Fodeba Keita’s Thiaroye

Abstract

While Senghor chose a slower, more progressive path to independence for Senegal— as will be thoroughly explained in Chapter 4—Guinea proclaimed its desire for immediate independence from France with its 1958 referendum, wherein 96 percent voted for independence. By renouncing French tutelage in establishing his new country’s institutions, Sékou Touré offended de Gaulle, who wanted to be the mastermind behind African states’ independence. Miffed by “Sékou Touré’s vehement tone, who condemned colonization during his speech to the Territorial Assembly [on 25 August 1958], de Gaulle left [Guinea] in a very bad mood and flew to Senegal”¹ (Roche 103). There, Senghor was absent. At that moment in time, the Senegalese representative was apparently still hesitant regarding the referendum. He did not want to run the risk of his presence guaranteeing an approval of de Gaulle’s views of African politics. In Senegal, de Gaulle’s speech to the people was interrupted several times by demonstrators in favor of immediate independence. Irritated, de Gaulle stated that those who wanted independence should take it, an invitation “accompanied by the threat of a complete rupture in the event of a ‘no’ vote”² (Roche 104).