Ousmane Sonko, the esteemed President of the National Assembly, extended a heartfelt tribute to former President Me Abdoulaye Wade, who marked his centennial birthday this Friday, May 29, 2026.
Through a message shared on the social media platform X, the leader of Pastef lauded the extraordinary journey of a man he regards as one of Senegal’s most pivotal political figures. He concisely opened his message with the phrase, “One hundred years of a life well-lived.”
Sonko expressed his regret that the confluence of this momentous anniversary and the observance of Tabaski precluded the organization of a national commemoration befitting such an occasion.
“Nevertheless,” he penned, “millions of Senegalese today celebrate him in the quiet of their hearts, through fervent prayers and affectionate thoughts. Perhaps this is the most genuine form of homage.”
The President of the National Assembly then underscored the profound impact Me Abdoulaye Wade had on solidifying Senegalese democracy. He recalled Wade’s extensive political struggle, notably his entry into the National Assembly in 1978, and more significantly, the historic political transition of March 2000.
“Abdoulaye Wade is, without question, among the most distinguished architects of Senegalese democracy,” Ousmane Sonko affirmed.
Shifting to a more personal reflection, the political leader recounted his interactions with the former head of state, citing Wade’s “magnanimity” and the expressions of confidence he received in both 2017 and 2019.
He testified, “President Wade bestowed upon my path a gesture only truly great individuals are capable of: that of transmission. Not the transmission of power, but the rarer gift of trust.”
Ousmane Sonko concluded by offering prayers for the man he affectionately refers to as “his grandfather,” wishing, “May Allah grant him eternal protection. And may Senegal continue, as he always believed, to strive, to embrace modernity while upholding its fundamental values.”