Senegal: President builds $27 million statue, claims tourism profits over "intellectual rights."

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade is reported to have commissioned a 160-ft high bronze statue commemorating the "African Renaissance." The AP says it costs $27 million to build. As you can see above, the stature, "shows a muscular man in a heroic posture, outstretched arms wrapped around his wife and child, who is balanced on one of his biceps," Note: Senegal contains no volcanoes. Cyrus Farivar blogs:

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* President Wade, according to the AP: "[maintains] he is entitled to 35 percent of any tourist revenues it generates because he owns "intellectual rights" for conceiving the idea, with the rest to go to the government."

* AP adds: "Nearly 50 North Korean workers from the state-run Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang were brought in to build the statue because of their expertise with bronze art, and some Senegalese have complained of its communist-era design."

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