The day after Laurent Gbagbo's return to Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan regains its calm

In the streets of Abidjan, the crowd disappeared the day after the return of former President Laurent Gbagbo.

© RFI / Paulina Zidi

Text by: Paulina Zidi Follow

4 min

Laurent Gbagbo returned to Côte d'Ivoire on Thursday June 17 after ten years of absence.

A historic day, but also chaotic marked by clashes between young supporters and the police.

And if the unrest lasted until late at night, the situation returned to calm on Friday. 

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From our special correspondent in Abidjan,

No more traces of the clashes of the day before in the city of Abidjan.

In the aftermath of a day as historic as it was chaotic, everyday life resumed its course.

Motorists have found the traffic jams characteristic of the economic capital.

Only the headlines posted in the streets evoke the event.

In front of Laurent Gbagbo's headquarters, Attoban, 

the evening crowd 

has completely disappeared.

The street is invaded with waste, as are the surrounding arteries where the supporters of the former head of state remained stranded for part of the evening.

In the building that will become Laurent Gbagbo's office, there are only a few young people who have slept there, unable to return home.

“ 

We put boxes for them,

 ” explains a guard.

Only the headlines posted in the streets evoke the event.

© RFI / Paulina Zidi

A few minutes by car from there, it is also the dead calm in front of the new residence of the ex-president.

The large building, freshly repainted, shows no signs of activity and we do not even distinguish any particular security device.

On the other hand, as soon as our vehicle stops, a civilian agent in charge of security comes to exchange a few words and note the identities.

The man explains having already been in the service of the president ten years ago, and it is therefore with emotion that he found his former boss on Thursday.

"

 The president returned around 10 pm and there is still resting

 ."

"This is Barak Obama of the Ivory Coast"

One further, but still in Cocody, the students are in progress.

This Thursday, the situation remained generally rather calm on the Félix Houphouët-Boigny campus, but a large number of students explain having followed the event.

If some do not want to speak and say they are not interested in politics, those who speak evoke their emotion.

 I followed the comeback on television, it was satisfaction.

I was happy that he came back, that's the main thing.

We were waiting for the son to come back.

Now it's up to him to decide what he wants to do,

 ”says a student.

► To read also: Ivory Coast: "There is immense fervor for the return of Laurent Gbagbo"

Brice, he is convinced, this return will bring change: “ 

When we talk about leadership, we think of our people.

This man, he has a vision for Côte d'Ivoire, but also for all of Africa.

He is the Barack Obama of Côte d'Ivoire.

I was happy when I found out he was fine at the airport. 

"

Images that also marked Annabelle for whom they will remain engraved for a long time.

“ 

It came back as it was, as simple as before,

” she says. 

When we saw him greet people, he did it with his fist like we do.

You imagine ?

A president doesn't usually do that. 

"

At one point, the calm was disturbed by a group of young people from FESCI (Student and School Federation of Côte d'Ivoire), a historic student union, rather close to the former president and known for its sometimes violent actions.

They stroll singing, and even if they are only several dozen, this procession remains striking, as an impression that the return of Laurent Gbagbo has galvanized them.

Relive the return of Laurent Gbagbo in Ivory Coast

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