CULTURE
CONGO – “Catching and stuffing monarch Congo”, by Richard Ossoma-Lesmois
“Catch and prank of the monarch Congo”, by Richard Ossoma-Lesmois draws some lessons from the presidential election that took place on 21 March 2021 in Congo-Brazzaville, which led to the unexpected re-election of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. The main teaching, Congo-Brazzaville escapes the quagmire of a constitutional debate on Article 70, after the death of the opposition candidate the day after the vote.
Contents of the Political Chronicle
In this eighty-two-page work published by Edilivre, the Congolese jurist and writer, poses the need for the Congolese to get used to the Constitution, to the existing ordinary laws, to the mechanisms of democratic pluralism that they themselves have.adopted to consolidate the country’s anchorage to social, economic emergence and environmental excellence.Because picturesque constitutional changes and electoral laws, repeated political dialogues without any real impact on the general well-being of the populations, precipitate public misfortunes and apothecary agreements. In addition to curbing the bonds of emergence taken by the country since 2002
Lessons from the presidential election
Drawing some lessons from the presidential election held in Congo-Brazzaville on 21 March 2021, which led to the surprise victory of Denis Sassou N’Guesso for a new five-year term, the lawyer and writer, Richard Ossoma-Lesmois, highlights three important points in his book. In the first point related to the particular event that marked the presidential election of 21 March 2021 in Congo-Brazzaville, the Congolese lawyer and writer talks about the death of the presidential candidate, Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas, the main opponent of the Congolese president, Denis Sassou N’Guesso, president of the opposition party UDR-Yuki. Death occurred on March 22, 2021 in France, during his medical evacuation for respiratory discomfort caused by the complications of Covid-19 and other long-term pathologies suffered by the Congolese politician and opponent.
Occurring after the day of the vote, the death of the opposition candidate, Brice Parfait Kolelas has raised some procrastination concerning the interpretation of Article 70 of the Constitution of 25 October 2021 regarding incidents disrupting the electoral process organized in the country. Fortunately for the country, the Congo-Brazzaville, the death of the opponent candidate in the presidential election, Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas, which occurred on 22 March 2021 the day after the day of the vote, does not enter into the cases set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 70 of the Constitution.
The vote had already taken place in the case of the first paragraph, explains Richard Ossoma-Lesmois. And then, the final results of the election did not result in a second round of the presidential election. The outgoing president, Denis Sassou N’Guesso, won by a margin of more than 88 per cent in the first round.
The endless debate on the Constitution
Thus, the country escapes an interminable constitutional debate when we know that, in the past, a simple interpretation of Article 75 of the Constitution of 15 March 1992 had precipitated the Congo-Brazzaville in a series of political challenges to the legitimate government resulting from the first free elections held in the country. And then, in the civil war of 1993 under the presidency of Pascal LISSOUBA, the erection of barricades in the major arteries of the capital, Brazzaville according to the factual divisions imposed by the political leaders, under the backdrop of a surrealist consensus government with 40 per cent of opposition representatives and 60 per cent of presidential majority representatives.The political compromise occurred in total ignorance of the provisions of the Constitution of 15 March 1992. Even so, this constitutional incident that had brought the parliamentary majority to the opposition and led President Lissouba to dissolve the National Assembly, were distant causes of the first Congolese civil war of 1993 in the era of multiparty rule. The inter-tribal conflict, which killed 10,000 people, then opposed the supporters of Bernard Kolélas to the supporters of President Pascal LISSOUBA. In addition to significant material damage. Another consequence, the presidential election planned in August 1997 in accordance with the constitutional deadlines set, will never take place. Since a second civil war started by President Pascal LISSOUBA against his predecessor, Denis Sassou NGUESSO, also involving supporters of the historic opponent, Bernard KOLELAS. More deadly, the June 5, 1997 civil war killed 30,000 people.
The stakes of the presidential election of March 21, 2021
As for the lessons, the first extract from the presidential election of 21 March 2021, writes the author, relates to the maturity of the Congolese political class and society not to yield to the spectre of general protests. The absence of candidates from other major Congolese opposition parties, the Upads, the MUST or the Focad group of parties, did not lead to a boycott of the election. On the contrary, the Congolese have massively exercised their civic duty. The resignation of political leaders towards a vote rendered irreversible by constitutional provisions and electoral law on the one hand;the Madingou Political Dialogue held on 26 November 2020, a few months before the date of the presidential election, on the other hand.
The second positive lesson drawn from the presidential election of 21 March 2021 is respect for the constitutional calendar, and the failure to resort to a constitutional revision. Confirmation of the acceptance of the classical mechanisms of a democracy and the virtues of a Republic of progress. Two major acts explain this teaching: the first act, the constitutional deadlines for the end of the presidential term, have been respected. Moreover, citing Article 69 of the Constitution, the Congolese President, Denis Sassou N’Guesso, stressed this during his message on the state of the nation to the parliamentarians gathered in Congress on December 22, 2020 in Brazzaville. As a result, Congo-Brazzaville operated according to the traditional mechanisms of a democracy.
The third lesson to be learned from the presidential election held on March 21, 2021, the lack of ideological matrices among the opposition political parties. The absence of an ideological corpus composing the interesting projects of society likely to drain the Congolese towards a new social dream next to the ordinary political dream. Also, the limits of obsessive opposition to the government or to the desperate search for collective opposition currents. A boring practice for Congolese already accustomed to systematic oppositions without a new ideology or in terms of current development issues, such as the Internet, places women in the state apparatus and business, child protection and prevention of delinquent children, education. Nor even in relation to the challenges of tomorrow, among others, urban design in relation to ecology, truly commercial agriculture to diversify the Congolese economy based mainly on oil revenues, health and medical research to revitalize basic health districts, interconnection of Congolese, African and European youth through NGOs and other socio-development organizationsthe presence in international finance to attract international investors to the country, Congo-Brazzaville.
Richard Ossoma-Lesmois, asks the Congolese to get used to the Constitution
Through his book Attrape et farce de monarque Congo, Richard Ossoma-Lesmois, asks the Congolese to get used to the Constitution, ordinary laws and the mechanisms of pluralism that they have adopted themselves at different epics of their collective history. Because the continual questioning of institutions, either by picturesque changes in the Constitution; or by repeated political dialogues with no real impact on the general well-being of the population, sometimes hinders good impulses of social emergence, economic and environmental excellence taken by the country since 2002.
In conclusion, the Congolese jurist and writer, believes that no constitution is perfect, except democracy itself. No form of political or institutional regime generates strong popular support, except for the pluralism of approaches and the mechanisms of citizen representation. A society based on culture, constitution, good political governance and the happiness of all should be founded.Because ignorance, forgetfulness or contempt for the Constitution and human rights inevitably precipitate the public misfortune and corruption of successive governments in Congo-Brazzaville.
Richard Ossoma-Lesmois was born on 30 December 1976 in Macouria, and resides in Fontenay-sous-Bois, France.He is a lawyer specialized in public international law and humanitarian law. Passionate about beautiful letters, he is also a writer.
CINEMA
BURKINA FASO – Culture and tourism: The 4th edition of Tunnel honors the builders of the shadow
Koudougou, May 31, 2025 (AIB) – The 4th edition of Tunnel, a ceremony for distinguishing cultural and tourist actors in the Central-West region, was held in Koudougou on Saturday, noted the AIB on site.
This annual event, initiated by Adama Badiel, aims to create, according to him, a platform of visibility and support for artists and tourism professionals to allow them to establish themselves on national and international scenes.
The promoter Adama Badiel stressed the importance of this edition, placed under the sign of collaboration, recognition and collective construction. He recalled the fundamental objective of the Tunnel: “to highlight the cultural and tourist talents of the Center-West, these women and men who, often without spotlight or support, nourish our region with their passion, creativity, and determination.”
This year, the event paid a special tribute to its partners, whose support is deemed indispensable. Among the officials present were Jean Noël Bonkoungou, representing the minister of culture, patron of the ceremony, El Hadj Inoussa Bagué, president of the Patronat du Centre-Ouest, Franck Alain Kaboré, CEO of Cinéma Neerwaya, and Ali Bonkoungou, CEO of Salsabil Bâtiment, testifying to the commitment of the private and public sectors.
Despite a slight reduction to five categories in competition this year, due to a limited number of album releases and works meeting the criteria, Adama Badiel ensured that the “Golden Tunnel” category will evolve from next year to expand opportunities while maintaining the quality requirement.
The promoter also launched a call for goodwill because, “we need you to build a true ecosystem where art, heritage, tourism and youth can express themselves, thrive and inspire.” This heartfelt plea highlights the major challenge of the lack of resources to fully support the laureates and optimize their visibility.
Several emblematic figures of Burkinabe cinema, such as Eugène Bayala (Oyou), Sawadogo Alidou (head of the Village of Kikideni), and Rasmané Ouédraogo (Razo), have already been honored in previous editions.
This year, the winners on the artistic side include Mr. Baraka, Tasha, Yololo Junior, and KSB 80.
In the cultural and tourist field, personalities like El Hadj Inoussa Bagué, Franck Alain Kaboré, Rasmané Ouédraogo, Boubacar Berewoudougou (Hôtel Pousga), Catherine Zoma (ISMK), and Salfo Dermé were distinguished, in addition to tributes paid to ancient glories of Burkinabe music such as Pasteur Moussa Josué.
Adama Badiel concluded by stating that “the Tunnel is not a one-time event. It is a movement, an ambition, a bridge between what we are and what we can become. A strong message for the future of culture and tourism in the Center-West.
The boss’s representative, Jean Noël Bonkoungou, reassured the promoter of Tunnel of the support of the ministry.
Source: Information Agency of Burkina
Photo credit: Information Agency of Burkina
See on the platforms the legendary Senegalese hip-hop group Daara J Family. On May 30, 2025, the band returns with “COSAAN”, a committed single that resonates, with its morning mbalax melodies and gentle flows, as an essential reminder: never forget where you come from. The single has over 80,000 views and 900 comments on YouTube.
“Fan nga cosaanoo?” – Where are your roots?
This question in wolof, almost a supplication, serves as the thread to the new title of Daara J Family. NAACP literally means “origin” or “heritage”. With this single, the iconic duo formed by Faada Freddy and Ndongo D delivers a work that is at once poetic, political and deeply rooted in history, especially that of Senegal. It is also a call to African youth not to forget their origins. And above all to enhance its cultural heritage by walking with pride in the footsteps of the ancients.
Cosaan, between mbalax and rap
Formed in 1994, while still in high school, the members of Daara J Family never gave up their musical identity. Indeed, they have always mixed sharp words, spirituality and pan-African consciousness. In “COSAAN”, they revisit this tradition that is dear to them. In this song, there are traditional sounds (mbalax) and contemporary hip-hop textures, echoing their long-standing belief: rap was born in Africa, traveled, then came back. The refrain, translated into French, is unequivocal: “Le monde et ce qu’il contient / Si tu vas là et que tu l’obtiens / N’oublie pas, n’oublie pas / This is where your origin lies!” A direct appeal to African youth not to give in to cultural amnesia and to keep the memory of ancestors and African identity alive.
When history inhabits the word
Faada Freddy, with his recognizable soul voice among a thousand, hums: “We know where we come from/ What worries us is where we are going…” This lucid concern can only be tempered by an unwavering faith in the values of the elders. Ndongo D, adds in a quick flow: “If you forget yesterday, tomorrow you will be lost (…) You were born here, you come from here, you live here.” It is an anchor cry, a response to uprooting, a warning against forgetting.
Daara J Family: Making sense of the flow
From their first eponymous album in 1998 to Boomerang in 2003 — hailed as one of the best hip-hop albums of the century by The Observer — to Yaamatele in 2020, Daara J Family have always been able to combine the art of flow with that of meaning. Their commitment goes beyond words. They shared the stage with icons such as Public Enemy or Mos Def, and travelled through festivals from Africa to Europe, from WOMAD to Live 8.
COSAAN: a single dedicated to transmission
More than a return, COSAAN is a transmission. It is a manifesto. That of a knowledge, a duty to remember, a pride. At a time when markers are shifting, when crops are being diluted. In an era marked by migration, globalization and multiple influences, Daara J Family reminds us that identity is a foundation, not a burden. That heritage is not nostalgia, but a compass. And they offer a musical compass and identity with this single: Cosaan!
The monumental works depicting the battle of Little Big Horn, exhibited on the Pont des Arts in Paris in 1999, made the Senegalese artist famous. The installation has just joined the fortress in the Hautes-Alpes for at least ten years.
Muscled warriors meld, horse bumping. Sounds of the fury of battle are heard. Under the impressive curvilinear wooden frame of the old Rochambeau barracks, at the fort of Mont-Dauphin (Hautes-Alpes), is played the battle of Little Big Horn, opposing, in 1876, a coalition of Cheyennes, Sioux and Arapaho to the soldiers of General Custer’s regiment.
In thirty-five monumental sculptures, visible from 6 July, the Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow (1935-2016) celebrates the resounding victory of the fragile over the powerful. Deposited in this fortified village for a period of ten years renewable by his widow, the director Béatrice Soulé, this epic installation is well known to the Parisians who discovered it amazed, one day in March 1999, on the Pont des Arts.
The exhibition has remained in the annals with its record attendance – at least 3 million visitors in three months. «An unexpected success», recalls art critic Emmanuel Daydé, then deputy mayor for cultural affairs. For the former physiotherapist born in 1935 in Dakar, who later became an artist, it is consecration. But also, surprisingly, a swan song.
At the moment when Ousmane Sow gains international fame, the art world turns its back on him. Although he was the first African artist recognized in France, none of his successors, to whom he had paved the way, claimed it.
Mayor’s daughter supports her cause
It had all started well. In 1993, the Senegalese sculptor, who two years earlier had been on the cover of Revue noire – a quarterly magazine that revealed a number of African talents – was invited to the major five-year exhibition at Documenta in Kassel, Germany. In 1995, here he is at the Venice Biennale, which is to contemporary art what the Cannes Film Festival is to cinema. The autodidact dreams of an event in Paris.
By chance, he met Hélène Tiberi, daughter of the mayor at the time, Jean Tiberi. Who supports his cause at the City Hall. The location is easy: it will be the Pont des Arts, between the Louvre and the Academy of Fine Arts. It will take diplomatic treasures to convince these two institutions, who have not seen with a good eye the proximity of massive silhouettes imagined by an African artist.Archives «World»: Ousmane Sow questions Bordeaux and politicians
The neighbouring National School of Fine Arts, where figurative art was then taboo, is also pinching its nose. Money is missing. The Havas group had initially promised to contribute to the addition of 5 million francs (the equivalent of 1 million euros today), but its new CEO, Jean-Marie Messier, is sneaking out. Béatrice Soulé moves heaven and earth, finds sponsors and is personally indebted to the tune of 1 million francs. More here
Source: Le Monde
