A mon frère Ababacar Sadikh SY, Président Fondateur du groupe Sup de Co (Par Dr Pape Madické DIOP)
It is with deep emotion and infinite sadness that I learned of the passing of my brother and friend Babacar SY, President-Founder of the Higher School of Commerce of Dakar.
Since the announcement of his passing, the tributes have been unanimous. Praiseworthy and heartfelt. They come from Saint-Louis, Dakar, Djibouti, and Paris. They resonate from Africa and beyond. They honor a Senegalese man who was esteemed and respected. An African who contributed greatly to the continent and who understood very early on "the need to educate oneself, to arm oneself with science to the teeth, and to reclaim our cultural heritage," to quote Professor Cheikh Anta Diop.
A man of profound spirituality, Babacar was a complete intellectual, a prolific thinker, a man of balance, with a keen and accurate analytical mind. A humanist, a cultured man, and a subtle intellect. He was a great gentleman in every sense of the word; exceptionally courteous and elegant, possessing both the charisma that commands respect and the simplicity of truly distinguished people.
Babacar was a man of challenges, an exceptional entrepreneur, a tireless worker, a great leader who was listened to and respected. He was a man of virtue and humility. A champion of a strong, working, innovating, and progressive Africa.
He embodied academic and entrepreneurial excellence for many of us. Primus inter pares.
Babacar was one of those men to whom we are proud to pay a sincere, public tribute. While he was alive. And even more so today.
In doing so, we honor a friendship and a brotherhood. A conscience that does not fade.
And to paraphrase President Senghor, "he did not die in vain. He is a witness to immortal Africa, he is a witness to the new world that will be tomorrow."
I had the privilege of working alongside him for ten pivotal years at Sup de Co, from 1993 to 2003, at the very moment his grand dream was taking shape: to provide Senegal and Africa with an institution of excellence capable of training the managers and leaders our continent so desperately needed. A pioneer and enlightened visionary.
Our bonds, forged 32 years ago, have never broken. They are a symbol of fraternity. Fraternity for the dignity of the human condition.
By his side, I witnessed, day after day, the strength of his vision, the rigor of his work, and the immensity of his commitment to serving African youth. Babacar embodied the conviction that education is a nation's greatest asset. He saw in every student a promise for the future, and he dedicated all his energy to helping those promises blossom.
A man of character, principle, and truth, he was at once a builder, an educator, and a visionary. But beyond the figure he represented, he was to me a brother, an attentive, demanding, and benevolent guide. Ten years of sincere companionship forged our rich bond, which neither time nor life's inherent vicissitudes could alter.
By his side, I learned patience, restraint, perseverance, tolerance, and forgiveness. He knew, to paraphrase Camus, that "a man restrains himself." In his inner circle, I learned to despise mediocrity and laziness. With him, I developed a work ethic and a sense of responsibility, the only guarantees of lasting success.
He deeply believed in the School. This School which promotes effort, merit and equal opportunities; this school which enabled him to achieve social and intellectual success and which guarantees to each individual that their future will not be determined by the economic comfort or poverty of their parents.
He knew that the school must remain a space of all possibilities, a place of meteoric rises, of the conquest of responsibilities and of regained confidence; a place of progress and hope. But he also knew that "where the light is bright, the shadow grows all the thicker."
He educated and awakened the consciences of thousands of Africans who are today the continuators of his thought and work. I am thinking, therefore, of this entire community of graduates, students, teachers, and colleagues. They all know what Babacar was. They know, following Lincoln, that ultimately, "it is not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years." He deeply loved people. He was sensitive to their plight.
His family and friends remember him as a protector, a generous man, and a loyal partner.
An entire continent has lost one of its most dedicated artisans and one of its most worthy sons. Senegal and Africa owe him a debt of gratitude for having trained, inspired, and nurtured thousands of men and women who, in turn, carry on his legacy in their personal and professional lives.
So I want to tell them that they now have the responsibility to carry on Babacar's story and pass on his legacy. They must make it known, have it taught, and allow each generation to assume its share of intellectual reinvestment and freedom.
I understand the grief of this entire community and offer them my solidarity, affection, and friendship. I express my deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to Nafi, his wife, and to his children Abdoul Aziz Jr., Yasmine, Pape Birame, and Djamila. They can be proud of him.
Through his example, Babacar has entered the pantheon of our country's and Africa's history.
May his work remain alive, may his memory remain bright, and may God grant him His mercy and welcome him into His eternal paradise!
Dr. Pape Madické Diop
Founding President of BEM
Commentaires (7)
quel joli temoignage!! ce gars la est vraiment un noble ami... wow. li moy niit, li moyy kharit, li moy anda ndor.
RIP cher Mr. Ababacar Sadikh Sy.
Hommage très puissant !
Voilà le Sénégal des Hommes à haute valeur humaine ! Mais, qui disparaît petit à petit malheureusement.
Merci bcp Mr Diop, pour cette belle "leçon de vie" que vous donnez à travers cet hommage.
Qu'Allah SWT accueille feu Mr Babacar Sy (un grand monsieur) dans son paradis Firdawsi, amiine !!!
Félicitations pour ce bel hommage au Pr Babacar SY.
Tes mots justes et profonds traduisent à merveille la grandeur de l’homme, la force de ta fraternité et l’idéal d’une Afrique qui s’élève par l’éducation et l’excellence.
Un texte d’une rare élégance et d’une grande portée humaine. Qu’Allah l’accueille dans Son paradis éternel.
Je ne l'ai pas connu. Mais, avec l'unanimite de l'appreciation de la valeur de cet homme a travers les nombreuses temoignages que j'ai lu dans ce site, il devait etre mieux connu, celebre et honnore de son vivant par tout le peuple Senegalais.
J'espere qu'une rue de Dakar va bientot porter son nom sans parler de la future Universite Ababacar Sadikh Sy.
Ce sont ces genres d'hommes et de femmes batisseurs qui realisent le plus dans la discretion qui meritent tous les honneurs. Helas, au Senegal on ne parle que des "grandes gueules" qui sont tous en general des politiciens et, recemment, "chroniqueurs".
Le problème du Sénégal c'est que tous les grands monsieurs et dames sont hors espaces publics. Ceux qui sont sous les feux des projecteurs sont souvent les moins compétents, les moins intègres et ont le moins d'état de service. Aussi bien celui qui est décédé que celui qui fait ce beau témoignage sont de grands monsieurs, de grands sénégalais bien formés, bien nés et ont réalisé des choses palpables pour le développement de leur pays. Mais eux tous fuient la télé et la presse Sénégalaise. Résultats des courses seuls les tonneaux vides et ceux qui sont disposé à répondre aux insultes par les insultes font la une des télé et radios
Très beau témoignage.
Qu’Allah lui réserve une place de choix à Jannatul Firdaws.
Des mots d'une justesse sans Commune mesure
RIP
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