Balanced News: France: Senegal buys belongings of former leader Senghor after deal with auctioneer, heir

Senegal has reached an agreement with an auction house to purchase the precious belongings of its first president, Leopold Sedar Senghor. The auctioneer had planned to sell jewellery, military medals, and other items owned by Senghor, but delayed bidding after the Senegalese state intervened. Senegal’s culture ministry spent $260,000 to acquire the items. Senghor, a poet, writer, and professor, was a champion of the anti-colonial “Negritude” movement and served as president from 1960 to 1980. The deal was reached after Senegalese President Macky Sall instructed officials to negotiate with the auctioneer.