Five explanations for the Ivorian coup that was/wasn’t

[Emeagwali, Gloria (History)]

Last week, the internet was rife with 

rumors of a coup in Ivory Coast.

Social media outlets amplified 

the claim. 

Here are six explanations 

for the widespread rumor:

1. There was really an attempted 

coup against the highly unpopular 

leader, perceived to be a French

puppet. It failed,  but the rumor mill

did not catch up with the 

changing reality fast enough.

2. It was a palace coup.

Ouattara  is no longer calling the

shots,  and is now a figurehead.

The  verified gunshots were 

proof of internal strife.

3. Ouattara and his backers

engineered the rumor to divert 

attention from  drone deals etc.

4. Psychological warfare against

the  regime by domestic critics, 

enemies and activists on 

social media, aimed at instigating 

a real coup.

5. The Traore effect: Wishful 

     thinking by supporters

    of Traore - hoping for regional

    geopolitical transformation.

6. A ploy to trap domestic and

regional enemies into revealing 

 allegiance- or lack of it.

    

As the situation unfolds we

watch with bated breath.

   

Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
Professor of History/African Studies, CCSU
Chief Editor- "Africa Update"
https://sites.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html
Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries
www.vimeo.com/gloriaemeagwali
www.africahistory.net
Founding Coordinator, African Studies, CCSU

[gbemisoye tijani]

Noted with all concern

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[Biko Agozino]

"

1. There was really an attempted 

coup against the highly unpopular 

leader, perceived to be a French

puppet. It failed,  but the rumor mill

did not catch up with the 

changing reality fast enough."

Ifi Amadiume revealed long ago, something that political economists were missing. Marxist economic anthropologists from France obsessed about the mode of production but Amadiume pointed out that the mode of reproduction was the real explanation for social dynamics in the region. Most cultures over there are matrilineal and so descent is traced through the mother's kindred. In the case of Ouatara, his mother is believedd to be Burkinabe, meaning that although his father is Ivorien, he is not Ivorite or truly Ivorien. That accounts for much of his unpopularity. They asked him to go back home to Burkina Faso where his mother belonged and he refused, leading to the ten year civil war with Gbagbo.

Fanon had warned that the policy of Houghet Boigney to allow Africans to go to the country as guest workers was doomed to fail because national consciousness has bottlenecks that would necessitate the continuation of the struggle even after the colonizers were forced to leave because the people may keep searching for national purity in their identity. The solution lies in the erasure of the colonial boundaries to allow all Africans, home and abroad, to move freely, without visas, work legally, intermarry, run for office and go to school or start businesses wherever they prefer in the Peoples Republic of African States United Democratically.

Biko

[Emeagwali, Gloria (History)]

Biko

Let me add a little background 

info. Recall that a civil war was 

triggered by the xenophobic policies 

 of Laurent  Gbagbo who switched

 from being a panAfricanist to its 

opposite. 

You are quite right about the role 

of matrilineal identity in this 

but recall that whilst Gbagbo 

was using that card against

 Ouattara, Soro and his supporters

 fully rejected this and went to war

on his behalf.

Since then, Ouattara has used

up all his political capital. He has

turned the table upside down.

Gbagbo has re-emerged as the 

“good guy” and Ouattara is now

the villain. Here are some of

Ouattara’s wrong doings, some

of which are linked to his

unpopularity:

1. Wanton imprisonment, and 

physical elimination of scores

of opponents. Not surprisingly, 

the Western press is totally 

silent on this, and my information 

is purely from local sources.

2.Exile  and persecution of the 

man who fought on his behalf

 on  principle, Guillaume Soro

of the New Forces, as soon as  he 

showed interest in running for

office.

3. Surrender of the economy 

to France, and his extended 

family.

4.  Allegedly an indirect enabler  of 

 trafficking involving family 

members - though not himself.

This is an unconfirmed 

rumor.

  

5. Determination to serve a 4th

 term even though term - elongation

was one of the actions that triggered 

the civil war - along with Gbagbo’s

Xenophobia.

6. Marginalization of Indigenous 

   Ivorians in favor of others,  for top 

   positions. 

7. Refusal to allow several candidates 

   to stand for the forthcoming 2025

    election.( The 83 year old has been 

    in power since December 2010.)

8. A mastermind behind the assassination 

    plots against Ibrahim Traore,  in 

    conjunction with France. Border 

    crossings of his soldiers into 

    Burkina Faso have occurred 

   on several occasions and incurred

   the wrath of many.

   

I totally agree with your suggestion

 for the erasure of colonial borders, 

and free movement. 

The AES of Mali, Burkina Faso

and Niger is a start towards

the People’s Republic of African 

States, perhaps - but that’s another 

topic for another day.

Thanks for your illuminating 

comment.

Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
Professor of History/African Studies, CCSU
Chief Editor- "Africa Update"
https://sites.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html
Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries
www.vimeo.com/gloriaemeagwali
www.africahistory.net
Founding Coordinator, African Studies, CCSU

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Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 4:34 PM
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Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Five explanations for the Ivorian coup that was/wasn’t

 

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[Biko Agozino]

Sista Glo,

You are right. We can add that he changed the constitution to give himself a third term in office. When will they learn from Mandela that one term is enough to leave a legacy?

Biko

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