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| Senegal colossus proves sore point | Senegal colossus proves sore point |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| By Tidiane Sy BBC News, Dakar | By Tidiane Sy BBC News, Dakar |
| A gigantic, multi-million dollar bronze statue rising over the skyline of the Senegalese capital is causing a colossal storm for the man who conceived it. | A gigantic, multi-million dollar bronze statue rising over the skyline of the Senegalese capital is causing a colossal storm for the man who conceived it. |
| Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade has called it "African Renaissance" but his critics say it reveals more about the continent's poor governance than its renaissance. | |
| We should see how we share the benefits. The state will go with 65% and l shall take 35% for myself President Abdoulaye Wade | We should see how we share the benefits. The state will go with 65% and l shall take 35% for myself President Abdoulaye Wade |
| When it is finished, the statue will be taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Statue of Liberty in New York. It depicts three figures - a man holding a woman behind him and a child aloft and pointing out to sea. | |
| Mr Wade wants it to represent the new aspirations of a younger generation and to become a money-making tourist attraction. | |
| But there have been gasps about the $27m (£17m) price tag and the fact that it is being made by North Koreans. | But there have been gasps about the $27m (£17m) price tag and the fact that it is being made by North Koreans. |
| "I hear some people compare the Renaissance statue to the Eiffel Tower," says Amadou Camara, who teaches economics and is the director of the Commerce and Business Institute in Dakar. | "I hear some people compare the Renaissance statue to the Eiffel Tower," says Amadou Camara, who teaches economics and is the director of the Commerce and Business Institute in Dakar. |
| "But the French had first sorted out their food before they built the Eiffel Tower." | "But the French had first sorted out their food before they built the Eiffel Tower." |
| 'Not African' | 'Not African' |
| Art-lovers have also expressed concern. For some it has a Stalinist feel reminiscent of communist regimes, while others simply say it has no real soul or African appeal. | Art-lovers have also expressed concern. For some it has a Stalinist feel reminiscent of communist regimes, while others simply say it has no real soul or African appeal. |
| "To have a work of art in the town, it's very good. The only thing is, for me, it's not typically African," says Alassane Diagne, an art promoter in Dakar. | "To have a work of art in the town, it's very good. The only thing is, for me, it's not typically African," says Alassane Diagne, an art promoter in Dakar. |
| "I don't understand why we didn't have an African artist." | "I don't understand why we didn't have an African artist." |
| Joel Dussy Fall, the owner of one of the country's best-known art galleries is also confounded by the fact it was not designed and built in Africa. | Joel Dussy Fall, the owner of one of the country's best-known art galleries is also confounded by the fact it was not designed and built in Africa. |
| But it is the revelation that the president himself wants to earn money from the venture that has really shocked city residents. | But it is the revelation that the president himself wants to earn money from the venture that has really shocked city residents. |
| When he visited the building site in September, he explained how the money generated from people visiting the site and its museums would be shared. | When he visited the building site in September, he explained how the money generated from people visiting the site and its museums would be shared. |
| "The land is state property and the fees to build the statue have been paid by the state... but I am the designer, the one who conceived it," said Mr Wade. | "The land is state property and the fees to build the statue have been paid by the state... but I am the designer, the one who conceived it," said Mr Wade. |
| "So we should see how we share the benefits. The state will go with 65% and l shall take 35% for myself." | "So we should see how we share the benefits. The state will go with 65% and l shall take 35% for myself." |
| There's not a single large monument to visit in Dakar, so I believe this has come at the right time Painter Kalidou Kasset | There's not a single large monument to visit in Dakar, so I believe this has come at the right time Painter Kalidou Kasset |
| Ousseynou Nar Gueye, an expert in intellectual property law, has written articles of protest in Senegalese newspapers, saying Mr Wade has no right to earn royalties from the project. | Ousseynou Nar Gueye, an expert in intellectual property law, has written articles of protest in Senegalese newspapers, saying Mr Wade has no right to earn royalties from the project. |
| "As a designer, he is entitled to have a payment if ever he was the designer, but this is the down-payment which is paid once," he says. | "As a designer, he is entitled to have a payment if ever he was the designer, but this is the down-payment which is paid once," he says. |
| He also says as a public servant, the president cannot claim copyright over ideas conceived as a function of his office. | He also says as a public servant, the president cannot claim copyright over ideas conceived as a function of his office. |
| "I strongly believe the president of the republic has no legal ground to claim a payment of 35% of all the money derived from La Renaissance," he said. | "I strongly believe the president of the republic has no legal ground to claim a payment of 35% of all the money derived from La Renaissance," he said. |
| Mr Camara says the president's demands are that of a businessman rather than a man of the people. | Mr Camara says the president's demands are that of a businessman rather than a man of the people. |
| "Since the beginning of the world, I have never heard, I have never seen, or never read, that a president has created something for his country, and is demanding 35% in return," he says. | "Since the beginning of the world, I have never heard, I have never seen, or never read, that a president has created something for his country, and is demanding 35% in return," he says. |
| "This should belong to Senegal - that is if any income is generated, all of it - 100% - should be allocated to Senegal." | |
| Unused land | Unused land |
| However, the project has its defenders, including painter Kalidou Kasset, who believes it can only do good for the arts scene. | |
| Some critics feel the statue has a Stalinist feel | Some critics feel the statue has a Stalinist feel |
| "We have a problem with large monuments in the cultural field and the artists have always denounced that situation," he says | "We have a problem with large monuments in the cultural field and the artists have always denounced that situation," he says |
| "So if structures are built, it only can make the Senegalese artists happy and there's not a single large monument to visit in Dakar, so I believe this has come at the right time." | "So if structures are built, it only can make the Senegalese artists happy and there's not a single large monument to visit in Dakar, so I believe this has come at the right time." |
| Aliou Sow, a government minister, argued when the ruckus first began that the land used to build the monument was sitting unused and drying under the sun. | Aliou Sow, a government minister, argued when the ruckus first began that the land used to build the monument was sitting unused and drying under the sun. |
| President Wade should be praised for making good use of it, he said. | President Wade should be praised for making good use of it, he said. |
| But the reactions which followed prompted him to join the rest of the government and keep quiet. | But the reactions which followed prompted him to join the rest of the government and keep quiet. |
| Well, quiet at least until 12 December when the monument is to be officially unveiled during a ceremony the government wants to be "big" and "memorable". | Well, quiet at least until 12 December when the monument is to be officially unveiled during a ceremony the government wants to be "big" and "memorable". |