Barry III
Encyclopedia
Ibrahima Barry, popularily known as Barry III, (b. 1923, Bantiŋel, Pita
, d. January 25, 1971, Conakry
) was a Guinea
n politician. He was the leader of the political party
Socialist Democracy of Guinea
(DSG).
Barry hailed from an aristocratic family of the Seeriyaabhe clan. A graduate of École normale supérieure William Ponty
, Barry became a lawyer in France
. Barry counted on strong support from the people and administration in the Fouta Jallon region in northern Guinea. In particular, he represented the younger educated generation of the elite sectors of Fula
society. Barry was also a freemason.
Barry was the DSG candidate in the 1954 legislative by-election
. He obtained 16,098 votes (6.3% of the vote in Guinea). Barry had overtaken the position as the leader of the socialist movement after Yaciné Diallo (whose death had provoked the holding of the by-election in 1954), but Barry III's hostile discourse against the Fula traditional chiefs (whom had supported Diallo) aliented large sections of former supporters of Diallo.
Ahead of the 1956 election, the Democratic Party of Guinea (PDG) offered Barry to be one of their three candidates for the legislative election (along with Sékou Touré). Barry III, however, rejected the offer.
In the same year, Barry III stood as candidate for mayor of Conakry
(in which he was defeated by Sékou Touré).
In 1957, Barry became the general secretary of the African Socialist Movement
(MSA).
In the first government of independent Guinea, Barry was included as a minister.
After the merger of DSG into PRA, Barry became the general secretary of the Guinean branch of PRA. In November 1958 the Guinean PRA was dissolved, and Barry III instructed his followers to join the PDG.
Barry was arrested in December 1970. He was held prisoner at Camp Alpha Yahya. On January 25, 1971 he was hanged in public at Tombo Bridge in Conakry.
for "Little Elephant"), a reference to the similarities between his political programme and that of Sékou Touré (who was commonly nicknamed Syli ("Elephant").
Pita, Guinea
Pita is a town in the Fouta Djallon highlands of Guinea, lying south west of Labé. Its population was estimated at 13,735 in 2008. It is the capital of the Pita Prefecture of the Labé Region....
, d. January 25, 1971, Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
) was a Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n politician. He was the leader of the political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
Socialist Democracy of Guinea
Socialist Democracy of Guinea
The Socialist Democracy of Guinea was a political party in Guinea. DSG was founded in the run-up to the 1954 legislative election by Abdoulaye Diallo, Chaikou Baldé and Ibrahima Barry . DSG was a continuation of the party led by Yaciné Diallo...
(DSG).
Barry hailed from an aristocratic family of the Seeriyaabhe clan. A graduate of École normale supérieure William Ponty
École normale supérieure William Ponty
École William Ponty was a government teachers' college in what is now Senegal. The school is now in Kolda, Senegal, where it is currently known as École de formation d’instituteurs William Ponty. It is associated with the French university IUFM at Livry-Gargan.-Notable alumni:Many of the school's...
, Barry became a lawyer in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Barry counted on strong support from the people and administration in the Fouta Jallon region in northern Guinea. In particular, he represented the younger educated generation of the elite sectors of Fula
Fula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
society. Barry was also a freemason.
Barry was the DSG candidate in the 1954 legislative by-election
French legislative by-election in Guinea, 1954
A by-election for one of the French National Assembly seats from Guinea was held on June 27, 1954. The socialist Yaciné Diallo, who had won one of the three Guinean seats in the 1951 French National Assembly election, died in April 1954, after which the by-election was called...
. He obtained 16,098 votes (6.3% of the vote in Guinea). Barry had overtaken the position as the leader of the socialist movement after Yaciné Diallo (whose death had provoked the holding of the by-election in 1954), but Barry III's hostile discourse against the Fula traditional chiefs (whom had supported Diallo) aliented large sections of former supporters of Diallo.
Ahead of the 1956 election, the Democratic Party of Guinea (PDG) offered Barry to be one of their three candidates for the legislative election (along with Sékou Touré). Barry III, however, rejected the offer.
In the same year, Barry III stood as candidate for mayor of Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
(in which he was defeated by Sékou Touré).
In 1957, Barry became the general secretary of the African Socialist Movement
African Socialist Movement
African Socialist Movement was a political party in French West Africa. The MSA was formed following a meeting of the Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière federations of Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, French Sudan , Gabon, Guinea, Niger, Oubangui-Chari , and Senegal; the...
(MSA).
In the first government of independent Guinea, Barry was included as a minister.
After the merger of DSG into PRA, Barry became the general secretary of the Guinean branch of PRA. In November 1958 the Guinean PRA was dissolved, and Barry III instructed his followers to join the PDG.
Barry was arrested in December 1970. He was held prisoner at Camp Alpha Yahya. On January 25, 1971 he was hanged in public at Tombo Bridge in Conakry.
Nickname
Barry III was sometimes nicknamed Syliyoré (SusuSusu language
Sosoxui is the language of the Soso people of Guinea, West Africa. It is in the Mande language family.It is one of the national languages of Guinea and spoken mainly in the coastal region of the country. The language was also used by people in present-day Guinea as a trade language.e.g...
for "Little Elephant"), a reference to the similarities between his political programme and that of Sékou Touré (who was commonly nicknamed Syli ("Elephant").