Beyond football passion, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire have at least five things in common.
The upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire will be an exciting match that may end up setting an unprecedented football rivalry between the two West African countries.
The two nations will meet for the second time during the tournament, having met at the group stage with Nigeria defeating the host nation 1-0.
But beyond the rivalry on the football field, the West African neighbours have at least five things in common.
Independence year
Both Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria became independent from their colonial masters in 1960. While the former gained independence in August from France, the latter was emancipated in October from Britain.
Upon independence, Félix Houphouët-Boigny became the first elected president of Ivory Coast serving the country from 1960 until he died in 1993. Unlike Ivory Coast, Nigeria did not produce an elected president immediately after its independence, Instead, it opted for a parliamentary system of government that had Nnamdi Azikiwe as Governor-General and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister for three years.
However, in 1963, when Nigeria became a republic, Azikiwe became the first president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Civil war
Many African countries plunged themselves into civil wars after gaining independence. Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire were not exempted from the political tragedies that claimed millions of lives.
The Nigerian civil war, also known as the Nigeria-Biafran war broke almost seven years after its independence after Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the secession of the Biafran state from Nigeria. The war lasted for two years and six months.
On the other hand, the first Ivorian civil war did not happen until 42 years after its independence. The war, which pitted the central government of the country against a group of regional insurgents, lasted four years and five months.
After three years of peace, a conflict broke out in the country between supporters of Laurent Gbagbo, the then-incumbent president and a newly elected president, Alassane Ouattara, after the country’s electoral umpire declared the latter as the winner of the 2010 presidential election.
The civil war that ensued lasted for five months claiming lives and properties.
Aged presidents
Africa has many young presidents but the Nigerian and Ivorian leaders do not belong to this class.
The official retirement age for government officials in most African countries stands at 60 years, but this does not apply to presidents.
The president of Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire are among the oldest leaders on the continent. While President Bola Tinubu will turn 72 years old next month, President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast celebrated his 82nd birthday last month.
Football passion and success
In Nigeria and Ivory Coast, football is a major passion as both pride themselves on a successful national team and internationally recognised footballers.
Jay Jay Okocha and Didier Drogba. [Pulse Sports]
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have won the AFCON three times and have consistently produced players who excel in top European leagues. Ivory Coast’s Elephants have also won it twice and have been a force in African football.
Cocoa exports
Côte d’Ivoire is one of the leading exporters of cocoa in Africa. A 2021 data by Statista ranked the West African country as the largest exporter of the cash crop in the world.
The data showed that Cote d’Ivoire exported cocoa at a value of nearly $6.2 billion in the year under review.
Although Nigeria is not among the top exporters of cocoa, the data classified it among other large exporters of the crop alongside Cameroon.