Dix ans sont passés, mais les émotions demeurent aussi vives. Ce 7 janvier 2025, la ville honore la mémoire des victimes de l’attentat contre Charlie Hebdo.

Le 7 janvier 2015, le journal satirique a été frappé par un acte terroriste à Paris, coûtant la vie à 12 personnes, dont 8 membres de sa rédaction.
Depuis, Montpellier organise chaque année un hommage pour ne pas oublier. Cette année, une exposition commémorative est visible sur le parvis de l’Hôtel de Ville jusqu’au 24 janvier.

Le discours du président Emmanuel Macron devant les diplomates français suscite de nombreuses réactions. Il déclare que les Africains devraient exprimer leur gratitude envers la France pour avoir empêché leurs pays de sombrer dans le chaos.

Lors de la 30ème Conférence des Ambassadrices et des Ambassadeurs tenue le 6 janvier 2025 à l’Élysée, le président Emmanuel Macron a abordé la relation entre l’Afrique et la France dans un long discours de plus d’une heure et quarante minutes. Le président entend porter un agenda débarrassé “ des obsessions du passé” en poursuivant le travail historique, culturel et mémoriel avec clarté et sincérité. Il cite en exemple les travaux de la commission Stora sur l’Algérie ou encore le discours tenu par le ministre de l’Europe et des affaires étrangères Jean Noël Barrot à Thiaroye au Sénégal. Cela signifie aussi de continuer la politique de restitution des œuvres d’art conformément à l’agenda de Ouagadougou. Pour le président français, cette politique est la bonne. Fondamentalement, il s’agit de regarder l’histoire de France dans sa complétude et d’adopter une approche scientifique et historiographique décomplexée et dépassionnée, a-t-il avancé.

Critique des panafricanistes

Le patron de l’Élysée pense qu’il faut continuer le dialogue avec l’Afrique. Cependant, il juge que ce dialogue ne doit pas être pris en otage par “des faux intellectuels” et les adeptes d’un “panafricanisme de bon aloi contemporain” qu’il accuse de manipuler les réseaux sociaux et se servir du désarroi de la jeunesse africaine contre la France. Une attaque dirigée contre les panafricanistes qui tiennent des propos hostiles à la France, tout en soutenant les pays comme la Russie, la Chine qu’il qualifie “d’impérialistes d’aujourd’hui”.

Dénonciation de l’ingratitude des africains

Le président de la République française refuse d’admettre que la France est en recul sur le continent africain. “La France est lucide et se réorganise”  se justifie t-il. “Elle a choisi de bouger parce qu’il fallait bouger” insiste-t-il. Pour lui, ceux qui soutiennent  que la France est en train de disparaître sont ceux qui regardent toujours l’Afrique avec les yeux d’hier.

Sur le plan de la coopération militaire avec le continent, Emmanuel Macron assure que tout va bien. Il a salué le sacrifice des forces militaires françaises engagées dans la lutte contre le terrorisme depuis 2013 sur la demande des Etats souverains. Les Etats africains dans la région (Sahel) devraient être reconnaissants envers la France, sans laquelle plusieurs pays ne seraient pas des nations souveraines, confie-t-il.

Réactions africaines

Les déclarations du président français ont suscité une vive indignation chez certains leaders politiques africains. Ils dénoncent les propos méprisants et le ton condescendant d’Emmanuel Macron. Dans un communiqué lu à la télévision, le ministre tchadien des affaires étrangères Abderaman Koulamallah a déploré l’attitude méprisante d’Emmanuel Macron à l’égard de l’Afrique et les africains. Il a invité les dirigeants français à respecter les peuples africains et à reconnaître le sacrifice des africains pour la libération de la France pendant la deuxième guerre mondiale. Il a tenu à rappeler que la construction de l’armée tchadienne n’est pas l’œuvre de la France dont la contribution est minime sans développement durable, mais plutôt le fruit de la bravoure du peuple tchadien et des sacrifices consentis.

Même son de cloche chez le premier ministre sénégalais Ousmane Sonko qui accuse la France d’être plutôt à l’origine de la déstabilisation de certains pays africains comme la Libye avec des conséquences désastreuses sur la stabilité et la sécurité du Sahel. Il a aussi rappelé au président français que si “les soldats africains, quelquefois mobilisés de force, maltraités et finalement trahis, ne s’étaient pas déployés lors de la deuxième guerre mondiale pour défendre la France, celle-ci serait, peut-être aujourd’hui encore, allemande”. 

Le Président Emanuel Macron a affirmé aujourd’hui que le départ annoncé des bases françaises aurait été négocié entre les pays africains qui l’ont décrété et la France.

Il poursuit en estimant que c’est par simple commodité et par politesse que la France a consenti la primeur… pic.twitter.com/kNrBtkEGE0

— Ousmane Sonko (@SonkoOfficiel) January 6, 2025

À la conquête de l’Afrique anglophone

Macron a invité les français à regarder l’Afrique avec de nouvelles lunettes. Celles actuelles ne “sont pas les bonnes”, elles sont trop tournées vers l’Afrique francophone, a-t-il déclaré. Il se félicite de la démarche de la France d’organiser la première visite officielle du Nigéria en France depuis 25 ans, de faire une première visite au Kenya, de retourner pour la deuxième fois en Ethiopie, de consolider une stratégie énergétique et d’investissement avec l’Afrique du Sud etc.   Pour le chef d’Etat français l’Afrique est un continent où il y a de grands émergents avec des potentiels de croissance formidable, mais la France ne suit pas la dynamique, elle est “frileuse”, elle “désinvestit” .

Réorganisation stratégique militaire française en Afrique

Le président français attribue le retrait des troupes françaises dans certains pays africains aux coups d’État. Cette situation a conduit à une redéfinition stratégique de la présence militaire française sur le continent. Macron reconnaît que les bases militaires françaises, souvent critiquées, alimentent les campagnes de désinformation contre la France. Les bases stratégiques seront maintenues dont celle de Djibouti, qu’il juge stratégique et régionale. 

Enfin, Macron a annoncé un nouveau partenariat de défense avec l’Afrique, axé sur la formation, l’équipement et le partage de renseignements.

Wonders shall never end. Dominique Pélicot a 71 years old man, allegedly drugged and allowed more than 70 strangers to rape his wife for about 10 years. Dominique and his accomplices’ trial has begun this Monday.

If you think you have seen it all, wait until you read about this horrific story from France. Dominique Pélicot drugged his wife Gisèle Pélicot, and then hired men online to rape her. The case was brought to light in 2020 when he was first caught filming under the skirt of a woman in a supermarket. The investigators then found a file on his computer about photos and videos of his wife being raped by different men while she was unconscious. At least 92 cases of rape were registered.

The beginning of a long trial

The husband and 50 other men identified with the help of the photos and videos found on the computer, appeared in the criminal court of Avignon this Monday, September 02, and the trial will last till December. The defendants face up to 20 years in prison. The acts took place in their matrimonial house in Mazan, a small city in the south of France.

While some defendants admit to being aware of the wife being drugged, others claimed to have been tricked by the husband, alleging that he told them they were in an open relationship.

Political chaos in France. President Emmanuel Macron fails to choose a prime minister in the wake of the 2024 legislative elections.

The new elections didn’t go as planned

For Macron and the left parties, the worst scenario is avoided but it wasn’t the outcome they were expecting. A coalition of the left parties during the second leg under the banner Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) which stands for New Popular Front, scored 193 seats, followed by Macron and his allies about 160 while RN and allies scored only 143. With those results, none of the parties has the majority to govern without being censured by the parliament.

Who will be the Prime minister?

That’s one question no one will be able to tell until President Macron chooses one. Normally, the PM is chosen within the party that wins the elections. In this instance, no party can claim victory, not even NFP which won 193 seats. To be able to form a government, it needs at least 289 deputies. But the coalition of the left is asking Macron to name their unanimously chosen candidate Lucie Castets as prime minister. After consulting heads of the parties, Emmanuel Macron rejected the proposition of NFP for the sake of « the country’s stability » as no one, neither the president’s party and allies nor RN and allies are willing to partner with the left to govern. The situation is complicated, but Macron continues talking to different political actors, to find a solution.

According to France’s constitution in Article 8, the choice of the prime minister is made by the president. It all comes down to one person: Emmanuel Macron.

We are living in a world full of haters. No matter how talented you are, some will always undermine your work. That shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your dream, and that shouldn’t stop you from trying to achieve the goals you set for yourself. You have to keep going, no matter the obstacles.

The truth is, when you are good, you’re good! People will love your work if you do it well. If you are excellent in your domain the world is gonna appreciate it. Even haters. They might not say that publicly but they will know deep inside, that you are a real deal.

There is only one thing you should do: persevere. I know it’s easier said than done. But I don’t see any other alternative. Everybody has goals, but only those who don’t lose sight of their dreams eventually achieve them. So don’t lose sight of your objectives. 

Do not be too hard on yourself, little by little, you’ll get there. Jay Shetty said we don’t need to improve 100% daily. All we need is to improve 1% a day. And in 100 days ride, we will improve to100%. Hope you get the meaning. Work on yourself, go on your own rhythm. No pressure, don’t lose sight of your goals. Now go and succeed!

Islam DEGUENOU, journalist and events host

                                                                                      Photo credit: Damazio

Every morning when I wake up, the question that always comes to my mind is: what should I do to become the kind of person I wanna be? In other words, what should I do to become a great journalist and events host?

The attempt to find an answer to this question, makes me think of two things: my strengths and my weaknesses.

After narrowing down multiple ideas, here is what I figured out.

I am the man. Yes, I am the guy who is made for journalism and presentations. I now know that my greatest strength is my passion. Of course, that alone isn’t enough to lead me to my goal.

There is only one problem, which is my biggest nightmare: how to get it right.

A great journalist has the ability to find suitable words to convey a message. A great journalist is a well articulate person. I fear I’m not that person yet. Of course, I wanna change that, of course, I wanna be fluent in both English and French and why not learn other languages. But I feel like I am not doing what is needed. I am not reading enough, I am not writing enough, I am not learning enough. I am not motivated to do what is required, which is the major issue and the biggest obstacle to my dreams. No pain no gain right? Only hard work can get me there. The talent is there. No doubt, it remains to use if, to exploit it.

I consider it a huge battle. If I win that fight, I’m gonna be an outstanding journalist and host. Looking forward to it, and yes, I am trying to win the fight. Hope you will help. Counting on you.

Islam DEGUENOU, journalist/ Events host

TOGO: Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor or SEA is a togolese international Football player born on February 26, 1984 in Lomé the capital of Togo. He started his early days in the Sporting Club of Lomé at the neighbourhood Nyékonakpoè(Lomé).

He finally left his country to France where he had his training in Metz…He was phenomenon with Metz. He helped his club to win the national cup of U17 in 2001 by defeating Bordeaux 2-1 where he scored the second goal of the match. He scored 17 goals in total with Metz within 51 matches both in first Division and Ligue 2.

Adebayor helped his club Metz to go to Ligue 1 but his club cannot afford anymore his salary . SEA was launched in L1 by Gilbert Gress. finally Adebayor moved to Monaco. There he spent almost three(03) seasons, two and half to be precise. He played 115 matches and scored 26 goals in all the competitions he had participated. Things begin falling apart for the togolese, he didn’t have enought time to play and he once for all left Monaco to Arsenal in january 2006 for a fee of 3 M£ . He was very appreciated by the Arsenal manager of that time Arsène wenger.

Adebayor became famous in Arsenal. He scored 62 goals in 142 games in all the competitions. He is the first player to score a hit-trick in the Emirates Stadium.

But in 2009, SEA left Arsenal and sign a contract of 5 years with Manchester City with a transfert fee of 29M£. Adebayor played his first game with Manchester city on August 15, 2009 against Blackburn Rovers. He scored his first goal during this match at the second minute. On september 12, the same year, Adebayor played agains his former club Arsenal. He scored and celebrated his goal in front of Arsenal supporters. The Gunners supporters didn’t appreciate that and threw bottles on him. During the same game Adebayor voluntarly hurt Robin Van Persie and slapped Alexsandre Song. After the investigations, he was suspended for 3 games. He was fantastic during his begining with Manchester City. He scored 14 goals during the season 2009-2010. But it was not easy for the togolese due to injuries, suspensions and the incident of 2010 when his national team was attacqued in Angola while travelling for the African Cup of Nations.

He missed the 2010 African Cup of Nations and in April 2010, he announced his international retirement. But after negotiations, he played again for his national team starting with the qualifications for the African Cup of nations against Bissau-Guinea on November 15, 2011. Togo won that game.

The next season of Adebayor in Manchester city was not good enough because of Roberto Mancini who became manager of City. Mancini prefer Carlos Tevèz to Adebayor.

Emmanuel Adebayor was finally tranferred to Real Madrid by loan with the purchase option of 15 M£ . He scored 19 Goals within 45 games with City.

Adebayor spent a brief moment in Real Madrid by in scoring 8 goals within 22 games..He scored a hat-trick against Almeira in la Liga and two goals against Tottenham in Champions league. Real Madrid didn’t pay the 15M£ and SEA went back to City.

From there he joined Tottenham in 2011-2012 by loan but the club permanently recruitted him after he had performed well with the spurs. He played for Tottenham till 2015 scoring 42 goals within 113 games.

He moved to Crystal Pallace in 2016. His adventure with Crystal Pallace was not a succes. He played 15 games and scored only 1 goal.

He left Crystal Palace and joined his actual club in Turkey, Instanbul Basaksehir in january 2017.

Adebayor and his natioanl team:

. World cup 2006:

Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor helped his national team to qualify for the 2006 World cup. He scored 11 goals during the qualifications. But Togo came back with no victory and only 1 goal scored by Kader Kougbadja.

. African Cup of Nations 2010:

Togo was qualified for the competition but didn’t participate due to the attacque of the Togo players at Caninda in Angola. Adebayor lost two of his team mates during this incident. He announced in April 2010 his international retirement. But he decided to play again for his national team. He is the top scorer of the Togo national team with 29 goals.

.Africa Cup of Nations 2013:

This was the best performance of Togo in the history of that competion: Togo played in the most difficult group with Ivory coast, Algeria, and Tunisia. Surprisingly, Togo and Ivory coast were qualified for the quarter finals. Unfortunately Adebayor and his team mates were eliminated by Burkina Faso 1-0.

Trophies:

Winner of national cup U17 with Metz 2001

. African player of the year 2008

. Winner of Copa Del Rey with Real Madrid 2011

DEGUENOU Islam

On December 20, 2018 the parliamentary elections were held in Togo with 59,25% as the participation rate. The most important thing the be noted is that, during the elections, the main opposition parties that form the alliance C14 did not participate because of the refusal of the government to perform the institutional and constitutional reforms that the C14 has been asking for since August 2017 following many demonstrations that caused many deaths in the country.

The boycott of the elections by the main oppotion parties did not stop the elections to be taken place. And out of 91 seats, the leader party, the Union for the Republic( UNIR) has 59 seats, Union of Forces for the Change(UFC) obtained 6 seats, New Togolese Commitment 3 seats etc…..

What happened after these elections?

Under this question, we will try to see what is the reaction of the C14 after the results of the elections..

Undoubtedly, the C14 did not recognize these elections… They not only reject the rate of the participation, but also reject the whole election claiming that there should be another election..

On sunday, the coordinator of the C14, Brigitte Adjamagbo Johnson said on the radio pyramide Fm:  » The fight will be to ensure that the mandate of the current parliamentary institution is ended as soon as possible »

She also claimed that the elections must be redone again to choose the real representatives of the country.

The C14 is planning other demonstrations again on january 26, 2019.

Will the parliamentary elections be redone?

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DEGUENOU Islam