On the occasion of the centenary celebration of former President Abdoulaye Wade, Mbackiyou Faye, representative of the General Khalif of the Mourides, delivered a vibrant tribute blending history, spirituality and gratitude.

In a fervent speech, he presented the former head of state as one of the key figures in the development of Touba and a disciple deeply devoted to the legacy of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba. "Today is no ordinary day. Today, time stands still to celebrate a century," he declared, before painting a portrait of a man whose life, in his view, transcends mere longevity. "One hundred years is not just an age, it is a legacy. One hundred years is not just a duration, it is an imprint," he affirmed before an audience composed of religious dignitaries, political leaders, and former associates of President Wade.

"You waited 26 years, 26 years of patience, audacity, and perseverance."

For Mbackiyou Faye, Abdoulaye Wade will remain in history as an emblematic figure of Senegalese democracy. He recalled his long political struggle, the 26 years spent in opposition before coming to power in 2000, as well as his role in bringing about the country's first democratic transfer of power.

"You waited 26 years, 26 years of patience, audacity and perseverance to promote the idea that the Senegalese people deserved to freely choose their leaders," he stressed.

But the main focus of his speech was on the unique ties between Abdoulaye Wade and the Mouride community. According to him, this relationship goes far beyond the political or electoral sphere.

"Your relationship with Mouridism is not measured by electoral calculations. It is weighed on the scales of souls," he declared.

The representative of the Khalif recalled that even before entering politics, Abdoulaye Wade had been interested in the economic thought of Mouridism.

As early as 1966, he emphasized, the economist he was dedicated his thesis to the economic doctrine of Mouridism, highlighting the value of work as the foundation of a true philosophy of development. This conviction was later reflected in one of his most famous formulas: "Work, work some more, work a lot, always work."

"You broke with protocol conventions to kneel before your spiritual guide."

Mbackiyou Faye also recalled a gesture that remains etched in memory from the aftermath of the 2000 political transition. Barely elected President of the Republic, Abdoulaye Wade traveled to Touba to meet his spiritual guide, Serigne Saliou Mbacké. "You broke with protocol to kneel before your spiritual guide," he noted, seeing in this act an expression of unwavering loyalty to his religious convictions.

He then detailed the numerous achievements attributed to Wade's administration in favor of the religious city. He notably cited the expansion of Touba's official land area to 30,000 hectares in 2002, and the massive investments in road infrastructure, sanitation networks, water towers, and urban facilities.

According to him, this decision allowed the city to support its rapid expansion and prepare for its future development. He also recalled that the vision for the Ila Touba highway, inaugurated several years later, had been conceived under Wade's administration, as had several other major infrastructure projects aimed at modernizing the religious center. He then referred to the Grand Mosque Massalikoul Djinane in Dakar.

Mbackiyou Faye recalled the crucial role played by Abdoulaye Wade in allocating the six-hectare plot of land that enabled the realization of this emblematic project of the Mouride community. "Massalikoul Djinane, in its current location, is also the work of Master Abdoulaye Wade," he affirmed.

"We will never forget what you have done for Mouridism."

He recounted the meeting between Wade and the Caliph General Serigne Mountakha Mbacké, a few days before the mosque's inauguration in 2019. On that occasion, the former President declared: "I thank God for allowing me to participate in the completion of this masterpiece." The Caliph then replied: "We will never forget what you have done for Mouridism."

For Mbackiyou Faye, these two sentences alone encapsulate the depth of the ties between Abdoulaye Wade and the Mouride brotherhood. He described the former president as a builder in every sense of the word: a builder of institutions, projects, roads, mosques, but also of bridges between the temporal and the spiritual. "Your attachment to Touba has demonstrated that faith and respect for religious leaders are not weaknesses, but compasses that guide public action," he declared.

On behalf of the General Khalif of the Mourides and the entire community of Touba, he offered prayers for the health, longevity and serenity of the centenarian, before affectionately bestowing upon him a new title: that of "grandpa of Senegal".