History
The city of Yamoussoukro has many a bloody tale to live by. Chief Yamousso, the niece of Kouassi N'Go, ran the village of N'Gokro at the time of French colonization. The village then comprised 475 inhabitants, and was one of 129 Akoué villages. Diplomatic and commercial relations were then established with the rest of the world. But, in 1909, on the orders of the Chief of Djamlabo, the Akoué revolted against the administration and Bonzi station, seven kilometres from Yamoussoukro on the Bouaflé road, was set on fire. The French administrator, Simon Maurice, was spared only by the intervention of Kouassi N'Go. He used his goodwill to persuade the Akoué not to wage a war, which could only have turned into a disaster.
As the situation returned to normal, Simon Maurice, judging that Bonzi had become unsafe, decided to transfer the French military station to Yamoussoukro. Here the French Administration built a pyramid as a memorial to Kouassi N'Go, Chief of the Akoué, and in homage to Yamousso, N'Gokro was renamed Yamoussoukro. In 1919, the civil station of Yamoussoukro was removed, and Félix Houphouët-Boigny became the leader of the village in 1939. Yamoussoukro, the small agricultural town, remained in the shadows until after the war. It then saw the creation of the African Agricultural Trade Union, and first conferences of its Chief. But it was only with Independence that Yamoussoukro finally rose to prominence. After 1964, President Félix started to build the city. In March 1983, Yamoussoukro became the political and administrative capital of the Côte d'Ivoire. However, the majority of economic activity still takes place in Abidjan.
|
|
|
|
| |
| IVORY
COAST (COTE D’IVOIRE)
Capital: Yamoussoukro
Area: 322,000km²
Population: 15,446,000
Time: GMT
Currency :CFA Franc
Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz
Language: French, plus many African languages
Religion: Muslim, Christian, and others
Telephone: IDD+Country 00 225
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
