"It's not easy, especially for a newcomer like me," says the 26-year-old Senegalese who dropped out of school two months ago to enroll in a graffiti school in Guédiawaye in the Dakar suburb, RBS Akademya.

Serigne Mansour Fall, alias Madzoo, one of the 25 members of the founding collective, ensures that the school created in December 2021 has no equivalent in Senegal or Africa. It is intended to be "a place of meeting, exchange, sharing of know-how," he explains.

Serigne Mansour Fall (l), alias Madzoo, a member of the founding collective of the RBS Akademya school, gives advice to a student, on April 26, 2023 in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal © Carmen Abd Ali / AFP

The objective "is to bring our share of heritage", "to train young professionals" so that they are "useful" to society and to help people "become aware of the issues of their time".

Graffiti is part of the scenery of Dakar and its suburbs where hip-hop culture fascinates many young people.

Graffiti appeared in Senegal in the late 80s at the same time as a spontaneous youth movement, "Set-Setal" (literally "clean and make clean").

Students during a class at the RBS Akademya graffiti school, on April 26, 2023 in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal © Carmen Abd Ali / AFP

These young people fought the insalubrity in the capital and its suburbs and, after cleaning the neighborhoods, drew pictures on the walls of marabouts to dissuade residents from throwing their garbage in the street again, says Madzoo.

Once considered a "lazy job that does not make his man live", graffiti is now gaining recognition, believes Madzoo.

Paintings and graffiti compete in beauty and color in the corridors of the two-storey building that houses the school.

A painting of an old man with a white beard captivates the eye, a small plant with flowers formed of shells germinates from his shaved skull. "It symbolizes Pan-Africanism," says Madzoo, the author.

An artist paints a picture at the RBS Akademya graffiti school, on April 26, 2023 in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal © Carmen Abd Ali / AFP

The classroom, a space with a long work table and wall chart, is no less variegated.

Large pink and green characters decorate the wall at the entrance. The word, difficult to decipher, is "style", decodes Ibrahima Soumaré. "I also had trouble reading it before," he smiles.

Patient and strong

The course of the day revolves around "concept art" - how to express, materialize an idea - and colors, explains Chérif Tahir Diop, known as Akonga, graffiti artist, designer, and now teacher.

"We are not in a conventional school. Everything is done in a light spirit," he says to the sound of reggae melodies playing through his computer.

Chérif Tahir Diop, alias Akonga, graffiti artist, designer, and teacher at RBS Akademya, surrounded by paintings hanging in a school corridor, on April 26, 2023 in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal © Carmen Abd Ali / AFP

Libasse Sarr, 18, and Maurice Diouf, 25, also dropped out of school to enrol in RBS Akademya (RBS for RadiK-L Bomb Shot).

They will receive three classes a week in theory and practice for six months.

A total of four of them made up the school's third class. They will leave with a certificate, not recognized by the State of Senegal.

"We decided to take a reduced workforce to work in the best conditions," says Madzoo.

Libasse Sarr, student at the RBS Akademya graffiti school, on April 26, 2023 in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal © Carmen Abd Ali / AFP

Students pay a registration of 25,000 CFA francs (about 40 euros) and pay 15,000 CFA francs (about 23 euros) each month.

RBS Akademya, very active on social networks, also serves as an artistic residency.

According to Madzoo, some foreign artists stay there from time to time to participate in exhibitions or share their experience.

Introduced to graffiti at the age of 7 by seniors in his neighborhood, Madzoo, 36, dark glasses on his eyes, is one of the Senegalese figures of this street art.

Maurice Diouf, a student at the RBS Akademya graffiti school, on April 26, 2023 in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal © Carmen Abd Ali / AFP

He says he is a Pan-Africanist, committed to the "side of the people", and does not hesitate to take a stand.

In 2021, in the aftermath of riots that left a dozen dead, a mural that bore the signature of his collective was widely shared on social networks.

It represented President Macky Sall, wearing a suit in the colors of the France, shooting a young man at point-blank range.

Serigne Mansour Fall (l), alias Madzoo, member of the founding collective of the RBS Akademya school, in his office, on April 26, 2023 in Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal © Carmen Abd Ali / AFP

The drawing was quickly and mysteriously erased. Madzoo has since claimed to be under political pressure from the authorities.

His students enrolled in the school out of passion, aware of the few opportunities for their activity. I

They hope one day to experience the same success as him and dream of traveling to express their talent. But it "will be necessary to be patient and strong," warns Akonga.

© 2023 AFP