At the crucial crossroads of N'Djamena, on the roundabout by the central town hall, stand two massive and enigmatic concrete dolphins . These marine sculptures, erected more than a thousand kilometers from any coastline, have become much more than a simple curiosity: they symbolize the stark contrast between an outdated colonial legacy and the identity aspirations of a modern Sahelian capital.

A Symbol Without Roots

The origin of these monuments dates back to the French colonial period, where imported urban planning grafted foreign symbols, often drawn from the maritime imagination of the metropolis, without consideration for the local context.

1. Lack of Chadian Identity: These dolphins were never intended to embody the rich history, culture, geography or fauna of Chad.
2. Visual Disconnect: For the youth of N'Djamena, searching for their bearings, the image is meaningless. It refers neither to the Chari and Logone rivers, nor to local legends, nor to the collective values that underpin citizenship. It appears as an absurd ornament, disconnected from daily realities.

In a country where cultural and identity markers are fundamental to nation-building, this visual incongruity embodies the inability of an inherited infrastructure to reflect contemporary aspirations.

The Urgent Need for Urban Reappropriation

The debate surrounding these sculptures goes beyond mere aesthetics. It is fundamentally linked to meaning , collective memory, and the affirmation of Chadian identity.

African municipalities, and N'Djamena in particular, have a duty to redefine their visual landscape . The roundabout in front of the central town hall, as an emblematic space, is the ideal location for a work that tells the story of Chad , its resilience, its people, and its unique wildlife.

Replacing these dolphins is not about erasing history. It's about giving the city the opportunity to reclaim its own narrative and offer its inhabitants an urban symbol that truly speaks to them.

Some Alternatives with High Identity Value

To transform this crossroads into a true place of national pride, several options rooted in Chadian identity could be considered:

Theme	Sculpture Proposal	Symbolism
Wildlife and Nature	A sculpture of the Kouri ox	An emblematic and endemic figure of Lake Chad, illustrating the richness of the natural heritage.
History and Tradition	A representation of the Sahelian horseman	A powerful symbol of the ancient kingdoms and the nobility of Sahelian traditions.
Society and Modernity	A contemporary work	Paying tribute to the artisans , the market women , and the driving forces and resilience of the capital.

It is time for the heart of N'Djamena to cease being dominated by the vestiges of a foreign imaginary and to begin beating to the rhythm of its own history.