Francophone

And at a time of rising popular support across Francophone Africa for a more visibly assertive defence of national interests, his government has acquired the Gabonese assets of several foreign oil companies, including the UK's Tullow.

That’s not the same as saying they don’t have any crass blowhards in politics — Canadians will remember the escapades of former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford or the efforts by former Quebec Premier Rene Levesque to have his francophone province secede from English-speaking Canada.

Others paying tribute included French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, who wrote: "Francophone cinema has lost, too soon, a talented actress who still had so much to offer."

"In some instances, people tend to be in a point of choicelessness by the time they decide to join a militant group," says Beverly Ochieng, a senior analyst specialising in Francophone Africa at Control Risks, a geopolitical risk consultancy.

The French-language debate is especially important for Francophone Canadians in Quebec, whose votes are influential in helping decide which party will form Canada's next government.