The Senegalese government is seeking to redefine its long-standing relationship with its former colonial rulers, the French, by renaming public places.
- The Senegalese government aims to rename public places named after French colonial figures
- Many streets and buildings in Senegal still bear the names of colonial administrators and French figures
- New president Bassirou Diomaye Faye plans to strengthen Senegalese identity and reduce ties with France
These locations, named after French colonial figures, carry painful historical memories that the Senegalese government aims to erase.
Many streets in Dakar and other parts of Senegal were originally named by the French colonial government to honor officials and royals of the French Empire.
Sixty-five years after Senegal’s independence, the capital’s political and administrative center is still dominated by colonial-era names indicating a lasting imprint of 300 years of conquest, slavery, and colonial rule.
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A 2019 study found that 60% of this area bears the names of colonial administrators, governors, commanders, as well as French writers and doctors.
From markets and streets to prominent buildings, these colonial-era names serve as reminders of past struggles, particularly under the past junta-led administrations.
According to Al Jazeera, a significant number of Senegalese believe it is time to remove all traces of French colonialism from the country.
After a contentious election campaign last year, marked by weeks of protests against former President Macky Sall, opposition leader Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye assumed office in April.
He pledged to strengthen Senegalese identity, reduce ties with France, and even replace French as the country’s official language.
Critics viewed Senegal under Sall’s administration as overly aligned with France, prioritizing its interests above national concerns.
Upon his inauguration, Faye vowed to take a different path.
Senegal moves to curb French influence
With France’s influence waning in Africa, Senegal was among the first nations to scale back its ties with the former colonial power.
Just months into his presidency, Bassirou Diomaye Faye called for the withdrawal of French troops from the West African nation. This signaled a shift in the country’s foreign policy and ended decades-long defense pact in West Africa.
The French military has maintained a presence in Senegal with around 350 soildirers since its independence in 1960, primarily for training and regional security operations.
“There will soon be no more French soldiers in Senegal,” Faye told French daily Le Monde, last year emphasizing the importance of national sovereignty.
In December, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced plans to establish a new government agency tasked with renaming streets and public squares to honor Senegalese figures.
He assigned his Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, the responsibility of establishing a National Council for Memory and the Management of Historical Heritage.
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Beyond renaming streets, the agency will also rewrite Senegal’s textbooks to reflect a national perspective.
Dakar-based urban planner Rakhiat Diallo Fall told Al Jazeera that these efforts are essential to eliminating the lingering impact of the past, from Senegal’s role as a major slave port to its centuries of colonial rule.
“Seeing streets named after people we don’t know, people who have mistreated us, is a disgrace.” Diallo said
