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The video is circulating on social networks in Guinea. Visiting a class in the middle of the baccalaureate test, the prefect of Siguiri, in the north-east of the country, grabs a pair of scissors and roughly cuts the hair of a high school student whose hairstyle he deems not suitable enough . Broadcast on June 17, this video caused an uproar on social networks and caused the dismissal of the prefect the next day.
In the images, we see Lieutenant-Colonel Ibrahima Douramoudou Keïta, a pair of scissors in his hand, roughly cut the hair of a student sitting in the front row of his class, all under the amused gaze of a delegation of soldiers. Once the teenager’s hair has been cut, a man in a white tunic, the prefect of the region, launches at the high school student, visibly very intimidated, by tapping him on the shoulder: “you will sleep well”.
#Guinea| Beginning of the single baccalaureate: the Prefect of Siguiri before the launch of the first tests begins to do the hair of the students in the room.
Will they be able to concentrate with this attitude? No, I do not think so. It was necessary to proceed differently Mr. Prefect. #Kibaro pic.twitter.com/UOLMzzOxck
— Amadou Tidiane BAH (@bahoro09) June 17, 2022
Video posted on Twitter on June 17, showing Lieutenant-Colonel Ibrahima Keïta, prefect of Siguiri, Guinea, cutting the hair of a high school student during the baccalaureate exam.
However, the improvised hairdressing session is not over. The prefect notices another student sitting in the first row whose hair probably seems a little too full. The student had been trying so far to keep his head down to escape prying eyes, to no avail.
The prefect encourages a soldier who accompanies him to also cut his hair. And the latter complies with delight, while a member of the delegation, having fun with the scene, shouts out: “That’s the future Minister of State, the governor, the prefect”.
As soon as the video was broadcast on social networks, many Guineans denounced what they consider to be an “abuse of power”. “They are treated like thugs, it’s unworthy behavior” gets carried away by a user on Twitter. “Really shameful (…). I prefer to lose my baccalaureate and file a complaint against the prefect and all these soldiers” adds another.
Faced with the protests, the prefect tried to justify himself in a statement to the site Africaguinee. He said he cracked down with the scissors to encourage students to “follow a good education”, because for him the “future executives and future ministers” should not go to class as a “rasta”. He also invoked the need to “help” the head of state, who is “fighting for the education of children”.
Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, head of the military junta in power, did not hear it that way. Saturday, June 18, he announced by decree the dismissal of the prefect.
Lieutenant-Colonel Keïta had been appointed prefect of Siguiri by Colonel Doumbouya following the military coup that brought him to power on September 5, 2021.