HIGHLIGHT: Book Presentation and Dedication: Seydi Diamil Niane: Mohammed Lamine Diop, le Prince Noir de la Poésie Arabe (Les Editions Afrikana, 2021)

The book was launched at the West African Research Center (WARC) on Thursday, June 10^th, with a panel featuring Professor Penda Mbow (Department of History, UCAD), Dr Cheikh Abdoulaye Niang from IFAN-UCAD, Mr Ousmane Diaw of the Timbuktu Publishing House in Cairo, Egypt, Mrs Yague Samb, moderator, and the author Dr Seydi Diamil Niane. Dr Niane is a promising young researcher and scholar who, according to Professor Penda Mbow, can make major contributions in the study and understanding of writings in arabic produced by many prominent senegalese religious leaders. Such islamic pundits created many schools to disseminate knowledge in the religion but also to promote the writing of essays, poetry etc…in arabic or in ajami. Among those schools are Guédé, Saint Louis, Ganguel, Nguidjilogne, Louga, Thiès, Kolda, Kaolack, Darou El-Khair, Sokone, Ainoumane, Tivaouane, Dakar, Touba, to name some of the most famous.

The book presented and discussed by the panel celebrates the excellent poetical skills and gifts of Mohamed Lamine Diop whose poems in arabic could rival with the best pieces written by arab writers themselves in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Irak, Syria etc…..

The event was attended by people including religious leaders, researchers specializing in arabic literature, culture and civilization and the larger public.