The commemoration of the death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny took place on December 7, 1993, marking the thirtieth anniversary of his death. An emblematic figure of Ivory Coast, Houphouët-Boigny was president of the country for more than three decades, attracting both admiration and criticism.
On the one hand, some detractors emphasize the authoritarianism of his political regime, marked by the single party. On the other hand, many Ivorians remember his involvement in the cultural development and infrastructure of the country.
People from different generations, who lived directly or indirectly under his regime, bear witness today to their memories. Thomas Zahui Dako, retired, is grateful to Houphouët-Boigny for the measures put in place to promote the education of young people. He remembers comfortable living conditions at the university, with air-conditioned buses traveling between the university residence and campus. He also talks about the opportunities for travel abroad offered during vacations, paid for by the government, which helped develop a sense of pan-Africanism in him.
Germain Kassi, member of the Marée verte movement, remembers the urbanization projects implemented by Houphouët-Boigny. He particularly mentions the Greater Abidjan plan, which transformed the economic capital into a modern metropolis. He underlines the importance of the infrastructure built under the reign of the former president in the development of the country.
This commemoration comes a few days before the congress of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), during which activists will have to choose a new leader. This process respects the principle of consensus, a value advocated by Houphouët-Boigny himself.
Beyond his political career, Houphouët-Boigny was passionate about agriculture. His plantation near Yamoussoukro served as a laboratory to test the cultivation of different varieties in Ivory Coast. He believed that the country had the potential to produce a wide range of crops, and opposed specialization imposed by outside influences. He was notably a large producer of pineapples, yams, cassava and corn.
In short, the commemoration of the death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny highlights the different aspects of his personality and his legacy. Whether it is his contested political authoritarianism or his contribution in the field of culture and infrastructure, the generations who lived under his regime bear witness to the contrasting effects of his policies. Today, the choice of a new leader for the PDCI marks an important step in the continuity of its political heritage.