“Isn’t it premature for him to act as Prime Ministre? Shouldn't he have sought to be an advisor to the president?"
It was the first major act of the new president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye—picking his Prime Minister.
Hours after his inauguration on Tuesday he announced the job goes to Ousmane Sonko, his mentor who’s been instrumental in his win.
Faye gained prominence as a close associate of Ousmane Sonko, a former tax inspector and opposition leader who faced legal troubles and was barred from running in the presidential election.
Faye's imprisonment, along with Sonko's, further fuelled public anger and resentment towards the government, paving the way for his unexpected rise.
Sonko was the ultimate king-maker and questions were being asked about his role going forward, and for now at least, we know. But his appointment as Prime Minister has not settled all the interrogations.
“Isn’t it premature for him to act as Prime Ministre?” ponders one admirer. “Shouldn't he have sought to be an advisor to the president?" he adds, evidently wishing that the realities of power do not prove too hard to survive for their so-far admirable alliance.
But premature, really!? Just an advisor?
No, Ousmane Sonko is not a man of the shadows. And one needs only review the sequence of events that has led us here. Ousmane Sonko plays effortlessly at the forefront.
At any rate, the position of Prime Minister—on top of being executive—confers upon its occupant the role of a "prime advisor" to the president. And as it happens, Sonko and Faye are both men of action.
The idea that one should fade away so as not to overshadow the other seems too contrived to me—Bassirou is intelligent and possesses the emotional intelligence and humility necessary to recognise that the Senegalese people have validated Sonko through his person.
That emotional awareness was evident in his subdued victory speech on Tuesday, which was anything but triumphant. Also, it takes intelligence for the two to have stuck together over the last 10 years through joys and pains—personal and political, obviously.
Faye does not need Sonko (who naturally shines by his charisma) to shine less for their actions to be effective. These two have shown that they can transcend their egos.
Definitely, the shadow that’s befitting of advisors is unbefitting of Ousmane Sonko—he is no man of the shadows. There is neurosis where a man must dim his light so as not to dazzle.
Rather, a certain level of intellectual elevation is required between the two. Their policy proposals must remain their focus, and they’d be wise enough to stay away from the pettiness of infighting.
Last but not least, Faye and Sonko are both religious men leading a nation of faith. Their shared belief system can be a source of strength and unity as they tackle challenges like delivering on job creation and social justice for the electorate.
Bassirou Faye, often seen with his prayer beads, is known for his humility, and together they have a unique opportunity to show that political partnership can be built on mutual respect and a common vision for Senegal's future.