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of Burkina Faso, I took a detour to that country on my way home to Senegal in the winter of 2004. I also learned that Sembène had good friends at FESPACO in the capital city of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.2 When I arrived in Ouagadougou, I was introduced to Madame Boli, Soma Ardiouma, Clement Tapsoba, Guy Désiré Yaméogo, and Amadou Sondé, all of whom knew Sembène. They helped me find Sembène’s office telephone number in Dakar, and I called immediately. I briefly introduced myself to Sembène’s secretary, explaining to her that I was calling from Ouagadougou and was on my way to Dakar in the hopes of seeing Sembène. I also told her that I was bringing him a gift. When she then put me on hold to inform Sembène of my request to see him, I held my breath. To my great delight, he agreed to receive me. So now I needed to get him this gift I had promised to bring him. Fortunately, one of Sembène’s friends, Clement Tapsoba, knew precisely what I should buy: locally made special ginger and hibiscus drinks that Sembène enjoyed very much.
With two bottles well wrapped in my bag, I left my hotel for the airport the next afternoon. Unfortunately, a luggage carrier who was helping me dropped my bag accidentally, breaking the hibiscus bottle stowed inside. I was crestfallen. The bright-red liquid soaked into all my clothes in the bag. But eventually I, now holding the bag in a tight protective grip, and the remaining bottle arrived safely in Dakar.
My appointment with Sembène was scheduled at 11:00 a.m. the following day. I arrived at his downtown Dakar office early, at about 9:00, because I did not want to get caught in the crazy Dakar traffic. I brought with me the precious, now neatly wrapped bottle of special Burkina-produced ginger drink. While sitting awaiting my appointment in the building’s lobby, I eventually spotted an elderly man dressed in light-blue traditional attire walking slowly and heavily up the stairs into the lobby. My heart jumped. It was Sembène! I knew him instantly, and I smiled widely as he came toward me. But he did not even seem to notice my presence.