Selay Marius Kouassi, Africanews Reporter, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Many people will be surprised to know that Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo is very religious. In the weeks leading up to Gbagbo's capture, the Ivorian crisis took on an unprecedented religious flavour. The slightest unusual occurrence was interpreted as a message from God to the Ivorian people; a god on Gbagbo's side, guaranteeing his victory.
Prophets’ connection with politics…When it all began
In 2002, at the early stages of the Ivorian crisis, evangelists, reverends, so-called prophets and apostles had emerged on the Ivorian political scene and prophesised the end of the conflict in no more than three months. However, the conflict persisted but the prophets vanished.
Ever since, prophecies, unrealistic as contradictory, have been making headlines, Ivoirians were recently seduced by new “revelations” broadcasted by the RTI, the state broadcaster used for propaganda by the Gbagbo regime.
Media involvement
In its effort to support Gbagbo’s regime and to deify its leader, the RTI broadcast an alleged cloud favourable to Laurent Gbagbo, after a clash between his army and pro-Ouattara forces. A heart-shaped figure was also said to have appeared in the soup of a woman known to be a devoted support of Laurent Gbagbo.
The RTI broadcast several such ‘extraordinary’ events that journalists interpreted as divine messages.
God took sides
Therefore, in lieu of Gbagbo’s soldiers, it was God himself, ‘lord of the armies’, who was fighting to keep Gbagbo in power. And who was God fighting against?
“I am going to give them clear names: Sarkozy is the devil and Ouattara (ndlr: Alassane Ouattara, her husband’s former political rival) the head bandit”, Simone Gbagbo declared on 15 January in Abidjan, at a political rally in support of Laurent Gbagbo, held in the Palace of Culture. The tone was set! In Abidjan, self-declared prophets understood the game and decided to play it.
Rewarding flattery
Preachers, evangelists and self-declared prophets converged at the gates of the presidential residence to deliver prophecies allegedly received from God.
Prophecies that described Gbagbo as the “anointed saviour of Ivory Coast from the evil clutches of neo-colonial powers, France and the United States”.
“All the prophecies, true or false, maintaining Gbagbo in power were welcome. In fact, they were rewarded. Those who made them took the money and cleared out”, laments a former house personnel of the ex-president.
A prediction that never came true
An enlightened preacher by the name of Malachie Koné predicted the victory of the Gbagbo couple. His prediction was recorded on CD and was famous in circles of Gbagbo supporters.
“The Unicorn (Force Licorne - French military forces in Ivory Coast) will be defeated, so will ONUCI and the rebels. They will surround the president’s (Gbagbo’s) residence, but they will not reach him. God will intervene in spectacular fashion and they will be humiliated. [...] Gbagbo will have two more mandates as President of Ivory Coast”. This particular section of the prophecy was most rejoicing for Gbagbo’s supporters. They strongly believed therein and keenly awaited its fulfilment.
Malachie enjoyed the good favours of the presidential couple for his ‘latest’ prophecy, before clearing out.
Intense prayers
Sources close to the presidential couple reported that on the night before Gbagbo’s capture, his wife Simone lead the entire household into intense prayers. Did Malachie not predict that residence would be surrounded? And there it was. Therefore the prediction must be coming true. In the presidential bunker, hope was high and loud prayers accompanied every blast.
At the crack of dawn, no miracle! The FRCI, pro-Ouattara forces, assisted by the French military, entered the presidential residence and seized all its occupants including Laurent Gbagbo.
The Ivorian crisis was marked by abundant prophecies, most of which proved to be false. Meanwhile, those that remain unfulfilled will probably never be.
Many people will be surprised to know that Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo is very religious. In the weeks leading up to Gbagbo's capture, the Ivorian crisis took on an unprecedented religious flavour. The slightest unusual occurrence was interpreted as a message from God to the Ivorian people; a god on Gbagbo's side, guaranteeing his victory.
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