Senegal is all set to rename the streets that are named as French colonial names. The federation has decided to rename the streets after Senegalese heroes or significant events happened in the country.
Reportedly, Mali along with fellow junta members Burkina Faso and Niger has decided to rename the streets and squares in capital to get rid of French colonial names in Senegal. As per a decree by the Junta Chief, streets bearing the names of members of France’s (or French) colonial administration are re-baptised in Bamako.
Cedeao Avenue, known as the French acronym for the Economic Community of West African States or ECOWAS are also named after a new strategic confederation that Mali has formed or created with Burkina Faso and Niger in Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Mali has been ruled by a military junta back-to-back coup in 2020 and 2021. Niger and Burkina Faso have already made several changes to street and monument names in the last couple years. However, Niger in October renamed several historic sites in capital Niamey, which previously matched the references to old colonial master of France.
Nearly 25 names have been replaced, which considered boulevards, streets, squares and public establishments in Niamey. Avenue Charles de Gaulle is renamed as Avenue Djibo Bakary after the Nigerian political figure in 1922-1998 who was the first mayor of Niamey.
The President of the Niger Government Council and a supporter of the immediate independence of Niger in the referendum called in 1958 by the then French President – General Charles de Gaulle.
Spokesman for Junta – Colonel Abdramane Amadou declared that most of the avenues, boulevards and streets bear names that simply reminds of the suffering and bullying of the people who endured during the ordeal of colonisation.
The plaque of French colonial officer and explorer Parfait-Louis Monteil in the Nigerian capital was replaced by one that bears portrait of Burkina Faso’s historic leader – Thomas Sankara who was assassinated in 1987.
Notably, France has already pulled its soldiers out of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. It followed the military coups in the West African countries and spreaded anti-French sentiment.
Under the guidance of Junta Leader – Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali broke down the long-standing alliance with European partners and former a colonial power France, instead of turning towards Russia and its Wagner mercenary group for support.
Seizing power on July 26, last year in 2023, the new Niger government of General Abdourahamane Tiani has totally reset its international partnerships. It asked the former colonial power France late year to withdraw its troops stationed in the Sahel nation that blamed it for failure to vanquish jihadist groups.
Moreover, in a surprise move last November, in 2023, the government of Chad also ended the defence cooperation with France, ending with a decade of French military presence in the Sahel region.