Oumar Ly's photographic legacy and a broken promise

In a reflective essay, Samba Oumar Fall recounts a personal encounter with the late photographer Oumar Ly in Podor. Ly, who spent decades documenting the faces of the Fouta region, entrusted Fall with a photograph of a young Youssou Ndour from the early 1970s.

Ly requested that the image be returned to the musician if Fall ever crossed paths with him. Despite numerous opportunities at concerts and press events, Fall repeatedly deferred the task, citing the phrase ‘next time’ as a dangerous procrastination. Following Ly's death on February 29, 2016, the author reflects on the weight of unfulfilled promises and the permanence of time.