"L'Afrique au coeur" : Le livre de Macky Sall introuvable dans les librairies de Dakar, enquête sur un mystère
A month after its official release by Odile Jacob (France), the book Africa at the Heart of former President Macky Sall remains surprisingly absent from the shelves of Dakar's bookstores. After a tour of five major bookstores in the capital, the conclusion is clear: no copies available and no date announced for a possible delivery. Heads of state publishing memoirs or essays post-term. "We haven't received it yet. We're waiting, but this kind of title doesn't arrive quickly," confides a bookseller in the city center, unconvinced that he will eventually have it in stock.
The book, which aims to reflect on Africa's place in the world and its global challenges (finance, climate, social justice), has nevertheless been widely covered by the international press. Its absence in Dakar is a paradox for a title bearing the voice of a former African head of state.
The situation is strangely reminiscent of a precedent: in 2016, the book Solutions by Ousmane Sonko, then an opponent, experienced the same invisibility in bookstores, forcing readers to turn to online orders or informal networks.
"It's a political story, the same thing happened to Sonko when he was an opponent, you'd think politics is crooked in Senegal, we sometimes deprive people of the right to culture," said a surprised regular customer we met in front of a well-known local bookstore.
Logistics and low demand rather than censorship?
Should this be seen as a form of silent censorship? While none of the booksellers interviewed mentioned pressure or bans, logistical and commercial factors appear to play a major role.
A bookstore manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that he was not selling the book for two reasons: "First, because the former president chose a foreign publishing house [editor's note: Odile Jacob] to publish it." The second aspect is the lack of demand: "We have not received enough orders from readers," he said, denying any political interference.
For his part, Joseph Youm, sales manager of the Clairafrique bookstore, when contacted, said he had "focused rather on orders for books related to the start of the school year." He nevertheless concedes that this type of political book can sometimes be "problematic" for booksellers. He also mentioned the difficulty of establishing a relationship with the foreign publishing house.
Macky Sall's book, published in Paris, has not yet been printed or distributed locally. The result: a potentially high price, difficult access, and almost zero visibility in Senegal.
A symptom of a deeper malaise
This double absence - Solutions yesterday, Africa at the heart today - seems to reveal a deeper malaise in the place that Senegal gives to the political book as a tool for public debate.
The absence of the writings of an opposition figure or a former president from bookstores is a worrying sign of the state of the circulation of ideas. At a time when the African continent is seeking to construct its own narrative, books, particularly political ones, should be a pillar, not an invisible product.
Commentaires (70)
Je Vois encore le Visage de tous ces JEunes Hommes qu'il a MASSACRÉ
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Pas 25 pas 55, mais 80 Jeunes Senegalais
C'EST VRAIMENT AFFREUX
Si vous aimez les faits, je vous recommande donc de lire autre chose. Si vous aimez les histoires, ce livre est également déconseillé. Il y en a des milliers de meilleurs dans cette section ; commencez par « Les Mille et Une Nuits », par exemple !
Et je conseillerai autre chose à ceux que la culture, la vraie, intéresse
Les affamés en ligne.
Macky a oser. On doit le feliciter.
Participer à la Discussion
Règles de la communauté
💡 Astuce : Utilisez des emojis depuis votre téléphone ou le module emoji ci-dessous. Cliquez sur GIF pour ajouter un GIF animé. Collez un lien X/Twitter, TikTok ou Instagram pour l'afficher automatiquement.
Se connecter
Commentez avec votre profil, votre photo, et soyez averti des réponses.