“One hundred thousand manufactured applause”: Mary Teuw Niane calls for a return to values

In an opinion piece published on November 1, 2026, former Senegalese minister Mary Teuw Niane denounced the normalization of lies, slander and insults in political debate. He accused some social media practices of distorting facts, damaging reputations and manufacturing support through fake accounts. He invoked principles of respect and good manners, including “nit du sos,” “nit du fen” and “nit du ñakk teggin,” and said one hundred thousand manufactured applause cannot outweigh ten thousand sincere convictions. He called for ethics, responsibility and shared social values to return to the center of political exchanges.