William Merlaud-Ponty

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Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty (4 February 1866 – 13 June 1915) was a French colonial administrator. He was a Governor General of French West Africa (1908–1915) who particularly interested himself in the economic development and education of Africa.

Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty
Governor General of French West Africa
In office
1908 – 13 June 1915
Preceded byErnest Roume
Succeeded byFrançois Joseph Clozel
Personal details
Born(1866-02-04)4 February 1866
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France
Died13 June 1915(1915-06-13) (aged 49)
Dakar, Senegal

During World War I, Merlaud-Ponty was responsible for recruiting volunteers for African battlefields.

At Dakar's railway station a 1923 monument dedicated "to the creators of French West Africa and the glory of the Black army" features Paul Ducuing's statues of the tirailleur Demba and the zouave Dupont.[1] The same monument honours the French conqueror of Senegal, Louis Faidherbe, as well as four Governors-General, Noël Ballay, Joost van Vollenhoven, François Clozel and Ponty himself.[2]

See also

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  • (in French) Colonial administrators in Senegal
  • History of Senegal
  • Education in Senegal
  • William Ponty school
  • (in French) Dakar College of Science and Veterinary Medicine
  • École nationale de médecine et pharmacie (Senegal)
  • (in French) Georges Hardy, Une conquête morale: l'enseignement en AOF, L'Harmattan, 2005, 275 p. (ISBN 2747592979)

Notes

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  1. ^ Olivier Herviaux, "Coly & Sobanski, frères tirailleurs pour la vie" in Le Monde, 25 October 2007
  2. ^ René Vanlande, Dakar, Peyronnet, Paris, 1940, p. 189