Mamadou Dia

Mamadou Dia died on January 25, 2009, in Dakar, Senegal, at the age of 98.

Mamadou Dia was born on July 18, 1910, at Khombole in the Thiès region in western Senegal, to a Toucouleur war veteran turned policeman.

He received his early education from a Qur'anic school as well as at Diourbel regional school. After his father died, he moved to the upper primary school, St. Louis, in 1924.

In 1927, he got enrolled at the William Ponty School which served as the principal training ground for people of the elite community in French Africa during that period. Being from a low-caste, he was considered a remarkable fellow when he graduated from the school, fully trained as a teacher.

He became a teacher in St. Louis and Fissel and also served as the director of the Regional School of Fatick later on. He served at the post for a short while before moving to Paris to study economics.

Before entering politics, Mamadou Dia regularly published articles in the press about the economic situation of Senegal, particularly the poverty of the peasants for whom he advocated the formation of cooperatives.

In 1943, after the collapse of the Vichy Regime, he became motivated to enter politics. He collaborated with Leopold Sedar Senghor, the rising star of politics who being a Catholic in a largely Islamic country, treasured him as a widely connected and able Muslim.

He united with Senghor to lay the foundation of a successful political party and was appointed as its first secretary-general. He supported Senghor throughout the 1950s which was a politically turbulent period in Senegal.

From 1948 to 1956, he represented Senegal in the French senate in Paris, and later headed Senegal’s government after key territorial elections for self-rule.

When Senegal achieved independence in 1960, Mamadou Dia was appointed as the first prime minister of the country, to serve along with Senghor who was made the first president.