17/09/2025
Did you know that In 1973, the then Zairian President, General Mobutu Sese Seko, visited Mauritania for three days. At that time, Mauritania was one of the poorest countries in Africa, with an economy that depended on fishing, farming, and sheep herding.
During the three days of discussions, President Mobutu noticed that his host, Mauritania’s President Moktar Ould Daddah, the first president of Mauritania after its independence from French colonial rule did not change his suit throughout the entire visit. Mobutu realized that his host did not have enough money to purchase elegant and expensive suits.
At the conclusion of his visit, while at the departure lounge of Nouakchott Airport, President Mobutu discreetly handed a check for 5 million US dollars to President Ould Daddah’s secretary so as not to embarrass his host. Along with the check, he included a note with the addresses of famous fashion designers in Paris, where Mobutu himself tailored his suits, hoping that President Ould Daddah would also be able to order formal suits and accessories from those houses.
After Mobutu’s departure, the secretary gave the check to President Ould Daddah, explaining that it was a gift from Mobutu for him to buy suits and clothing from Paris. President Ould Daddah immediately handed the check over to Mauritania’s Minister of Finance so that it could be deposited into the state treasury.
Later, from this gift money, Mauritania built and equipped the Higher School for Teacher Training, as the country was suffering from an acute shortage in this field due to poverty.
Five years later, in 1978, Mobutu made a stopover in Morocco while returning from the United States and stayed there for a week. When President Moktar learned of his stop in Rabat, he contacted him and invited him to visit Mauritania, even if only briefly.
On the way from the airport to the presidential palace in Nouakchott, Mobutu noticed banners in French decorating the streets that read: “Thank you Zaire ,Thank you Mobutu ,Thank you for the gift.”
Before the motorcade reached the palace, Mobutu stopped at the Teacher Training School, got out of his car, and, astonished, asked his host about the banners. He asked President Moktar: “What is this gift that the Mauritanian people are thanking me for? I have only just arrived in Nouakchott an hour ago, and I brought no gifts with me nor gave any gift.”
At that moment, President Moktar smiled and said:
“This is your valuable gift. With the five million dollars you gave me five years ago, we built this Teacher Training School, because our people are in dire need of money to fight illiteracy and poverty.”
Mobutu embraced him and said:
“If only the rest of Africa’s leaders were like you, our continent would not be suffering from illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, and underdevelopment.”
President Moktar replied: “I receive a monthly salary from the state treasury, so I am not working without pay. That gift of yours belongs to the Mauritanian people. As for my appearance and clothing, it is not right for me to wear the finest global fashions while my people suffer from poverty. With education, we can defeat these plagues and obstacles that hinder our progress.”
It was well known about President Moktar (RIP, he died in 2003) that he lived a very simple life, shunning luxury and extravagance. He lived in a modest home with only three rooms.
This true story is a gift to every thief who shouts slogans of patriotism and hides behind religion in order to steal the sustenance of the people and the dreams of the poor.
—Copied from Linda Banks—
