The ex-president of Ivory Coast, Henri Konan Bedie, passed away at the age of 89.
Badie, who dominated politics in the West African nation for a generation died on Tuesday.
The ex-president served as Ivory Coast’s second-ever president after independence from France in 1960. He ruled from 1993 until an economic slump and allegations of corruption led to his ouster in a military coup in 1999.
The man became well-known, although some people disliked him, for promoting the concept of “ivoirite”, which emphasized Ivorian identity. This led to conflict between those who believed they were native to the southern and eastern regions, and the large number of foreign workers from neighboring countries who had lived in the northern part of the country for a long time.
Bedie remained in politics until the end. At 86, he ran a losing race against longtime political rival President Alassane Ouattara in elections in 2020.
The cause of Bedie’s death was not immediately known. His spokesman could not be reached for comment.
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