December 4, 2025 marks the seventh anniversary of the passing of El Hadji Sidy Lamine Niass. Seven years already since the death of the man whom many consider a national monument: a multidimensional intellectual, a guide, a builder, a pioneer, but also a personal role model for an entire generation of journalists and citizens.

Senegal continues to mourn the loss of an extraordinary man. The founder of the Walfadjri group, often called the "baobab of the press," left his mark on the country's contemporary history through his courage, intellectual rigor, and profound sense of justice. His passing on December 4, 2018, left a void that neither time nor speeches have been able to fill.

Born in Kaolack on August 15, 1950, Sidy Lamine Niass was the son of the great scholar Khalifa El Hadj Mohamed Niasse (1881-1959) and the Sharifa Amina Bint Barham, from the noble Mauritanian tribe of the Idaw Ali. Grandson of El Hadj Abdoulaye Niasse, founder of the Niassene branch of the Tijaniyya Sufi order, he quickly established himself as a unifying figure within this large spiritual family.

Lawyer, teacher, journalist, religious leader, and committed thinker, Sidy Lamine Niass embodies one of the richest intellectual trajectories of his generation. After several years of apprenticeship with Sheikh Ibrahim Niass (Baye), he taught Arabic between 1971 and 1975, before pursuing higher education at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. There, he immersed himself in contemporary debates within the Muslim world, focusing on faith, politics, and the place of Islam in a changing world.

Upon his return to Senegal in the early 1980s, he dedicated himself to defending the Arabic language and campaigned for a fair place for Arabic speakers in society. As president of the Association of Senegalese Students in Egypt, he continued this commitment in Dakar with remarkable consistency.

In January 1984, his intellectual activism turned into concrete action. He created the magazine Walfadjri, which became a daily newspaper in 1987. The adventure then expanded with the gradual addition of Walf FM, Walf TV (2006), Walf Sport, Walf Grand-Place, Walf Religion, Walf Musique, and the group's website.

It was an innovative, independent, and audacious empire: three radio stations, three newspapers, a television channel, and a space for freedom where generations of passionate young people found a springboard. On April 1, 2010, President Abdoulaye Wade inaugurated the group's new headquarters, thus confirming the importance of the project. Sidy Lamine liked to say, "Walf is a school." And history has proven him right.

The number of media personalities who have passed through Walfadjri is countless: Moustapha Diop, Mame Birame Wathie, Pape Ngagne Ndiaye, Aïssatou Diop Fall, Sa Ndiogou, Saliou Béye, Oustaz Assane Diouf, Boop Abdoulaye, Seydina Oumar Ba, Pape Ndiaye, Awa Diop Ndiaye, Ndèye Fatou Ndiaye, Ramatoulaye Sarr, and many more. They all recognize him as a demanding mentor, a guide, a visionary.

Despite the numerous departures over the years, he was never troubled: "Talents come and go, but the mission remains." Critical of the powers that succeeded one another, but always fair, he would repeat: "Being a counter-power is not the same as being against power." His expertise was sought several times by the State during diplomatic missions, particularly with the Arab world, where he enjoyed great respect.

A brilliant orator, a Cartesian mind, and a deeply committed believer in justice, Sidy Lamine Niass possessed a rare gift for words: one that enlightens, instructs, sometimes disturbs, but always liberates. His lectures, writings, debates, and public pronouncements form a veritable living library that remains a learning tool for generations. He was at ease in all areas: politics, religion, geopolitics, society, and history. His thought transcended boundaries.

For many, he was more than just a newspaper publisher: he was a mentor, a guiding light, a moral compass. For me, [the author], he was a spiritual guide, an inspiration, a model of audacity and integrity. His courage fueled my own determination, his vision shaped my path. He was an idol, a mentor, a spiritual father figure to me.

On Tuesday, December 4, 2018, after a brief illness, the baobab tree collapsed at the Main Hospital in Dakar. On December 7, it was laid to rest in Kaolack, next to its father, before a vast crowd. But it never truly left: its work, its school, its legacy continue to guide the nation. Generations past, present, and future will continue to draw inspiration from its light.

May the earth of Kaolack rest lightly upon him. May Allah grant him His infinite mercy and preserve the legacy he left behind. May he rest in peace in Paradise, he who gave so much, taught so much, and inspired so much.

"To live, to follow your path, that's my life..."

Goodbye, my idol. Goodbye, my guide.