Since the military coup that overthrew him on September 5, 2021, after more than a decade in power, the 84-year-old former guinean president Alpha Condé lives in exile in Turkey. And a recent video that became viral on social networks shows that the now former head of state seems to be taking advantage of this new life to stay fit.
In the images that have sparked controversy, we can see Alpha Condé, wearing a simple t-shirt and a sport pants, exercising vigorously in what appears to be a Turkish fitness club. Despite his advanced age, the former president did not spare his efforts by lifting weights under the attentive eye of a coach.
This sequence quickly set fire to the web, dividing netizens between those who applaud Condé's determination and energy, and those who denounce a lack of dignity for a former head of state.
His supporters see it as a sign of a man who, despite the downsides and the humiliation of having been driven out of power by soldiers, refuses to lower his arms and let himself be shot. "He shows an example of incredible mental strength at the age of 84, it is admirable," commented one of the netizens.
But for his critics, these images are shocking and disrespectful of the functions he has held. "We would like to see him showing so much energy to reflect on how he plunged Guinea into chaos rather than pitching in a bodybuilding room," another commentator quipped.
The controversy also revives criticisms of the controversial management of the Condé regime in recent years, accused of banalising violence and repression against the political opposition. Many accuse him of holding a third presidential term in spite of protests, before eventually being driven out by the street and the army.
For political analyst Mamadou Bady Balde, these images illustrate the two faces of the former president. "On the one hand, its energy and its ability to rebound is impressive. But on the other hand, this somewhat surreal video and this lack of questioning question its lack of lucidity," he analyses.
In any case, this viral sequence succeeded in bringing Alpha Condé back to the front of the stage, who had become discreet again since his fall from power two and a half years ago. One thing is certain, his Turkish exile seems to succeed him physically, even though the Guineans remain divided on his balance sheet at the head of the state.
