We must not forget the considerable role he played in accepting, at the age of 89, the presidency of the National Commission for the Reform of Institutions (CNRI) in Senegal, a commitment which testifies to his unwavering dedication to a better Senegal.
The death of a personality as important as that of Professor Amadou Mahtar MBOW creates an immense void, which all the staff of the university of which he was the godfather feels with emotion. The disappearance of this great man leaves our generation with a heavy responsibility and an immense task: to continue the work of a Professor who would never have tolerated his absence being used as an excuse to give up.
On behalf of the Staff of the Regional Center for Social University Works (CROUS) of Diamniadio and the students, we express our eternal gratitude to this exceptional man.
May his soul rest in peace and may his legacy continue to illuminate the path of those who work for a more just, more educated and more humane world!
Fama Dieng NDIAYE,
Director of the CROUS of Diamniadio
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