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Often named by his initials IBK, former Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, ousted in 2020 by the army after seven turbulent years in power, died Sunday at the age of 76. The former French president, François Hollande, paid tribute to him on the antenna of France 24.
A few hours after the announcement of the death of the former Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Sunday, January 16, the former French head of state, François Hollande, hailed “an African proud of his continent, who worked on good terms with his colleagues from West Africa”.
Questioned by France 24, the former President of the French Republic also underlined the vigor of IBK in its fight against jihadism in Mali. “I had known Mr. Keïta for a long time, we worked together in the operations that we had launched,” he said.
“He was a lover of the French language. […] He was a man of culture, he had a very good knowledge of African and French authors, he was able to recite poems, “continued François Hollande, who recalled IBK’s deep attachment to Molière’s language. lived a quarter of a century in France.
Earlier in the day, a member of his family announced his death without specifying the cause of his disappearance. “President IBK died this morning at 9 a.m. (GMT and local) at his home” in the capital, where he lived retired, away from public life.
Malian public television announced in a banner that a funeral program would be announced “later”.
“A cultured man, a great patriot and a Pan-Africanist”
The residence of the former president, located in the south-west of the capital, was the scene on Sunday afternoon of an intense ballet of cars of personalities who came to offer their condolences. Police officers guarded the entrances, AFP journalists noted.
The head of Malian diplomacy Abdoulaye Diop said he was “saddened to learn of the disappearance of former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta” and bowed in a message on Twitter “with great emotion in front of his memory”.
Very saddened to learn of the death of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta with whom I had the honor of serving Mali as Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is with great emotion that I bow before his memory. Sincere condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/cdJz0NJMOh
– With. Abdoulaye Diop (@ AbdoulayeDiop8) January 16, 2022
The ex-president of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou, a comrade of the deceased within the Socialist International, hailed “a cultured man, a great patriot and a pan-Africanist”.
I remember him as a cultured man, a great patriot and a committed Pan-Africanist. I lost in him a friend and a comrade. I present to his family, in particular to his wife Ami, and to all his comrades my sincere condolences. – MI 3/3
— Issoufou Mahamadou (@IssoufouMhm) January 16, 2022
Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta had been ousted from power after months of mobilization within a population exasperated by violence of all kinds – jihadist, communal or villainous –, by the bankruptcy of state services and by a reputedly galloping corruption.
With Archyde.com and AFP
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