THE ONLY CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE FOR THE 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN SENEGAL My Comprehensive narrative
MOUSTAPHA MBACHE, A NAME YOU CAN TRUST THE LEGACY I was Born in a Wolof family in Senegal, from a mother, Soxna Mariam Tandiang, who on her mother s side, Hawa Ndiaye, is a Lebou descendent of the prominent Mame Malick Gueye of Dakar. On the other hand, my mother's father, El Hadj Ahmad Tandiang, was a dignitary referred to as Muqaddam in the Tijani Sufi community, one of the two largest Sufi brotherhood in Senegal. My father, tutor and role model, Shaykh Ahmad Mbacke coined also Gaïndé Fatma, was the son of Fatimah Diop, daughter of Ahmad Makhoureja, brother of King Lat Dior who resisted and battled the French colonial power to his death. My father was also the first son of Shaykh Mouhammad Moustapha Mbacke, who in turn was the first Khalife of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba Mbacke referred to as Khadimu Rasul, who we know, led successfully the non-violent Jihad against the French Colonial power for a period of thirty-three (33) years until his blessed transition in 1927. My grand-father Shaykh Mouammadou Moustapha Mbacke
enforced his father's will, by undertaking the huge task of materializing the great projects of Touba, beginning with the construction of the Mosque of Touba. Despite prevailing difficult conditions of the great depression of 1929, Shaykh Moustapha, whom I was named after, embarked on the construction phase of the House of Allah. The French attempted to make difficult, perhaps impossible the unfolding of the projects by setting forth conditions which seemed impossible to fulfill. The lease/purchase agreement of the land of Touba, along with the construction of a railway system, extending over 45 kilometers, as medium of transportation of the construction materials had to be granted and then signed. By doing so, the colonial power sought to make the task impossible through administrative bottlenecks. Under the leadership of my grand-father, the community quadrupled the peanut production in order to fund, not only the mosque one can see standing tall today, but the railway system from Diourbel to Touba in order to bring the construction materials to Touba. With unwavering motivation, genuine commitment and determination, the execution of the task went so rapidly that the General Governor of the French Western Africa (AOF) paid a visit to my grand-father Shaykh Moustapha and stayed in Touba for 3 days. This was unheard of, for the General Governor of the
Colonies to spend more than 24 hours out of office in a residence other than his officially designated one. Despite a second global chaotic worldwide event, namely world war II (1939-1945), the followers of the community, consisting of peasants, under the leadership of Shaykh Mouhammad Moustapha, managed to build the railway and completed seventy five percent of the construction of the mosque. This determination drew enough curiosity and scrutiny for General DE Gaulle to pay another visit to Shaykh Moustapha who met him in Dakar at the proclamation of the end of the second world war. The holy city of Touba which was created in 1888 flourished and represents today the second largest city of Senegal after Dakar and the fastest growing city in the western African hemisphere. And for the record, Touba was designated by the United Nation's World Habitat counsel, as a model city going into the 21st century, during the 1994 Istanbul World Habitat
Summit.
1 Serigne Shaykh Gainde Fatma with US Undersecretary of State, (African Affairs) As a farmer, Agro-Business entrepreneur and community organizer, my father and tutor Shaykh Ahmad Mbacke designed and laid out the City of Touba and created the Daara concept, a community-basedorganization model or social network groups. It is acknowledged to colonial rulers that my father, Shaykh Ahmad Mbacke s first trips in France allowed him to effectively plead before the colonial authorities so that the Senegalese veterans case be taken care of by the French
government. Shaykh Ahmad Mbacke my Dad, travelled the world, exchanged ideas with Arab leaders which led to the creation of the OIC to which he was a founding member. Serigne Shaykh Gainde Fatma with A. Wade I was both initiated and taught in this Daira/Daara circle. Indeed, Daaras in Senegal are meant to be a
continuum of educational compounds for the community, fostering learning, cultural activities, and religious education. Therefore, the issue of personal practice becomes a collective knowledge sharing process within the community. That model of community empowerment demonstrates clearly, to date, that education can best deliver, if the whole community plays a complementary role to whatsoever formal public and private schools are providing. A BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE YOU CAN RELY ON Educational Experience: 1967 1971, I was sent to Quran School in Misra Senegal. where I was learning to commit to memory the Holy Scriptures (Quran). At the same time that s where I was taught farming and cattle ranching as we lived in rural areas where the main activity was farming besides school. 1971-1974, Attended Taif elementary school and finished elementary school in 4 years instead of 6.
1975 1979, Started high school at Lycée Faidherbe in Ndar (St Louis) Senegal and transferred to Blaise Diagne High school in Dakar. UN Panel Discussion on Agriculture & Energy Dad's passing away in 1978, disrupted the rest of that school year as well as the following school year of 1979 which I struggled to finish. The memories of Dad and the fact I missed him in my life created emptiness around my living space. Thank God such a void did not lead me to despair and desolation. As part of the healing process, I turned to the practice of Martial arts (Shotokan) at the DUC (sporting club) with Zapata as my Sansei. (May God have mercy on his soul), and the practice of Soccer at Djaraaf football club. At the time, my sisters constantly reminded me that I could not
appear on the Junior national team, which I was selected for, because of my name Mbacke: It was frustrating. I went to America in 1981, where I pursued my education, improved my English, took the GED college placement and admittance tests and passed them. I applied and was admitted into New York Institute of Technology and majored in Architecture in 1982. With the dedicated study of the history of world architecture, its pioneers, transformational and revolutionary changes with the advent of the industrial age, the challenges ahead of me were tremendous. Studying architects such as Philippe Johnson, Shannon, Le Corbusier, and Frank Lloyd Wright, and artists, such as Robert Venturi, and Mondrian, led me to make a choice. I was convinced that I was going to be the "Frank Lloyd" Wright of the African continent. Especially after I gazed upon master pieces such as the Guggenheim museum or the Falling Water.
Moustapha Mbacke With President A. Wade A second turning point occurred in my life when browsing the libraries, I picked up a book entitled revelations of the Unseen, written by Shaykh Abd Al Qadr Jaylani, a Sufi Master, who throughout the different discourses in that book I thought, spoke to me and to me only. Hence, I changed course, gave up 10 credits or so to complete my fifth year leading toward the Bachelor of Architectural Technology. As one can remember it takes five years to become a draftsman after one graduates despite the fact that you design Million Dollar homes for the boss who might be in the Caribbean relaxing and vacationing.
Serigne Shaykh Gaïndé Fatma in Geneva with A. Wade 1 After reading that masterpiece of Jaylani, I embarked in an extensive exercise of soul searching. Who am I? Why am I here? What is life? Who is God, but most of all who is Shaykh Ahmad Bamba Mbacke; my great-grand father, because of whom people revere me, lower their gaze, bow before me, show me so much respect, and so on and so forth. In my mind the answer to that is lengthy but I meditated extensively, and anything I perceived could have been a subject of meditation, from the music of Kitaro I listen
to, to that of Miles Davis, Beethoven, Bernstein or Tchaikovsky. I just meditated. I practiced Sufism extensively through broad research leading me to the path of a servant leadership magnifying day in day out the power within. Later down the years I was granted a non-resident fellowship at Harvard University in 2003 based on extensive research which led to the publication of my work called «The Trilateral Conspiracy.» My Community organizing work To the question where is located the Cape Verdean immigrant communities in the US? the answer will be in Boston, the same way, if you ask about the Senegalese immigrants, the answer will lead you to the Big Apple Drawing from my father s perspectives of community organizing, I learned to listen and be attentive to people s requests and expectations. Over time with my involvement and interactions with fellow immigrants and precisely Senegalese people, I generated such an esteem and consideration that the circumstances pointing all to a higher calling got me feeling compelled to responding through
W/ Mayor David Dinkins & Balozi, NY various commitments and outreach across the US, starting from New York.
Under the guise of a civil rights calling, I communicated, organized and successfully led a protest in Manhattan against the eviction of Senegalese expatriates who lived in a place called back then in 1987, Senton Hotel located at Broadway & 27 th Street. I also interpreted and translated on behalf of Senegalese nationals who were jailed and brought to court for vending without a license in the streets of Manhattan. With evidence and collected documentations around the educational cultural and universal scope of the teachings of my grandfather, with fellows I Initiated organized and led the Islamic Mouride community movement in North America, known as Daara, in the early 80s. Such a dedication led to the proclamation of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba day in New York on July 28 th 1988, followed by the visit of Shaykh Mouhammad Mourtada, then the youngest living son of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba Mbacke.
Looking Toward and gearing for a Brighter Future for Senegal and Africa Following substantive meetings and sustained outreach, then Mayor David Dinkins Proclaimed July 28th, Shaykh Ahmad Bamba day in New York City. Following that proclamation, I requested and was granted the United Nations facility in 1988 to hold lectures on the history of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba's confrontation against the French colonial power in the 1800 hundreds.
New York got more attention in the course of such a process of cultural affirmation when I Initiated the Mourid Islamic movement parade in Harlem, which is still going on throughout the July 28 th Day. Because of the issues of diversity and cultural divide among immigrant communities, with fellows such as Harvey Balozi, Kenyata, a former body guard of Malcolm x, we launched the interfaith dialogue initiative and visited churches in Harlem and spoke of the non-violent movement of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba Mbacke. Following the New York City proclamation and evolving events around, the movement was extended to the cities of Washington DC, Maryland, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Chicago, Raleigh, Detroit and Montreal, proclamations were made by each authority in those various cities and days commemorating the dates are also celebrated with all the cultural and educational traits associated with the scope of the events. And later, Europe caught on with the movement.
At the Field Museum in downtown Chicago, a permanent exhibit on the history of my great grandfather, Shaykh Ahmad Bamba Mbacke has been going on since 1991 close to making the windy city the second pilgrimage destination after New York. W/ Shaykh Mourtada, Islamic Univ of Chicago (Agreement Signing) At UCLA, with guidance provided, extensive efforts were made by professor Allen Roberts to spread the life and works of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba Mbacke. Historic Research:
Throughout a number of years, I conducted international research in African countries such as Ivory Coast, Guinea, Benin the Congo, Angola, Gabon and Mauritania, in France, in Aix-en-Provence, Nantes, Chevilly-Larue, in England at the British Museum of London and in Hamburg, Germany around pertinent documentations uncovering the truth behind the confrontation of my great Grandfather and the French colonial power. My history research brought unexpected outcomes worth drawing when it comes to cultural identity, affirmation, education reform, and local language rehabilitation which colonial enterprise was meant to dismantle and impose a whole host of new assimilation tools that keep, to date, impacting the cohesion of our indigenous social fabric locally, nationally and regionally within the French western Africa. Publications and Lectures: Rendered into English and published the following works of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba Mbacke: - Graces from the All-Holy, - Sindidi ; Prayers of Shaykh Ahmad Bamba. - Prayers of the Prophet(p,b,u,h),
- Quest for healing ; - Proclamation of faith of the Shaykh, the Paths to Paradise. I am in the process of publishing 2 Volumes of 4 entitled : Maritime Odyssey :The Jihadist. My friend Steven Seagal the Hollywood actor is interested in making a movie based on my books. Lectured at Columbia University (Bernard College),Temple University, Cleveland State University, North Eastern University, The United Nations, Dakar University. Business and International Consulting: -Designed, produced and distributed a line of jewelry in 925 sterling silver combined with 18 Karat Gold. Participated in international trade shows at the Javits center and in San Antonio. Sold to Macys and Henry Bendels -Designed and produced an exclusive line of flatware in the filigree handcraftsmanship. These were made in Gold and silver decorated with precious stones such as rubies sapphires and emeralds. Letter openers, daggers and baby spoons were also available.
- Conceived and designed the Jesus Boat Lamp. Prototype was produced, trademarked and the patent is pending. My filigree designed products have appeared in exclusive magazines such as the Rob report magazine and the Gold Book, a then Beverly Hills publication. - Negotiated successfully on behalf of the Senegalese Government a 98 MW power barge in 2002. - Negotiated successfully for a high-profile Sudanese delegation to Visit with president Wade regarding the Chad crisis. That led to President Bashir's visit in Senegal on his way to the non-aligned summit in Cuba in 2006. - Negotiated successfully for the construction of 100 000 homes for government employees in Senegal in 2006. - Negotiated successfully the funding of 250 MW transmission lines for the then newly elected Senegalese government in 2012. - Engaged in International trade and acted as broker or facilitator for commodities such as rice, sugar, milk powder soy bean, corn, and gray Portland cement.
- Created with a core group of immigrants a company named AAFIA (American African Finance International of America) Corp, the objective of which is to establish a transatlantic banking system with presence in the United States, Italy, France, Senegal, The United Arab Emirates and eventually China to cater to the Senegalese and African traders. This project we have been working on since 2004, is of tremendous importance for the Senegalese diaspora which according to the central bank in Senegal, accounts for USD 1.8 billion in wire transfer. The implementation of that transatlantic banking system will allow over a million Senegalese and 7 million potential Africans to wire transfer through their own network, to fund their homes, small and medium size businesses, and be able to gain access to capital and cash flows upon their return at home. Senior Partner in AAFIA-COSTON Group, a Nevada based company that is looking to engage African countries, fund and install for them power plants based on BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) models.
Moustapha Mbacke With Pdt. John Kufuor of Ghana
Moustapha Mbacke and Mrs. Condoleezza Rice, Former Secretary of State USA
A VISISON YOU CAN EMBRACE
Our strategic vision signifies an intelligent comprehensive road map. What we want to become and the guiding transformational initiatives we will take, will compel us to set a defined direction which in a decade, will produce positive results for Senegal and will need minimal revisions. We will intelligently introduce a process of industrialization whereby our economy, in addition to being a primary agricultural driven nation relying on a 4 months rainy season, will implement centers of manufacturing of goods in an environment conducive to investment with no risks through special programs. The banking program is a good illustration of what we want to achieve and how we can do it. We can have a mechanized mass production lines along with intensive labor driven economy to create good jobs in a friendly business environment.
Overall, this is who we are and what we represent, the dignity and the cultural identity we intend to maintain. Mr. Nelson Mandela, quoting Malcolm X said: We declare our right on this earth... to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary
This President is Also a Family Man, a Good Daddy!