Senegal cancels French sale in order to preserve Senghor goods

The auction has received goods from unknown private sellers that belonged to Senegal’s first president.

The event has been postponed as Senegalese authorities said on Friday that they intend to purchase Leopold Sedar Senghor’s personal belongings in a French auction on Saturday.

According to a TRT Africa report, President Macky Sall has asked the culture minister and the Senegalese Embassy in Paris to have “appropriate discussions” with the auctioneer.

Auctioneer Solene Laine told AFP on Saturday that she and her seller “perfectly understand the excitement caused by this sale among the Senegalese and… we therefore decided to postpone the sale.”

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In the coming weeks, negotiations will be conducted by government representatives. In the event that Senegal and the corporation are unable to come to a deal, the auction is scheduled to take place in December.

Leopold Sedar Senghor’s estate, which included jewellery and battle medals, was scheduled to be auctioned off by a Caen auction house. His possessions were turned over to the company by an unidentified individual vendor. “These lots from the estate of Leopold Sedar Senghor come from a private individual,” the company’s website states.

Senghor was not just the first Senegalese president but also a writer, poet, and educator. After the country of West Africa gained independence from France in 1960, he served as its leader for 20 years. After that, he moved to France, where he passed away in 2001 at the age of 95.