Cheikh Hamidou Kane, a Senegalese author regarded as a major figure in Francophone African literature, died over the weekend aged 98, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said.

"His works now belong to the heritage of our nation and to all Africa," Faye said on his Facebook page.

Kane passed away on Saturday, Senegalese media reported.

He was best known for his first, semi-autobiographical novel "L'Aventure ambiguë" (Ambiguous Adventure), published in 1961 about a young Senegalese Muslim torn between tradition and Western education.

African literature classic

With that book, he "gave generations of Africans the words to think about the question still with us, about opening ourselves to the world's knowledge without losing who we are", Faye said.

Kane, born on April 2, 1928, in the northeastern town of Matam, grew up between Quranic teachings and French schooling. He went on to study law and philosophy in Paris.

"Ambiguous Adventure" was translated into 40 languages and became a classic of African literature taught in schools and universities.

Alongside his writing career, Kane held several public positions, including serving as a government minister in the 1980s.