Former Ivory Coast President Henri Konan Bedie, a prominent nationalist politician, has passed away at the age of 89, as reported by his party, the Ivory Coast Democratic Party-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA).
Bedie was a seasoned politician who succeeded Ivory Coast’s founding father, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, after his death in 1993.
He played a significant role in the country’s politics and was its president from 1993 to 1999 until he was deposed by the military in a coup.
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He will be remembered
As a professional politician, Bedie had an illustrious career, serving as Ivory Coast’s ambassador to France and leading the economy during a period of rapid development driven by the coffee and cocoa industries, which remain crucial to the country’s economy.
One of Bedie’s notable impacts on national politics was the promotion of “Ivoirite,” a concept advocating for a national identity and economy in a country with diverse ethnic groups.
However, this stance favored individuals with two Ivorian parents over immigrants, leading to tensions and affecting many workers on the country’s cocoa farms.
He ran at the age of 86
Throughout his political career, Bedie had a long-standing rivalry with President Alassane Ouattara.
Even at the age of 86, he ran in the presidential election in 2020, although he didn’t win.
The cause of Bedie’s death has not been disclosed at the moment. His passing marks the end of an era in Ivory Coast politics, with Bedie being a significant figure in the country’s history.
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Famous Supreme Court judge who kicked against Gov Uzodinma’s election dies
It is with great sadness that we report the death Justice Centus Chima Nweze, one of the esteemed 13 justices on the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
He departed on Sunday after a brief illness, leaving a deep void in the nation, the judiciary, and particularly in the hearts of the people of Enugu State and the South-east region.
Justice Nweze was the sole justice from the South-east geopolitical zone on the Supreme Court bench.
