Yamoussoukro: Ivorians gear up for Ouattara’s swearing-in

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Yamoussoukro -After five months of bloodbath and tears, Ivorians, Friday thronged Yamoussoukro, the inner political capital of Cote d’Ivoire, to celebrate the impending inauguration of President Alassane Ouattara.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that the ceremony, to be held today, is to be witnessed by no fewer than 25 presidents from Africa, Europe and Asia.

Similarly, 66 delegates from various countries are expected to be in attendance.

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan will be attending the ceremony, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia.

In Yamoussoukro, gaily dressed men and women crowded the streets, displaying the nation’s colours on their caps, clothing and flags.

Statues on streets in Abidjan, the country’s capital have been painted in Ivorian colours of green and orange, with houses, restaurants, shops and trees draped with the country’s flags.

“Yamoussoukro is the place to be now. We will wash our tears away by sweating and dancing,” a trader, Charlotte Winckler, said.

Winckler, who moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro, to sell T-shirts, caps and shirts on which Ouattara’s pictures were printed, said she would create time outside business to enjoy the event.

At various corners of the town, tents have been erected, with people blowing trumpets and singing songs of Ouattara’s victory at the polls.

The road from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro was lined with vehicles, decorated with Ouattara’s pictures and the Ivorian flag.

“ Ivorians have all moved to the capital for the last dance,’’ another Ivorienne, Sadia Youssouf, said.

Youssouf said the pain that followed the November elections was worth celebrating in “grand style’’.

Ivorian youths and women besieged the Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, which is the secretariat for the event, before Friday to get jobs as ushers, traffic controllers and drivers during the event.

“Some people got hired and that will reduce their stress after the five months of war that has frustrated everybody,’’ Pascal Yao said.

Yao added that he lost his job as a steward in a hotel and was at the Hotel Ivoire to get hired as a driver for the event but was unlucky to have missed the opportunity.

“I will still be in Yamoussoukro to sweat out the stress of the last five months at least,’’ he said.

NAN reports that fears were earlier raised on security.

-Vanguardwp_posts