Idiots XII (and more)

So, according to Mr. Wade, the Senegalese President, now Senegal has contributed to the beauty of the world with what he calls a new Wonder of the World that will attract tourists from all over the world : the Monument to the African Renaissance inaugurated a few days ago. A 52 meters high (higher than the Statue of Liberty) , Stalinist type, costing a minimum of 15 million Euros (23 million dollars).

The real cost will never be known, but is considered higher by the opposition, as it was “paid” with State land given in exchange to the North Koreans who built the statue.

Both Wade and his main architect have compared the criticisms to those that surrounded the construction of the Eiffel Tower or to the costs, still unknown according to the Senegalese president, of the construction of Notre Dame in Paris….As a minimum. Both forget that these real wonders were at the avant-garde of the art or of technology while the Statue is a poor repetition of Stalinist obsolete art.

But what is worse, is that the President Wade pretends 35% of all income generated by the statute (hopefully only by the entrance fees and sale of copies) to be paid to him. Royalties because the statue is his own idea.

An idiotic project managed by a “smart guy”…while the population is increasingly starving. No wonder he wants to get a third mandate as President…..


Photo : © Rebecca Brackwell/AP