Demba Diop
Encyclopedia
Demba Diop was a Senegal
ese politician. He served as Minister of Youth and Sport under President Léopold Sédar Senghor
and was Mayor
of Mbour from 1966 to 1967.
(now in Mauritania
) in 1927, Diop trained as a school teacher. He was assigned first to a school in Sédhiou Department
in 1947, interrupted by his French Army
service. He later served as an administrator at the Collège moderne in Thiès
and at the école régionale at Mbour, where he met his wife. He was elected to the Assemblée nationale in 1956 (a post of a limited, advisory role in the revised French colonial system under the Loi Cadre
of that year). With independence, he was elected to the first Senegalese National Assembly, and served as Minister of Education from 19 December 1962, moving to Minister of Youth and Sport from 9 December 1963, as a member of the ruling Senegalese Progressive Union (Union Progressiste Sénégalaise, UPS). He had been a discus
champion as a youth, and helped to found Stade Mbour
football club. He later served as president of the parliamentary group for the UPS, and was elected as Mayor of Mbour in 1966.
by Abdou N'Daffa Faye
, a partisan of Diop's Mbour political rival (and deputy mayor of Mbour) Jacques d'Erneville. Faye was sentenced to death and was the first person in post-independence Senegal to be executed
.
Diop's funeral in Mbour was a episode of national mourning, with President Senghor and Lamine Guèye in attendance.
This political violence, rare in Senegal, has had a long legacy. Opponents of Senghor's Socialist Party, as well as former supporters of Senghor's early rival Mamadou Dia
, point to the executions as part of a pattern of suppression of political enemies in Senegal, where these two crimes were used as justification for a witchhunt. Regardless of the truth of these claims, the next year saw repression against violent Dakar student protests in May 68, and the introduction of constitutional changes, approved by the referendum of 22 February 1970, which created a Presidential system, greatly expanding presidential powers in what had become a de facto one party state.
in Dakar
, the Lycee Demba Diop, and the city's Boulevard are named for Diop.
His wife, Caroline Faye Diop
is also a political leader. She was elected the first female deputy to the National Assembly of Senegal
in 1963 and was later a cabinet minister under President Abdou Diouf
.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese politician. He served as Minister of Youth and Sport under President Léopold Sédar Senghor
Léopold Sédar Senghor
Léopold Sédar Senghor was a Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist who for two decades served as the first president of Senegal . Senghor was the first African elected as a member of the Académie française. Before independence, he founded the political party called the Senegalese...
and was Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Mbour from 1966 to 1967.
Life
Born in BoghéBoghé
Boghé is a town and commune in the Brakna Region of southern Mauritania.As of 2000 it had a population of 37,531.-References:...
(now in Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
) in 1927, Diop trained as a school teacher. He was assigned first to a school in Sédhiou Department
Sédhiou Department
Sédhiou Department is one of the departments of Senegal, located in the Sédhiou Region, formerly in the Kolda Region....
in 1947, interrupted by his French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
service. He later served as an administrator at the Collège moderne in Thiès
Thiès
Thiès is the third largest city in Senegal with a population officially estimated at 320,000 in 2005. It lies 60 km east of Dakar on the N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and St-Louis...
and at the école régionale at Mbour, where he met his wife. He was elected to the Assemblée nationale in 1956 (a post of a limited, advisory role in the revised French colonial system under the Loi Cadre
Loi Cadre
The loi-cadre was a French legal reform passed by the French National Assembly on 23 June 1956. It marked a turning point in relations between France and its overseas empire...
of that year). With independence, he was elected to the first Senegalese National Assembly, and served as Minister of Education from 19 December 1962, moving to Minister of Youth and Sport from 9 December 1963, as a member of the ruling Senegalese Progressive Union (Union Progressiste Sénégalaise, UPS). He had been a discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
champion as a youth, and helped to found Stade Mbour
Stade Mbour
Stade Mbour is a Senegalese football club based in Mbour.They played te 2010 season in the top division in Senegalese football and is currently part of the Senegal Ligue 2. Their home stadium is Stade Municipal de Mbour.-Current squad:...
football club. He later served as president of the parliamentary group for the UPS, and was elected as Mayor of Mbour in 1966.
Death
Diop was assassinated on 3 February 1967. On the way to a meeting, he was shot in a parking lot in ThièsThiès
Thiès is the third largest city in Senegal with a population officially estimated at 320,000 in 2005. It lies 60 km east of Dakar on the N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and St-Louis...
by Abdou N'Daffa Faye
Abdou N'Daffa Faye
Abdou N'Daffa Faye was the assassin of Demba Diop, a minister in the government of Senegal. Faye shot Diop on 3 February 1967 in a parking lot in Thiès. Faye was sentenced to death by a Senegalese court, and was the first of two people to be executed in post-independence Senegal...
, a partisan of Diop's Mbour political rival (and deputy mayor of Mbour) Jacques d'Erneville. Faye was sentenced to death and was the first person in post-independence Senegal to be executed
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
Diop's funeral in Mbour was a episode of national mourning, with President Senghor and Lamine Guèye in attendance.
This political violence, rare in Senegal, has had a long legacy. Opponents of Senghor's Socialist Party, as well as former supporters of Senghor's early rival Mamadou Dia
Mamadou Dia
Mamadou Dia was a Senegalese politician who served as the first Prime Minister of Senegal from 1957 until 1962, when he was forced to resign and was subsequently imprisoned amidst allegations that he was planning to stage a military coup to overthrow President Léopold Sédar Senghor.- Biography...
, point to the executions as part of a pattern of suppression of political enemies in Senegal, where these two crimes were used as justification for a witchhunt. Regardless of the truth of these claims, the next year saw repression against violent Dakar student protests in May 68, and the introduction of constitutional changes, approved by the referendum of 22 February 1970, which created a Presidential system, greatly expanding presidential powers in what had become a de facto one party state.
Legacy
Stade Demba DiopStade Demba Diop
Stade Demba Diop is a multi-use stadium in greater Dakar, Senegal. It is situated on Boulevard Président Habib Bourguiba in Sicap-Liberté, an urban arrondissement of Dakar.-History:...
in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, the Lycee Demba Diop, and the city's Boulevard are named for Diop.
His wife, Caroline Faye Diop
Caroline Faye Diop
Caroline Faye Diop was a Senegalese politician. She was elected the first female deputy to the National Assembly of Senegal in 1963 and was later a cabinet minister under President Abdou Diouf. She was married to Demba Diop, the Minister of Youth and Sport under president Léopold Sédar Senghor....
is also a political leader. She was elected the first female deputy to the National Assembly of Senegal
National Assembly of Senegal
The National Assembly of Senegal is the lower house of Senegal's parliament.-The current National Assembly:The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 29 April 2001, has a total of 150 elected members who serve five-year terms. The electoral system is a mixed member...
in 1963 and was later a cabinet minister under President Abdou Diouf
Abdou Diouf
Abdou Diouf was the second President of Senegal, serving from 1981 to 2000. Diouf is notable both for coming to power by peaceful succession, and leaving willingly after losing the 2000 presidential election to Abdoulaye Wade...
.