SENEGAL'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2024: A TURNING POINT TOWARDS YOUTHFUL LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE

With all indications from local media in Senegal and the admission of defeat by the main contesting opponents of the 2024 presidential election, it is now clear that the next president of Senegal will be a young man below fifty in Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

What can we take home as far as this election is concerned?

Ousmane Sonko's attitude toward change made him accept that the secretary of the party should stand when he could not because of his framed legal issues that took him to prison. This demonstrates that what mattered to him was the change, not his person. It doesn't matter who becomes president if we share the same vision of doing away with a corrupt regime full of deceit for the Senegalese people. We also saw him strongly behind Bassirou, asking everyone to rally behind him, and to me, the real winner of this presidential election is Ousmane Sonko, as this election is the culmination of his fight for change in Senegal for the past five or more years.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye (incoming president of Senegal)

The unity of the opposition behind a candidate that carries the vision of change for the country. We saw some prominent political leaders in the country call for the election of the young man because they believed it was time for the youth to take the country forward.

The involvement of the young people can also be saluted, as we did not just see them register to vote but went out massively to vote and secure the results. They took hold of the elections, which is very difficult for anyone to tamper with, as we usually see in other countries like Cameroon and Nigeria, where elections are rigged against the will of the people.

The Path Forward: Embracing Youthful Leadership

The cry of the youths in Africa has always been that of having them at the helms of their states because they believe that the old ones in power don't represent their aspirations. Under President Bassirou, the youth would be put to the test. All eyes will be on him to see how the youths can take their continent forward for economic growth and the betterment of the livelihoods of the African people.

Ousmane Sonko and President Bassirou Faye

I personally feel that he should adopt a proximity leadership approach because it is only through it that a leader can understand the aspirations of the people and better serve them. Africa needs a change in leadership and must move away from centralized and elite-focused leadership to a government of the people.

Mr. Bassirou should also be careful with bad infiltrations and be watchful so that their influence doesn't divert him from his real mission, which is to change the country for the good of the people.

All in all, I wish him the best in his leadership role and do pray that all sound Senegalese minds will give him their support to make Senegal a better nation.