Yeah Samake, Ambassador to India, A BYU Graduate, & a Latter-day Saint
- The African Roots of The Book of Mormon
The obvious connection to Africa is the language.
Niankoro Yeah Samake
Yeah Samaké made history in The Republic of Mali in 2012. He ran for president of Mali and is unabashed about his religious heritage. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormons in a 90% Islamic country of Mali!
Yeah (pronounced yay), is the eighth of 18 children born to the Samake family with a father Tiecourafing Samake whose dedication to education left the family wanting for food, but never wanting for knowledge. Yeah contributes his success to the tenacity of his father's drive for education over temporary satisfaction. The presidential hopeful recalls his mother having to tighten cloths on their stomachs on occasion to help with the hunger pangs. Samake is familiar with the blight of poverty and the joy of overcoming it.
Yeah is married to Marissa Samake, who he met while attending Brigham Young University. Marissa is from Brahrain and is of Indian (India) descent. She attended BYU to obtain her bachelors in information systems. Yeah and Marissa Samake have two children: Keanen and Carmen.
Yeah Samake has a list of personal accomplishments that attest to the wisdom of his father and Yeah's belief in his father's words. From his early days, Yeah felt the call of the patriot as he witnessed and lived the circumstances of his countrymen. Yeah mentioned in an interview that his father believed he missed out on opportunities because he never had the option otherwise, and he wanted all 18 of his children to never suffer from such lack of options. Now Yeah wants those options for all of Mali and is in a promising position to help provide them.
Introduction and Acceptance of Mormonism
Yeah was introduced to the LDS church while working with the Peace Corps and the Ouelessebougou Alliance. A Peace Corps officer left him an English copy of The Book of Mormon which he read with interest. Later a family from Colorado, the Winstons Sponsored Yeah to the United States at BYU to achieve a master's degree in public policy.
While at a BYU game, Yeah listened to a person give the invocational prayer. Yeah revealed that was the first experience he had with the spirit and led to his interest in joining the church. Missionaries from the LDS church instructed Yeah in several locations, but the leaders in these areas were hesitant to baptize Yeah because they thought his life would be in danger if he returned to his homeland as a Mormon. After assurances that Mali is a country with freedom of religion, and that his countrymen would not harm him for being of a different faith, Yeah entered the waters of baptism in 2000 in the state of New York.
He expressed the hope that his siblings would join with him in his new faith. His extended family has been very supportive and proud of Yeah's faith and the principles for which Yeah stand as a Latter-day Saint. The Samake family is the only family of LDS in all of Mali as far as the record stands.
Mali's Emissary of Hope
Samake has his work cut out for him currently the Republic of Mali's ambassador to India. Samake did not win his bid for president in 2012 but wants to unite his nation for the welfare of his people. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta of Mali announced that he had appointed Yeah Samaké as the Malian Ambassador to the Republic of India. With the unique challenges that he faces with that appointment, Samake has not given up his hope for the future of his nation.
Even in the face of racism in India where he strives to produce goodwill, he has not lost sight of his purpose whether or not a few denigrate his race. He said, “I have heard so many accounts of my colleagues facing racial discrimination. We can overcome this with support of civil societies on both sides.” Samake represents the goodwill of his nation to India and is a spokesperson for unity!
Samake's Position
Yeah has seen the success gaining the cooperation of the people can bring to an area. He won the mayoral race of Ouelessebougou with 86% of the vote. He went around to the heads of each village in the Ouelessebougou precinct and promised that the handling of the taxes of the city would be kept sacred. Yeah swore them a solemn oath that he would not allow or misuse the money of the people. Because of his oath, the city of Ouelessebougou went from the bottom of the list of cities in Mali to the top ten out of seven hundred!
In Ouelessebougou, Yeah included the local leaders in city business. He believes in the decentralization of power of the government. Yeah asserts that Mali needs more local people to have a say in the government for it to be successful. He supports democracy and participation and the end of corruption. He works for the benefit of his countrymen; And yes, he is a Mormon.
Mali, officially The Republic of Mali
- Total Population: 14.1 million
- Religion: 90% Muslim
- Language: French
- Average age: 16
- Literacy rate: 46.4%
- Unemployment: 30%
- Leading exports: Cotton, gold, livestock
Comments
AUTHORThat the seeds Christ will be planted in the hearts of some of the people in the Republic of Mali. It has to start with some one.
Rodric, so what does one who follows and cries out in the wilderness with only the Bible and miracles to surround him as one tell you about that guy?
Peace,
dusty
- AUTHOR
Dust, that is horrible the the Mormon Culture in Utah discriminated against you like that. I know it happens because I have many friends from Utah. It just goes to show you that all of God's children have hang-ups even if some claim the true faith. Having it and living it are two separate issues.
The Republic of Mali is too busy trying to survive than to care what religion the person is who offers the solution. Samake offers solution he know will help his country, not convert them to our faith. I am of the opinion that Mitt is the same way, but he gets lambasted for not being more Mormon! We do have church and state separated, but we do no have religion separated from politics. I like religion as ONE of the many standards. You can tell much about a person from how he or she practices their beliefs.
Rodric, Yeah Samake, sounds like a cheer, no humor intended, the story you tell sounds as promising as any I've heard, forward vision for the betterment of more than his own bank account. I couldn't help but run it parallel in my mind of 90 percent Muslim electing a Mormon. Is it due to the ability to hold the separation of church and state? Or is it due to who was included as voters out of the 2 percentiles? I am not knocking it one way or the other, I'm genuinely curious as to how such a great ambition comes to realization in an atmosphere of different religions as the 10 percent must be partially other than LDS, no? I just never have experienced actual separation of church and state. If an American tells you that is true of our system you do know they lie like a rug, yes? I do not and can not attend organized religion in the USA as politics ring from the pulpits.
I lived and worked in Salt Lake City for a season. I lived at 936 E 9th and worked for Utah Wholesale Grocery warehouse, loading trucks for store delivery at night, my 3rd job working toward getting paid enough to live on, and not to knock LDS, but if you were not Mormon, I found that you were not getting a decent job in that town, on my application for the job I put down LDS and got the job with good pay and did enjoy the job and area but a desert rat can't handle the cold! Ha! so I'm back where I belong still.
That was many years back and drive in movies were still in vogue.
Great article and I apologize for straying to Utah. Thanks,
Blessings,
dust
- AUTHOR
Hit, you are so correct. Thanks for adding your support for your good friend here for all of us to read. I am following this closely because it is a testament that the LDS religion is not just a American religion. Good leaders worldwide pay homage to the work that Joseph Smith Jr. was instructed to begin in 1830. Samake will have my prayers and support to help his nation.
- AUTHOR
Moses, thanks for visiting my hub and posting a comment in support of Yeah Samake. I believe in him and so do the people of the Republic of Mali. He is a man of integrity.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for posting Express10. I believe in Samake. After reading his story and listen to his platform, especially since the coup attempt is still raging, I believe he is going to be to Mali what Regan is to the US.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for commenting SidKemp. It is easier for a Mormon to get elected in a nation of Islamists than for one to get elected in the US. Sounds like a hub title.
He is able to win the hearts of the people because he is one of them and understands what it takes to improve the nation. Having been a poor boy in Mali, he knows that in order to help his government he will have to put his life and fortune on the line like the Fathers of our Nation.
- AUTHOR
Thanks GMWilliams. I do believe with his strength of Character he will make a change for God. He has the power to be a leader being that he is the only LDS man in his country and has the tenacity to be public about and run for the highest office in the nation!
Just heard Samake speak last evening. The guy is incredible. His integrity is shown by major transparency. His humility is shown by his expressions of sincere gratitude. His leadership is shown by his quick action to give direction recently when nobody knew what to do in his flailing government, not to mention the many improvements he has brought as Mayor since 2009. I have known Yeah Samake for eight years and will always vouch for his character. The other people who heard him for the first time yesterday are contacting me to tell me how amazing they think he is. He lives the way we would all live if we had the courage.
Samake your a good example of what a good leader today. Africa a developing continent needs for Mali.Decentralization and involving the local people from the grass root in decision making is the best way to find solutions for the country, peoples needs and for a better growing aconomy of Mali. I wish you the best.
Very good hub. I have heard about the problems in Mali and perhaps he can help turn Mali's problems around.
Very informative and hopeful. It is good to hear stories of social progress, rather than religious conflict, violence, and social decay.
Beautiful piece. Maybe this illustruous man will change and reform Mali for the better!
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