"Dabakh, the pedagogy of kindness": Sidy Diop's book inaugurates the adventure of Éditions du Soleil

A new chapter is opening for the national literary and media landscape. The Senegalese Press and Publications Company (SSPP) officially launched its own publishing house, "Éditions du Soleil," this Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the Museum of Black Civilizations. To inaugurate its catalog, the new entity published its first book, "Dabakh, la pédagogie de la bonté" (Dabakh, the Pedagogy of Kindness) , written by journalist Sidy Diop, editorial advisor to the group.

In front of an audience of prominent figures — including a delegation from Tivaouane led by Serigne Sidy Ahmed Sy, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication, Mouhamadou Moustapha Thioune, the President of the Culture and Communication Commission of the Magal of Touba, Serigne Cheikh Abdoul Ahad Mbacké Gaïndé Fatma, and the Ambassador of Morocco to Senegal, Hassan Naciri —, the event marked the starting point of a major industrial and cultural ambition.

The "Éditions du Soleil": A gateway for memory and literary creation

By creating its publishing subsidiary, the national daily newspaper Le Soleil intends to move beyond immediate news coverage and tackle the challenge of preserving and managing the cost of publishing in Senegal. As Lamine Niang, Director General of SSPP Le Soleil , pointed out, the country produces immense talent and numerous manuscripts, but often faces distribution constraints and production costs. “A newspaper reports on what happens. A book tells the story of what deserves not to disappear ,” Niang emphasized. “Le Soleil now intends to explore another realm of expression: that of the book. This choice is neither a diversion nor an editorial whim. It stems from a conviction: to transform certain information into memory, certain memories into narratives, certain thoughts into works of art, and certain works into heritage.”

With a strong brand, an exceptional documentary collection and distribution networks throughout the country, Éditions du Soleil intends to establish itself as a talent scout, a leading publisher and a bridge between research, literature and the general public.

“ Dabakh, the pedagogy of kindness”: A seminal work by Sidy Diop

The first title in this collection, Sidy Diop's work offers an intimate and analytical exploration of the life and legacy of Serigne Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh. The author dissects the role of the third Caliph General of the Tijaniyya order, not only as a religious figure, but also as a true social educator whose gentleness and restraint constituted a genuine method of governing people.

For Sidy Diop, writing this book fulfills a duty of remembrance and a debt to a voice that nurtured his childhood and shaped his vision of society: “Dabakh was a role model for me before becoming the subject of a book. This book is the debt of a child who has grown into adulthood to a voice that accompanied him, the debt of a talibé to a guide, and the debt of a Senegalese to a figure who now belongs to our collective memory ,” the author explained during his presentation. “Humility knows no age, respect never goes out of style, brotherhood never becomes obsolete, and kindness remains a demanding form of courage.”

Sidy Ahmed Sy and Touba celebrate the legacy of a national bond

The ceremony was particularly marked by the moving testimony of Serigne Sidy Ahmed Sy, who came to represent the Tivaouane family. Reflecting on the everyday qualities of his illustrious father, he portrayed a multifaceted man whose altruism was expressed in the smallest details of daily life. "My father embodied above all humility and a profound attachment to humanity ," recalled Sidy Ahmed Sy, emphasizing that the holy man "would only eat after ensuring that those around him had already been served ." Calling for fraternity and sincere dialogue in the spirit of Dabakh's teachings, he warmly commended the approach and editorial dynamism of Le Soleil .

Present alongside the Tivaouane family, Serigne Cheikh Abdoul Ahad Mbacké Gaïndé Fatma, president of the Culture and Communication Commission of the Grand Magal of Touba, highlighted the historical role of the late Khalifa as a unifying figure among the various Sufi brotherhoods. "When the author speaks of the pedagogy of kindness, it means that kindness is an attitude. And Mame Abdou Aziz Dabakh showed how to be kind. That is what is most important ," he stated from the podium, adding that this life lesson is destined to be passed down through generations.

Analyzing this universal scope, Director General Lamine Niang concluded that "kindness, for Dabakh, was not a weakness or a pose of convenience. It was a method, a discipline, a way of educating . "

The event continued at the Museum of Black Civilizations with the opening of the exhibition "Dabakh, the Timeless" , offering the public unpublished archives, sound recordings and visuals retracing the journey of a man who continues to unite an entire people, thus sealing the successful launch of Éditions du Soleil.