Niger: Mahamadou Issoufou’s four farewell lessons

On Thursday, April 1, 2021, the day before the inauguration of his successor, Mahamadou Issoufou, the outgoing Nigerien President addressed his compatriots in a final speech. In this speech, the future ex-President wanted to give four essential lessons to the Nigerien population.

« Nigeriens, my dear fellow citizens,
This is the very last time I will address you as President of the Republic. Allow me to express my gratitude for having given me the opportunity to serve you throughout these last ten years. It has been a great honour for me.
It is with these words that Mahamadou Issoufou introduced his speech of this Thursday, April 1, 2021, he who is called to hand over the next day to Mohamed Bazoum, the newly elected President. A speech full of lessons.
First lesson: « have a goal in life, preferably very early, and work tirelessly towards it ».

The very first lesson of Mahamadou Issoufou’s last speech as Head of State of Niger is aimed at the country’s youth. Drawing on his own example, the man reveals that the presidential office was a dream that he cherished since his childhood, and that Nigeriens gave him the opportunity to make it come true. « At the beginning, the little schoolboy that I was, expressed this wish without knowing why, or at most, perhaps to become someone important. It was only later that I knew that this was the highest position a citizen could occupy in order to serve his country, » President Issoufou hinted, before giving the lesson: « My experience confirms the importance for a man to have a goal in his life, preferably at an early age, and to work relentlessly towards it. I hope that the young people, boys and girls, who are listening to me, will learn this first lesson.