Doumbi Fakoly

Doumbi Fakoly (born January 1, 1944) is a Malian writer. Born in 1944 in Kita, Mali, Doumbi Fakoly spent his childhood in Senegal. He went on to study in France, where he obtained a degree in banking (French: Diplôme d'étude supérieures en banques). From 1978 to 1980, he worked for Banque Meridien Biao Mali. In 1983, he published his first book, They Died for France (French: Morts pour la France), a historical tale about Senegalese skirmishers who fought for France during World War II. In his 1984 book The Supreme Guide's Early Retirement (La retraite Anticipée du Guide Suprême), he criticized the dictatorial regimes that followed the independence of many African countries. In 1988, he published AIDS Control Certificate (Certificat de Contrôle Anti-Sida), a novel about a teenage girl whose father is accused of being HIV-positive. Adventure in Ottawa (L'Aventure à Ottawa), published in 1991, was his first novel aimed at a younger audience. Bilal the Prophet (Bilal le Prophète), another historical tale, was released in 1992, and The Revolt of the Galsénésiennes (La Révolte des Galsénésiennes), a tribute to women, followed in 1994. In 1997, he published a complete study on Pan-Africanism. In 1999, he tackled the issue of forced marriage in his second young adult book. Fakoly published Africa, the Rebirth (Afrique, la Renaissance), an essay that attempts to explain the causes of Africa's cultural alienation, in 2000. In 2003, he wrote an initiatory tale about Mali, Conquering the Magic Fountain, (A la conquête de la fontaine magique). Doumbi-Fakoly believes that the rebirth of Africa is only possible if the Black-African people (and descendants) go back to their ancestral Black-African Spirituality. According to him, the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) have negative consequences for the Black-African people (and descendants). Morts pour la France, 1983 (Karthala, Paris).