"Secrecy is transparent, transparency is secret": The enigma of Corneille Balgi that still intrigues President Diomaye

In delivering his speech at the formal opening of the Senegal Bar Association's internship conference, the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, welcomed the holding of this ceremony, believing that it is important not to let so much time pass without organizing "such a beautiful and rich moment".

"We shouldn't go so long without organizing such a beautiful ceremony," the head of state confided.

Recalling a significant memory, he confided that some twenty years ago, he had attended the speeches of the first and second secretaries of the conference. Since then, one phrase has particularly struck him, though he has yet to fully grasp its implications. It is a statement by Corneille Balgi, made on the theme of "secrecy and transparency": "Ultimately, secrecy is transparent and transparency is secret."

With humor, the head of state admitted that he had not yet fully grasped its meaning. "Perhaps it won't take you twenty years to understand... For my part, I still haven't understood anything," he quipped, provoking laughter from the audience.

Beyond this anecdote, President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye emphasized the central role of speech in the judicial system. Drawing on his numerous interactions with lawyers, he stressed that speech constitutes a true lever of power. "Every time I've met with lawyers, I've realized that when you speak, you can," he stated.

In a message imbued with humanism, the head of state acknowledged the inherent imperfection of the human condition, pleading for greater understanding and tolerance. "We are human, therefore imperfect. And we all have the right to a second chance," argued President Faye.