Abidjan — The celebration of Mother’s Day in Aboisso, featuring former First Ladies Henriette Bédié and Simone Gbagbo alongside current First Lady Dominique Ouattara, dominated newspaper headlines on June 1st.

Meanwhile, the 81st birthday of former President Laurent Gbagbo also captured significant media attention, with several outlets reflecting on his decades-long political career.

Mother’s Day in Aboisso: a show of unity among First Ladies

The presence of former First Ladies Henriette Bédié and Simone Gbagbo at the Mother’s Day event in Aboisso was widely highlighted by local newspapers. Notre Voie emphasized the “reunion of First Ladies in Aboisso: a shining example,” while L’Inter framed it as “Henriette Bédié and Simone Gbagbo stand alongside Dominique Ouattara: a powerful message of unity.”

Echoing this sentiment, Le Matin described how “First Ladies Ouattara, Bédié, and Gbagbo elevate social cohesion,” underscoring the symbolic significance of their joint appearance.

Le Patriote featured Dominique Ouattara’s address to the women of Aboisso, where she praised them as “the silent architects of our society,” while also acknowledging the contributions of Henriette Bédié and Simone Gbagbo. L’Expression similarly marked the occasion with the front-page headline “Dominique Ouattara, Henriette Bédié, and Simone Gbagbo celebrate together,” followed by an analysis of how these “guardians of humanity” were honored.

Laurent Gbagbo’s 81st birthday: reflections on a political legacy

The milestone birthday of Laurent Gbagbo was another major talking point in the press. Le Temps marked the occasion with the headline “President Laurent Gbagbo blows out 81 candles,” while L’Avenir reflected on his journey with the title “81 years, 40 years in politics: alas, Laurent Gbagbo.”

Notre Voie paid tribute to Gbagbo as “the extraordinary survivor of Ivorian politics,” noting his enduring influence despite decades in the public eye.

Other key stories in the Ivorian press

Le Nouveau Réveil covered the 80th anniversary of the PDCI-RDA, highlighting “massive turnout in the eastern region for Thiam.” Economically, L’Expression drew attention with the front-page headline “The BCEAO: the official supplier of Prime Ministers.”

Meanwhile, L’Essor scrutinized government figures in its piece titled “Why TBO, Anne Oulotto, and Dimba are a source of contention.”