THE "GLORIOUS LADIES" OF GRAND-BASSAM

This sculpture depicts 3 iconic women from the women's march in Grand-Bassam. They are: Léonie Richardo, Marie Koré (whose real name is Zogbo Céza Galo Marie, a PDCI-RDA activist) and Marie Georgette Mockey (wife of Jean Baptiste Mockey, one of the PDCI-RDA leaders imprisoned at Grand-Bassam prison). This march took place from December 22 to 24, 1949, to demand the release of political leaders imprisoned by the French colonial authorities. It occurred 2 days after the first march held in Abidjan, whose outcome — marked by the Government's inaction — had left a deep impression on these women. On the first day of the march, more than 150 women gathered in front of the Grand-Bassam courthouse, requesting an audience with the Prosecutor, but their demands went unmet. By the end of that first day, the number of women taking part in the demonstration had grown to around 2,000. Faced with heavy repression and under pressure from Félix-Houphouët Boigny,  the women called off the demonstrations and returned home without achieving their goal. A few months later, in March 1950, some of these leaders were released. The political figures who had been imprisoned were: Bernard Dadié, Mathieu Ekra, Jacob Wiliam, Jean Baptiste Mokey, Albert Paraiso, René Séry Koré, Lama Kamara, Phillipe Vieyra.