Ladies and gentlemen,

As you can imagine, this 5th ^MAMAS award ceremony is emotionally different from previous editions. My alter ego, this other myself, the light of my life, builder among builders, Awa, my dear Eve, my wife, was called back to God, on May 30, 2021, in her prime at 5 weeks of his 37th ^birthday . Our destinies were intertwined in everything, in particular around the conception of Tuwindi, a name linked to Eve, meaning in her mother tongue, Soninké, to let people know.

Admittedly, administratively, I am the first person in charge of Tuwindi, but, in fact, everything we undertook was marked with the creative seal of Eve, discreetly, soberly but so effectively. She was the shadow of my shadow, or vice versa; it was the inexhaustible source of our initiatives. So I’m sure you understand that I can honor him on your behalf and mine as well.

Eve, my dear and tender Eve, you know that I know that you are there, among us, listening to me mischievously, a tad, mocking, but feverish, convinced that I don’t like talking. Eve, you have been part of me since May 30, 2013 when we sealed our pact of friendship when we agreed to unite for better or for worse. You are and you will always be part of me. I wish I could never forget you. And as you have always done, you will help me to regain a taste for life, to find meaning in my existence, because I know that you would not want me to be unhappy. I swear to you in front of all our friends, to fight for you , with you for all the ideals that have united us, love of neighbour, love of Mali, love of our children. Your constant affective security will be my inexhaustible viaticum. Sleep in peace, my white dove!

Yes, it is hard, very hard. But, dear friends, in the name of Hawa, let’s hold on, let’s continue our modest mission at the service of our fellow human beings who need it so much. And, as the Anglo-Saxons say, “ the show must go one”  ! Yes, life goes on because such is the divine will.

To be of service to others in all circumstances, with dedication and determination, was our deepest wish, of Eve and of myself. This is indeed, it seems to me, the true vocation, the raison d’être of all of us, you here, and all our compatriots, beyond all personal agendas, bound by the sacred duty to serve The Mali. Of course, we have to live off the fruits of our labors. But the most exciting of ambitions is also to be at the service of our society, the supreme expression of our common desire to build this country together. I send out an urgent message that torments me, that of acting with determination to build a just society where happiness for all will not remain a sterile intention. It is essential that our active conscience be mobilized for the public good. This cry from the heart is inspired by the distressing spectacle of the increasingly distressing disinterest in the common good of society that unfolds before our eyes. Alas!

Acting for the public good, preserving it, making it prosper should not, cannot be the prerogative of the public authorities alone. Yes, they have a duty to assume their responsibilities, all their sovereign responsibilities to highlight the immense potentials of our great country, Mali. But, it is clear that good governance has often been seriously undermined in our country. Our people, so hardworking, who only ask to be mobilized to build a society where life is good, witness, unhappy and powerless, the shameless waste of our resources for the benefit of a few individuals, a rapacious minority, of the public sector but also of the private sector, who do not care about the general interest.

I sincerely believe that this must absolutely stop. Poor governance, casualness and carelessness in the conduct of public affairs inevitably lead to generalized irresponsibility. The positive values, without which a nation cannot claim to aspire decently to emergence, have the names of fair justice, solidarity, dialogue in sincerity and truth, respect for human rights and active solidarity, all of which are nothing. others than the finished expression of love.

Insidiously, our society is sliding towards notorious incivility, the manifest absence of morality and ethics in everyday behavior, selfishness and hatred, shoddy work, irresponsibility, aggressiveness in interpersonal relationships, and so on, all fostered by a systemic practice of corruption in all areas of life. Admit that this cannot and must not last longer than that. It is our moral duty as citizens to sound the alarm.

I therefore urge our current, former and future laureates; I appeal to all the friends here present; I appeal to the conscience of all Malians, whoever they are, to pull themselves together to become aware of the danger and to act for the advent of a new Mali called to develop from the positive values ​​mentioned earlier, values ​​without which nothing great and lasting can be achieved for the well-being of all Malians, more specifically future generations.

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like, before concluding, to express our deep gratitude to all our partners. A special mention to Free Press Unlimited which, for five years, has been tirelessly by our side. I associate with it our other unconditional companions, the High Authority for Communication, the Maison de la Presse, the Union of Free Radios and Televisions of Mali, the Malian Association of Online Press Professionals.

Among our other loyal partners, who have ceased to support us, I would like to mention the United Nations Development Programme, the European Union, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Mali.

Of course, I would be remiss if I did not pay tribute to our eminent members of the jury for the constancy of their commitment, to the entire team of collaborators of the Tuwindi family headed by the tireless Yagaré Diakité.

Thank you !

Bamako, August 21, 2021 / Speech by Tidiani Togola at the presentation of the MaMA 2021