Death of Cheikh Hamidou Kane: Beninese President Romuald Wadagni pays tribute to the author of “The Ambiguous Adventure”

The President of the Republic of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, paid tribute to the Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane, who died on Saturday in Dakar at the age of 98. It salutes the memory of a figure of the generation of independence and the legacy of the author of “The Ambiguous Adventure”.

Tributes continue to pour in after the death of Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane. In Benin, the President of the Republic, Romuald Wadagni, expressed his “deep sadness” after the announcement of the death of the author of “L’Aventure ambiguë”, which occurred on Saturday October 3 in Dakar, at the age of 98.

In a message published on Sunday, the Beninese head of state hailed Sheikh Hamidou Kane as “a great voice of the independence generation”. He also highlighted the writer’s contribution to reflection on Africa, particularly on questions of identity, culture and relationship to the world.

For Romuald Wadagni, the work of Cheikh Hamidou Kane goes beyond the borders of Senegal. “The Ambiguous Adventure will remain one of those works which cross the ages and continue to question us,” he wrote, in reference to the novel published in 1961 and which has become a classic of African literature. The work, translated into more than forty languages, has left its mark on several generations of readers with its reflection on the encounter between African knowledge, cultures and identities.

“Senegal loses a great writer. Africa is losing a great voice,” continued the Beninese president, who sent his condolences to the family of the deceased, his loved ones, the Senegalese people as well as the entire literary community.

This tribute comes in addition to those paid in Senegal to the writer and former minister. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye particularly praised the memory of a “servant of Senegal”, believing that his work now belongs to the heritage of the Nation and of all of Africa.

Born on April 2, 1928 in Matam, Cheikh Hamidou Kane also had a career in high administration and held several public functions. His career thus combined literature, state service and reflection on African societies.

Concluding his tribute, Romuald Wadagni prayed that the deceased would benefit from divine mercy, while emphasizing the longevity of his legacy: “Rest in peace. Your work will live on. »