African Renaissance Monument — Attraction in Dakar

My wife Isatu Mamadi Boima and I went to this place to when we went to Dakar for a Holiday in 2016.

This place has a special feature that no other mung, enter in Africa or even the whole has its Contractions image can be used to tell different Air can Stories It's stands right up a hilly type of ground and the entries monument is built on top of a hill over looking the City. When we asked about the meaning and reason for the Monument this was what we were told.

African Renaissance Monument

Dedicated in 2010 the massive African Renaissance Monument is a towering piece of brutal Stalinist machismo that is intended to celebrate the achievements of the African people but will likely be better remembered for the corruption and unpopular alliances that led to its construction.

The monument, which sits atop a hill surrounded by trash heaps and unfinished homes, depicts a man, woman, and child who are ostensibly meant to be African yet look glaringly like chiseled Soviet caricatures. The statue would not be quite so alarming if it were not for its sheer size, topping out at over 160 feet of bronze nationalism or a little more than half the height of the Statue of Liberty. This makes it the tallest statue in Africa.

The statue was the idea of then President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade. Wade was an octogenarian whose presidential service was marred by allegations of widespread corruption and nepotism, accusations that were only strengthened by the construction of the African Renaissance Monument.

Opponents of the statue noted that the endeavor cost the Senegalese government over $27 million despite a country-wide economic crisis. In addition to the exorbitant price tag, the statue received a great deal of criticism due to the fact that it used very few African people in its creation. Despite claims to the contrary, it seems that the piece was designed by a Romanian architect and subsequently built by a North Korean construction firm. The design itself has also come under fire for its startlingly sexist overtones given the ripped male figure seemingly rescuing a damsel whose single breast has been revealed in the swoon.

However despite the myriad protests and complaints, the African Renaissance Monument was completed in 2010. The giant landmark is expected to bring a great deal of tourist revenue to the country, however in a fiercely contested move, Wade himself claims 35% of all such revenue citing intellectual property rights. It seems like the renaissance might have a bit farther to go.

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Well this is mixed reviews. The place is great. The statue in itself is magestic and they didn't exaggerate when they said it was bigger than the statue of liberty. There are lots of steps so be ready for that. The view even at the base is just breathtaking. You get a great view of Dakar. Now the day we went they had some sort of event for kids with presents and such. So the place was trashed. I mean there was litter on the ground and on top of that, you have carriages with horses so the place reeked of horse dung. You'd think they would force those guys waiting for customer pick up to pick up after their animals. Now the worse part is the treatment at the gate to enter the statue and do the tour to the top. I went to the window to pay for tickets to enter, the lady was no help. She just sat behind her desk with the window close. I asked the question about what to do to get to the top, she didn't even want to answer. Worse she then tries to talk to me thru the closed window and we couldn't even hear each other. I tried opening the window so I could hear her. But it was locked and she didn't really try. I was about to walk back down in defeat when someone waiting told me in fact, they take you in groups. So once a group gets out, they let another one in and that's when the magic window is opened to pay for the ticket. So when the moment came, I purchased the ticket because kids wanted to go to the top. Got the ticket and got taken to a waiting room. I asked the people in there if it was just possible to go up top take a few picture and be on our merry way, but they told me it's not possible and that it's a tour excursion. And it takes about 20 to 30 minutes. I had left the wife and the baby down at the steps so I decided to just give my tickets away and leave empty handed. The whole thing seemed very amateurish. At least on the outside. Couldn't rate the tour itself. Will come back again later next year and try. So really the statue is a must see but better organisation is a must. Even just signs on the outside explaining how things work so we aren't at the mercy of people who don't do the job well. Post it even at the bottom so you don't climb up thousands of stairs just to be stuck behind...

Lamine was absolutely amazing! He was so knowledgeable, very passionate historian and educator. He was very patient and took his time answering thoroughly. I’ve visited and he was able to accommodate German, French and English translations of the history of the region. He was very clear about his own personal journey and Senegal and was able to give a very critical thought for perspective on culture, politics, globalization and then As well religion and the relationship between humanity and philosophies of economic development. He demonstrated humility, humor, patience, and fortitude with designing our tour schedule to accommodate flexibility And difficulty with my luggage. He made excellent food recommendations, and was also able to take pictures and facilitate taking pictures with the locals. Because he is well known for his good standing in the urban and suburban community, and the tourism sector, it was very easy to be the guests that he was helping and many people bargained with us with even more rigor because of our connection to him. Very much so I appreciate all of the care, the history, the passion, the knowledge that was demonstrated and it really helped us to assimilate into Senegalese culture on a very short trip. I am honored and so is my mother. When he grabbed us from Magic land, and the way that he introduced himself and explained how everything was going to work, I knew from that moment that we were in very good hands and very good company. I cannot wait to come back. Jerejef maitre! On y va a la gare...