Bassirou Diomaye Faye, from prison to president of Senegal

Released from prison on March 14 under an amnesty, the allies embarked on a whirlwind campaign tour to the delight of huge crowds, who chanted “Sonko mooy Diomaye, Diomaye mooy Sonko”, or “Sonko is Diomaye, Diomaye is Sonko”.”They are two sides of the same coin with two different styles,” said Moustapha Sarr, a trainer of former Pastef activists.MMA and reggaeComing from a modest rural background, Faye, a practising Muslim with two wives who often sports a trademark wide-sleeved boubou robe, embodies a new generation of Senegalese politicians.The father-of-four was born into a modest family of farmers in remote Ndiaganiao, a village 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the capital Dakar with no health centre or tarmac roads.Faye left Ndiaganiao to study at Dakar’s prestigious National Administration School but says he regularly returns to the village.”Diomaye was a little shepherd who watched over his goats in the fields,” said Mor Sarr, one of his best friends.Faye “has always been very close to his mother, Khady Diouf”, helping her with household tasks, Sarr added.An admirer of former US president Barack Obama and South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, Faye is also a fan of psychology books and French former football star Zinedine Zidane, said Sarr.Mixed martial arts, swimming and reggae music are also among his pastimes, he added. He’s also a fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid.The future president’s uncle, Diomaye Faye, said his nephew is “a good boy” who pays careful attention to his conduct and will be in tune with the reality of the country.



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