Ahmadou Kourouma

Ahmadou Kourouma is a writer of the Ivory Coast born the November 24th 1927 with Togobala or Boundiali (Ivory Coast) and deceased the December 11th 2003 with Lyon (France).

Biography

Born in 1927 in Ivory Coast, Ahmadou Kourouma of origin is malinké, an ethnos group present in various countries of Africa of the west. Its name means “warlike” in language Malinké. Raised by an uncle it follows studies to Bamako to the Mali. From 1950 to 1954 (during the French Colonization), he is “Senegalese rifleman” in Indo-China before joining the metropolis to follow studies of mathematics to Lyon to France.

In 1960, at the time of the independence of the Ivory Coast, it returns to live in its native land but is very quickly worried by the mode of the president Felix Houphouët-Boigny. He knows the prison before leaving in exile in various countries, in Algérie (1964-1969), Cameroun (1974-1984) and Togo (1984-1994) before returning to live in Ivory Coast.

In 1970, it publishes its first novel the suns of independences which carries a very critical glance on controlling after-decolonization. Twenty years later, it publishes its second book Monnè, insults and challenges , where it recalls one century of colonial history. In 1994, it publishes While waiting for the vote of the wild beasts which tells the history of a hunter of the “tribe of the naked men” which becomes dictator. Through this novel, which will obtain the Prix of the Book Inter, one easily recognizes the course of the Head of Togolese State Gnassingbé Eyadéma. In 2000, it publishes Allah is not obliged which tells the history of an orphan child who left to join his aunt in Liberia becomes a Enfant soldier. This book will obtain the Prix Renaudot and the Prix Goncourt of the high-school pupils.

When in September 2002, the civil war bursts in Ivory Coast, it gives an opinion against the ivoirity, “a nonsense which led us to the disorder” and for the return of peace in its country. It will be shown by the newspapers in favor of the president Laurent Gbagbo to support the rebels of north.

At the time of its death, he worked with the drafting of a new book When one refuses one says not , a continuation of Allah is not obliged : the young hero, child demobilized soldier turns over in Ivory Coast to Daloa and saw the conflict of the Ivory Coast. This novel will be published after its death.

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