Photos Of Tinubu At Faye’s Swearing-in As Senegal’s President

Nigeria was well represented at the swearing-in of Bassirou Faye as the fifth President of Senegal.

As the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Bola Tinubu joined other African leaders to witness the grand inauguration.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by many African leaders, including President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, among others.

Faye, who is now the youngest African president, was sworn in on Tuesday at an exhibition centre in Diamniadio near Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

Recall that on March 24, Senegal held its presidential election after numerous postponements by former President Macky Sall.

However, Faye defeated Amadou Ba, Senegal’s former prime minister, and won 54 per cent of the votes cast.

The 44-year-old politician was released from detention alongside his political mentor, Ousmane Sanko, ten days before the commencement of the election campaign.

See photos from the event below.

What You Should Know About 44-year-old President

1. Faye was born in Ndiaganiao, M’Bour, Thies, Senegal, on March 25 1980

2. He previously held the position of General Secretary in the now-defunct political party PASTEF (Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l’éthique et la fraternité), which translates to African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity. The party was established in 2014 by Ousmane Sonko.

3. After obtaining his baccalaureate in 2000, Faye achieved a master’s degree in law. He successfully passed both competitive exams and was admitted to the National School of Administration (ENA) and the magistracy in 2004.

4. Following his graduation, he joined the Tax and Estates department as a tax inspector, where he crossed paths with Sonko, a fellow alumni from the same school.

5. In 2014, Faye and Sonko’s bond strengthened within the Taxes and Estates Union, initiated by Sonko. During this period, Faye actively advocated for simplifying the process of homeownership for tax and property agents.

6. As the leader of PASTEF and Senegal’s primary opposition figure, Sonko publicly endorsed Faye as a presidential candidate in November 2023. This endorsement came amidst uncertainty surrounding Sonko’s own potential candidacy, despite the dissolution of PASTEF a few months earlier.

7. Faye endured more than 11 months of imprisonment due to a Facebook post that authorities considered subversive. Remarkably, he regained his freedom merely 10 days before the presidential election and still emerged victorious.

8. On March 15, 2024, Faye attracted hundreds of supporters at his initial public appearance as a presidential candidate, following an endorsement from Sonko and his release from jail.

9. On the same day, the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and former President Abdoulaye Wade also backed Faye, enhancing his chances of winning the election.

10. Throughout his presidential campaign, Faye pledged to tackle unemployment, strongly opposed corruption, and promised to review energy agreements, all under the slogan “Diomaye mooy Ousmane” in Wolof, aiming to appeal to Senegal’s youth with Sonko’s popularity.

11. Faye, a close ally and friend of Sonko, gained popularity among Senegalese youth who sought a change from Sall’s administration.

12. Faye was arrested on April 14, 2023, outside his office in Dakar. The police detained him on charges of “spreading false information, contempt of court, and defamation of a legal entity” following a social media post.