Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty | |
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Governor General of French West Africa | |
In office 1908 – 13 June 1915 | |
Preceded by | Ernest Roume |
Succeeded by | François Joseph Clozel |
Personal details | |
Born | Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France | 4 February 1866
Died | 13 June 1915 Dakar, Senegal | (aged 49)
Amédée William Merlaud-Ponty (4 February 1866 – 13 June 1915) was a French colonial administrator. He was a Governor General of French West Africa (1908–1915) who particularly interested himself in the economic development and education of Africa.
During World War I, Merlaud-Ponty was responsible for recruiting volunteers for African battlefields.
At Dakar's railway station a 1923 monument dedicated "to the creators of French West Africa and the glory of the Black army" features Paul Ducuing's statues of the tirailleur Demba and the zouave Dupont.[1] The same monument honours the French conqueror of Senegal, Louis Faidherbe, as well as four Governors-General, Noël Ballay, Joost van Vollenhoven, François Clozel and Ponty himself.[2]