Senegal President Wants Royalty On Tourist Trap He Built

from the something's-not-right-here dept

Thu, Oct 8th 2009 6:30am — Mike Masnick

While some may point out that the bigger issue in this story may be ego, hubris or (perhaps) corruption, the story of Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade, and his $27 million statue has a ridiculous intellectual property twist, as well. Apparently, Wade had the government spend $27 million on a statue with a "heroic" pose -- this is a country where the per capita yearly income seems to be in the low four figures (CIA Factbook says $1,600). Approximately half of the country lives in poverty. So, clearly, what they need is a giant expensive statue. But the IP angle is that Wade is claiming, since the statue was his idea, he, personally, should receive 35% of any tourism revenue, as a royalty. So, just to get this straight -- he appears to have used a bunch of taxpayer money to spend millions on a statue -- and he wants to personally get a huge cut of all tourist revenue. And while this may be driven by corruption, it's the sort of concept that would only occur to someone in a world where such "ownership" and demands for royalties after an idea is put in place are commonplace.

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Filed Under: abdoulaye wade, intellectual property, royalties, senegal, tourist trap

17 Comments

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..., 8 Oct 2009 @ 6:34am

wtf?
Note: Senegal contains no volcanoes.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Oct 2009 @ 6:59am

He only wants 35%? That isn't bad for his part of the world.
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- Ima Fish (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 7:11am
  
  Re:
  Agreed, 35% of zero is still zero.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 7:04am

Okay, a question and stipulation:
"he, personally, should receive 35% of any tourism revenue, as a royalty"

Question: Uh, how many people, once they've managed to scrounge up enough cash to take a vacation, choose Senegal?

"Approximately half of the country lives in poverty. So, clearly, what they need is a giant expensive statue."

Stipulation: Well, to be fair, the statue DID cost $27 Million to build...so maybe it's made of caviar and fine cheeses and the citizens can take off huge chunks of it and haul the President's fishy cheese head back to the village and feast on it for days.

Or, hey, maybe the statue actually gives reach arounds as well! Nothing staves off chronic hunger pangs like a fishy cheese handy, know what I'm sayin'?
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Danny (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 7:42am

President Abdoulaye Wade == skank
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- interval, 8 Oct 2009 @ 7:46am
  
  Re:
  He's acting like any third-world dictator. Funny thing is he seems to have been elected, in what by all accounts appear to have been legitimate elections.
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Free Capitalist (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 7:47am

And while this may be driven by corruption, it's the sort of concept that would only occur to someone in a world where such "ownership" and demands for royalties after an idea is put in place are commonplace.

Agreed, and would add the fact that he is an overt tyrant makes him no more or less morally justified than his "free" industry counterparts who are also demanding money for nothing. He's really just giving his "thumbs-up" to the whole concept.
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wile e. coyote, 8 Oct 2009 @ 7:55am

Sometimes...
I'm not a violent person (except toward a certain genus of flightless bird), but I think there are some folks who should have an anvil dropped on their heads.
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- ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 10:41am
  
  Re: Sometimes...
  Roadrunners are actually flighted birds.
  
  (Yeah, I know. It's my internet OCD. Just roll with it)
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RR, 8 Oct 2009 @ 7:56am

Was thinking of a certain pc game when saw this headline...
Evil Genius, anyone? Tourist traps?
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tracker1 (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 8:09am

Here's an idea..
A 35% tax on tourism to cover the cost of the statue.. after 27 million, then the president can have his share. Of course being the government owns said statue, they owe precisely 0% in royalties, as the government can't be sued unless they allow it.
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mjb5406 (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 8:15am

That's the Way of Senegal
Several years ago, I flew Delta to South Africa to visit my now-wife... there was a refuelling stop in Dakar, Senegal. It took 4 hours. Why? Because the Senegalese government insisted on "inspecting" every inch of the plane for contraband and, supposedly, weapons. Workers came onto the plane and searched every nook and cranny... carry-on bags had to be opened by their owners, even the seat back pouches were turned inside-out... evidently the vomit bags could be used to stage a coup. I found out afterwards that it was the "price we paid" for the privilege of landing in Senegal and also found out that Delta paid a hefty sum to the government, too. It was a torturous 4 hour stay on the tarmac... we had to stay on the plane. Delta has since stopped using Dakar, Senegal for its refuelling stop.
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haiku, 8 Oct 2009 @ 8:55am

Wondering where the $27 million came from ?

That's an easy one to answer: from the US/EU/etc aid to Senegal.

And, unfortunately, that doesn't only apply to Senegal - that applies to most of Africa.
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 10:51am

never knew there was a place called senegal, let alone a president of it...

(rough tv quote in case you were wondering)
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Daemon_ZOGG (profile), 8 Oct 2009 @ 12:04pm

Oh, here's an idea...
He can pay the citizens of Senegal 35% revenue for every tourist that pisses on his statue. And double for every tourist that craps on his stupid, rediculous statue. It's a shame that the people of Senegal have such a moronic jerk for a leader.
I have to agree with Wile E. Coyote on this one.. with one exception..
Looser President Abdoulaye Wade needs to have an anvil dropped on his B...ls, then on his head. Thrown out of the palace and stoned by his own people. Now that would be funny to watch on youtube.com...MMWAH-HAH-HAH-HAAAH!

;)
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Dan, 8 Oct 2009 @ 3:15pm

Damn! Now I have to change my plans again.
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Morpheus, 2 Jun 2010 @ 5:51pm

Ok as as a Senegalese citizen let me tell you this guy is twisted. He is 90 years old of age for f*** sake.
He proposed the whole entire population of Haiti to move to Senegal after the earthquake lol...
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