The leader of the Mouride brotherhood in Senegalese, Serigne Saliou Mbacké, passed away on Friday night in
Touba, the country’s second urban centre located at 170 km east of the capital, Dakar.
Born in 1915 in Diourbel, Serigne Saliou Mbacké was renowned for being Senegal’s leading farmer, owning thousands of hectares of groundnuts and other crops.

Three years ago, he purchased 210 tractors as part of a bid to modernise, expand and mechanize his farming activities.

As a highly discreet man and the last son of Serigne Touba, Sheik Ahmadou Bamba, the founder of the Mourides brotherhood, he took over from his senior brother Abdou Khadre Mbacké on 13 May 1990.

Despite being highly influential, the late venerable religious leader had never been heard speaking publicly about politics, which has become a tradition among many Senegalese.

Touba was the rallying point for politicians, the civil society and ordinary citizens besides members of his brotherhood.

The slogan: “May God grant Serigne Saliou longevity and good health among us,” had over time spread worldwide among the Mouride followers.

“One always dies with a project in mind”, people would say. Serigne Saliou Mbacké leaves behind the big projects in Touba.

His infrastructural plan for the holy city is estimated at CFA100 billion Francs for the next three years.

The Mouride brotherhood brings together Senegal’s leading economic operators and others who run most of the country’s informal trade.

Known as great travellers, the Mourides emigrated across the world but regularly return home during the “Big Magal” or pilgrimage to commemorate the historic departure in exile of Sheik Ahmadou Bamba.