The Senegalese student and writer Diary Sow disappeared voluntarily in France where she was studying in January, which caused a media tsunami in Senegal. This time it caused an uproar in her country of origin because he rudely explained the meaning of his latest novel, “Yepar S”. She specifically told AFP that she wrote this book to “solve some problems” with those who criticized her for missing.
The disappearance of Senegalese student and writer Diary Sow left her country up in the air in early 2021. This time she explained the meaning of her newly published novel on the theme of departure in vulgar language, causing an uproar.
This 20-year-old student studying at a famous French institution has just published “Je pars”, a novel inspired by her story. In an interview with Agence France-Presse, she explained that she “wrote this book to solve some problems.” Those who accused her of disappearing, some people severely attacked her, according to her, deprived her of the right to live… life.
“The whole book is a way of saying’fuck you’,” she said.
These comments aroused strong opposition. The hashtag #DiarySow has become popular in Senegal. The video is widely shared on social networks in French and Wolof, and its text has become the headlines of some newspapers.
The chosen words are very bad in Senegal, where they are considered more offensive than in France, and may evolve into violence. It is more difficult to accept from young women. But the same shocking content also made Diary Sow accused of ingratitude and arrogance.
“What nerve!” Aminata Bennell choked on Twitter, “In any society, all societies are normal, and they disappeared unknowingly. People are looking for you for several days, and then don’t thank you. Their efforts returned home, and finally they published a book to tell you:’Fuck you’?”.
“People mobilized, worried, believed in the worst, and prayed for’fuck you’,” said Yang, another Internet user.
Alioune Tine, a former French professor at the University of Dakar and a well-known human rights defender, is one of the few people who sided with this young woman. He responded on Twitter: “She is really crazy, this woman insists on herself and liberates herself in peace.” He pointed out that he “in a very conservative and patriarchal society, women’s intelligence is precocious.”
Diary Sow promised on Twitter on Sunday that his words were written to “all those who insulted me because they did not want to be named, and even called me a “prostitute””, and swears “thanks and recognition” to others.
My interview #AFPTV It might upset those who have been showing solidarity with me. I want to point out that my comments are made in a purely literary context.#Journal#kebetu#Senegal
-Diary Sow (@diarysow_auteur) November 14, 2021
Diary Sow, a student in the lycée Louis-le-Grand preparatory class in Paris, is famous in her country for being the best student there twice, but it caused a sensation because of not attending the January resumption of classes. After more than a month of mystery and speculation, when the young woman reappeared in Senegal in February, the investigation into the “worrying disappearance” was finally over.
Agence France-Presse