44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Tuesday was sworn-in as Senegal fifth president with his two wives flanked by his sides as first ladies.

Faye took the Oath of office to become the 5th President of Senegal, 17 Days after his release from Jail as a political prisoner, alongside his comrade and strong supporter, Ousmane Sonko.

The 44 Years old took the Oath at Diamniadio in Dakar, the Senegal state capital. Sonko has since been named by Faye as the Prime Minister of Senegal.

It could be remembered that Faye was released from prison less than two weeks before the election, alongside with his mentor and well known opposition leader to the government in power, Ousmane Sonko, following a political amnesty announced by the then President, Macky Sall.

It could also be recalled that their arrests sparked months of protests and concerns that Sall could seek for third term in office  above the term limits permitted by Senegal law.

It was reported that dozens of the protesters were killed and about 1,000 were jailed.

The youngest elected president, Faye was not too known until Sonko, a popular opposition figure who came third in the previous election in 2019, named him to run in his place after being barred from the election for a prior conviction.

Faye was sworn in by members of the Constitutional Council and the Grand Chancellor.

The swearing-in ceremony took place in Diamniadio, in the presence of a host of heads of state and government with the mutual agreement of the outgoing president.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye flanked by his wives; Marie Khone Faye, and Absa Faye  pose for photographs after his swearing-in as Senegal’s president at an exhibition centre in the new town of Diamniadio near the capital Dakar on April 2, 2024.

Faye married Marie, 15 years ago, and Absa, whom he married last year. The two women are apparently presented for the title of first lady.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye was sworn in on April 2, 2024 as Senegal’s youngest president after sweeping to a first-round victory on a pledge of radical reform 10 days after he was released from prison.

According to International News agency, AP, “Faye won a landslide against the ruling party candidate, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, in a vote that pivoted on the frustration of Senegalese youth over a lack of jobs and poor governance in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

About a fifth of the population is unemployed and more than a third of the nation’s 18 million inhabitants live in poverty, according to official data.

“I’m aware that the results from the ballot express a deep desire for systemic change,” Faye said in his inauguration speech in the capital, Dakar.

“Through my election, the Senegalese people have engaged in the construction of a just Senegal, a prosperous Senegal.”

A 44-year-old former tax inspector, Faye has never held public office and was relatively unknown until late last year, when firebrand opposition leader Ousmane Sonko — who was jailed after being convicted of libel and his party was dissolved — backed him to run for president.

He won the presidency less than three weeks after he was released from prison to run in last month’s election”.

“Before God and the Senegalese nation, I swear to faithfully fulfil the office of President of the Republic of Senegal,” the 44-year-old said before hundreds of officials and several African heads of state at an exhibition centre in the new town of Diamniadio near the capital Dakar.

Macky Sall was said to have travel through the Airport in Dakar after handing over the presidency and the presidential palace to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Earlier video showed the President elect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s visit to the presidential palace ahead of the Tuesday’s hand over ceremony.

The 44 year old incoming president, who was released from detention barely 10 days to the election was seemingly seen to have worn a bullet proof vest on his chest area.

Hilzey captured the swearing-in ceremony and reported thus: “In a historic moment for Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, once an opposition candidate who had previously been jailed, took the oath of office to become the nation’s youngest president. At the age of 44, Faye assumes leadership with a resounding mandate, having secured victory in the March 24 election.

His campaign resonated with a populace yearning for change—a desire that reverberated across Senegal’s diverse landscape of approximately 18 million people. Faye’s opponent, Amadou Ba, representing the ruling coalition of outgoing President Macky Sall, faced a decisive defeat in the first round of voting.

During the inauguration ceremony held in Dakar, Faye stood before dignitaries from across Africa and beyond. Notable attendees included Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, and African Union Commission Chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat. Even military representatives from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger were present, underscoring the significance of this peaceful transition of power.

Senegal, a nation that has weathered political turbulence in recent years, now looks to Faye for stability and progress. His promise to uphold an independent justice system, foster a stronger democracy, and manage affairs ethically resonates with a population eager for positive change. Amidst the challenges faced by the region, Faye’s vision is one of hope—a vision that seeks to build a peaceful, prosperous Senegal for generations to come”.

Vanguard Newspaper captured a brief history of young Africa leaders and showed Faye as the youngest among democratically elected President in Africa continent. The news article reads thus: “Ibrahim Traoré has been the military and interim leader of Burkina Faso since 30 September 2022. Traoré ousted the former interim president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba through a coup d’etat at the age of 34. Born on 14 March 1988, Traoré is a 36-year-old Burkinabe leader and currently the youngest serving president in Africa.

Mahamat Idriss “Kaka” Déby Itno is a four-star military general serving as the transitional president of Chad. He was born on April 4, 1984. Aged 39. He gained power as the president of the Transitional Military Council on 20 April 2021. He ascended into power when his father, the late Chadian President Idriss Déby, died in action while commanding troops in the Northern Chad offensive. He is the second youngest serving African leader.

Assimi Goïta is a military officer who has been interim President of Mali since 28 May 2021. Goïta became the Malian leader following the military takeover he led against former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in 2020. He was the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People. Goita was born in 1983, and being 41, he is the third youngest serving African leader.

Mamady Doumbouya is a military officer serving as the interim president of Guinea since 1 October 2021. Doumbouya led a coup d’état on 5 September 2021 that ousted the previous president, Alpha Condé. He is a member of the Special Forces Group of the Guinean military and a former French legionnaire. He was born on March 4, 1980, which makes him the fourth youngest leader on the African continent. Aged 44.

Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye is the fifth and current President of Senegal sworn in on April 2, 2024. He is a lawyer, tax inspector, and politician who ran for the office of the president in place of disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko. He was born on March 25, 1980. Faye is Africa’s youngest democratically elected president and fifth youngest leader on the dark continent.

Abiy Ahmed is a politician serving as the third Prime Minister of Ethiopia since 2018. He has been the leader of the Prosperity Party since 2019. Ahmed is a computer engineer and military officer. He was awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize “for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea”. Ahmed was born on 15 August 1976, and he is the sixth youngest African leader. Aged 47.

Andry Nirina Rajoelina is a Malagasy-French politician and businessman who has served as president of Madagascar since 2019. He was president of a provisional government from 2009 to 2014 following a political crisis and military-backed coup. He once held the office of Mayor of Antananarivo for one year. Before venturing into politics, Rajoelina was a media and advertising entrepreneur. He was born on 30 May 1974 and is currently the seventh youngest African leader. Aged 49″.

Meanwhile, Faye is not the only Africa leader who had had more than one wife. Details of the Africa leaders who had more than one wife is captured by Emeka Nweze as presented below:

“King Mswati, the third, of Swaziland is considered as an undisputed king of polygamy. Mswati became the youngest world leader when he ascended the throne at the age of 18 in 1986. As tradition demands, Mswati is reportedly mandated to pick a new wife every year from the virgins who partake in the traditional chastity rite held at the Ludzidzini Royal palace. Since his reign, it is believed he has married 14 women, divorced 3 and lost one to suicide.

Also the former president of South Africa who resigned in February 2018 while facing a vote of no confidence is another well known polygamist. Zuma has been married to six women with 21 children. In 2009 to 2010, Zuma received a budget of £1.2 million for “spousal support”, almost twice the amount paid during the terms in office of Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. This raised concerns about the amount of state support his wives received.

Befor Jomo Kenyatta became the Prime Minister of Kenya in 1963, he had already being married to four women. He married his first wife, Grace Wahu in 1919, in 1942, he married English woman Edna Grace Clarke who he divorced four years later. A third wife came in 1950 when a Senior Chief gave Kenyatta one of his daughters to take as wife. He married his fourth and last wife, Mama Ngina, a student at the teacher training college where he was teaching, in 1951.

Adama Barrow, Gambia’s president who was elected into office in 2017 is another African leader with more than one wife. His marriage to his two wives, Fatou Bah and Sarjo Mballow was a controversial topic during the presidential elections in 2017. The confusion centered around which of his wives would be the first lady, but he later clarified the situation by saying that the first wife would bear the title.

Yahya Jammeh was exiled to Equatorial Guinea with his family after being ousted by a West African joint force in 2017. However, while in power he was married three times and two of them ended in divorce. More so, one of his wives was reported to have been 18 at the time of marriage. It was also widely reported by the Ghanian media that he had married 22-year-old Ghanaian called Nora in 2012. This report was however not confirmed”.