Serigne Saliou Ndiouroul Thioune is one of the children of Cheikh Béthio Thioune, the Thiantacônes leader who died six years ago. In an interview published Monday in L'Observateur, he claims his share of his father's inheritance, pointing to the delays in launching the procedure to lead to the division of the marabout's assets, while some of the latter's children "are living in difficult situations," according to him.

He himself says he lives in precarious conditions with his two wives, one in Senegal and the other in Italy, and their children. At 43, Serigne Saliou Ndiouroul Thioune says he is in serious financial difficulty, to the point that he even worked as a delivery man (Thiak Thiak) before giving it up following a serious accident that nearly cost him a leg.

The interviewee for L'Observateur proclaims his determination to clarify the matter of Cheikh Béthio Thioune's inheritance. He decided to go all the way after the land dispute broke out between one of his brothers, Seydina Saliou Thioune, and one of his father's widows, Sokhna Déthié Pène. "That's what brought me out of the woodwork," he confesses. "It's been six years since our father died, and officially, there still hasn't been a division of the inheritance."

Serigne Saliou Ndiouroul Thioune acknowledges receiving a share of the inheritance: "I received a car, two plots of land in Touba, and 4 million CFA francs." But he believes the sum doesn't add up. "All this was given to me without anyone knowing how much the inheritance amounted to. I remain convinced that the Sheikh was much richer than that," he argues.

Serigne Saliou Ndiouroul Thioune believes that Cheikh Béthio Thioune had enough assets to allow his 28 children, according to his count, to live decently despite his disappearance. "Serigne Béthio left a lot of land in Diass, Mbour, Touba, Malicounda, Thiès, Saint-Louis, Louga, Casamance... There are many more that I don't know about."

To make his voice heard, Serigne Saliou Ndiouroul Thioune alerted the caliph of the Mourides, Serigne Mountakha Mbacké, and Serigne Cheikh Saliou Mbacké, caliph of Serigne Saliou Mbacké, fifth caliph of the Mourides and guide of Cheikh Béthio Thioune. But, he intends to turn to the courts if nothing changes.

"I'm giving an ultimatum that expires next Monday before I take legal action," he threatens. "My lawyer is standing by. I will contest everything that wasn't done legally, right down to the money transfers the Sheikh made while he was living out his final days in Bordeaux. I'm also warning those who are trying to reclaim plots of land in Malicounda; I'm keeping an eye on them."