When a good laugh helps in Ivory Coast
“Ivory Coast is the only country with two presidents, two prime ministers and two governments […] it resembles a two-chip cell phone, a ‘chinetoque’, a fake mobile phone from China”.
By Selay Marius Kouassi, Abidjan
This joke by Ivorian humorist Agha Lawal came during ‘Bonjour 2011’, the famous end-of-the-year comedy show. It was regarded as a breath of fresh air in a very tensed Ivory Coast. It got almost the whole country laughing.
The much-awaited presidential election believed to bring a lasting peace to war-torn Ivory Coast has led the West African country in a standoff with no immediate solution in sight. As talks broke down, the issue of the deadlock fuels debates across the country and laughter is being used as a ‘balm for pain’ where hope for peace is fading away.
Rethinking the mediation
In Sotra public bus N°81 driving to Plateau, the economic hub of the ivorian capital city, Gbalou Georges comments on the crisis and thinks mediators “[…] lack the necessary skills” to find a solution to the impasse.
“[…] These mediators can’t just come here to play and have fun where many lives and economic issues are at stake […] They must quit, they must step down in favour of more experience mediators”, says Gbalou, visibly angry with the way the Ivorian drama unfolds.
Gambling to make both ends meets
Plateau is the business hub of Abidjan. To many Ivorians, business means small jobs, scams and even games of chance. A growing number of people are turning to gambling to make ends meet.
“With no job opportunity, what else can we do to eke out a living and live honestly? Nothing! Games of chance are an opportunity to earn money. Gambling, at least, is an honest business”, says a young gambler, sickened and ashamed by the country’s situation.
Not even the port
It is the same story in Treichville District, the port area: no jobs. Wharfside warehouses that usually welcome the highest number of dockers - on quay N° 17 and N° 18 - have closed their doors.
Souma Soilio the owner of ‘Serré-Pressé’, a cafe in the neighborhood of the wharf, says in a low voice: “This is where dockers usually have breakfast and lunch. But things keep going wrong and my stuff doesn’t sell well. I think time has come for one camp to beat the other, even by using force. We have to come to this stage to end the crisis for good”.
RTI, the state television is always on at ‘Serré-Pressé’. Even if Soilio has the opportunity to zap and watch international news channels, he doesn’t. “Here, you have to play their game even if you think differently” Soilio says. “I could be denied access to the port and my livehood could be destroyed if I am caught watching a foreign news channel” he adds.
An alternative mediation
Sometimes, with his headphones on, Soilio listen to radio RHDP FM - a ‘pirate’ radio station that broadcasts mainly Ouattara government’s messages - from his mobile phone. That's where he listened to the traditional chief, His Majesty Tchiffi Zié saying that Gbagbo and Ouattara should step aside in favour of a transition committee. That would pull the country out of this impasse.
[related-articles]Tchiffi Zié’s statement was not broadcast on RTI, but he convinced many Ivoirians that it is the way to give peace a chance in Ivory Coast. Even the CSCI, the coalition of more than hundreds NGOs, headed by Dr. N’Gouan Patrick has been supporting this.
Although the crisis persists in Ivory Coast, its inhabitants try to remain hopeful and stay away from the feeling of despair. And people like the humorist Agha Lawal is helping out in his own way to relieve the tension.