Currently under construction on a high hill right on the edge of the Atlantic, the North Koreans are building a gigantic statue of a man emerging from the depths of a volcano with his wife and child. It is supposed to represent the African Renaissance (the African people rising up and forging the way towards development). It looks a little absurd as the man's head is missing, the final piece to be put in place. Is that a metaphor for the whole idea of the statue? What were they thinking? I see it every day along the Cornishe--and often use it to orient myself when travelling around the city.
I understand that the president (of Senegal) says he wishes it to be a landmark that distinguishes Dakar from the rest, like the Statue of Liberty in New York, or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I am told that it is rather controversial with the people here. With all of the real-life, pressing problems facing Senegal, does Dakar really need a bronze statue taller than the Statue of Liberty? North Korea's gift to Senegal seems to have some quid pro quo for something that Senegal allowed North Korea to do.
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