La figure du père de la nation dans l’Afrique des indépendances : entre culte de la personnalité et stratégie de maintien d’un ordre politique précaire

Abstract. After gaining independence, most African countries were faced with a major challenge, that of building a nation in which people who sometimes have no desire to live together must cohabit because of a sometimes-tumultuous past. The common point which must constitute the cement therefore had to be constructed. Thus, certain heads of state have replaced the unifying principle of the nation by making themselves the common denominator of their nation. In this article, we analyze the political and social consequences of such an approach. Mots-clés : Narcissisme-Culte de la personnalité-Propagande-Idolâtrie. Keywords: Narcissism-Cult of personality-Propaganda-Idolatry.