Gbagbo's return to Ivory Coast: account of a moment of reunion with his supporters
Laurent Gbagbo addresses his supporters after his return to Côte d'Ivoire.
June 17, 2021. AFP - SIA KAMBOU
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
RFI witnessed the reunion between Laurent Gbagbo and his supporters in a former campaign headquarters in Cocody-Attoban on Thursday, June 17.
In front of a crowd won over to his cause, the former president was brief in his speech, asking “to mourn” first his “dead” and to speak “later about politics”.
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With our special correspondent in Abidjan,
François Mazet
By the middle of the day, there were already dozens of guests on site, while outside the party's security service did everything to limit intrusions.
It was joyful, a good atmosphere, the sound system played Ivorian hits and country songs full of parables to the glory of Laurent Gbagbo.
We sang, we danced, people were smiling.
The excitement escalated when the former president landed, and as the procession took the road to Cocody, before reaching its climax when the vehicle entered the headquarters.
Night has just fallen, it is 6:15 p.m. local time.
It is a real wave that accompanies Laurent Gbagbo in the enclosure, and it took all the solidity of the security service to prevent this crowd of young people, who had spent the day outside in the sun partying, from s' introduce into the building.
"
I am your soldier, I am mobilized
"
Lots of tension at that time, palaver, insults against journalists. FPI GOR Secretary General Assoa Adou has just taken the floor to introduce the former president. He hands the microphone to his friend and political leader. Outside, the crowd, gathered around the building, listens to the broadcast through the crackling loudspeakers. Laurent Gbagbo takes the floor. His speech is more of a message than a political discourse. Visibly tired by this long day of tension, he lets go: he can talk about politics "
later
". He asked for time to "
mourn his dead
», Evoking with emotion his mother and his friend Aboudramane Sangaré who died during his captivity.
He also thanked the Ivorians and Africans for their support, and still had this little sentence: "
I am your soldier, I am mobilized
".
Before slipping a word to greet the results of the last legislative elections and the return of his friends to the Assembly and to the institutional game.
A rather short speech, a quick salute from the balcony, and the massive party order service invites the crowd to empty the place.
The guests present since noon, exhausted, comply quickly.
The young people stay, to enjoy this day of history in their country until the end.
Relive the return of Laurent Gbagbo in Ivory Coast
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