Guinea Independence Day

Oct 02, 2020 08:33AM ● By Oga Africa

(Children in Guinea)

Happy Independence Day, Guinea! Today, October 2nd, 1958, this resource rich West African
The capital of Guinea is Conakry. Natural resources that are found in this country include Bauxite, diamonds, iron and gold. However, poverty is an overwhelming issue in the country. Rich resources and poor citizens are a common theme in Africa. The official language is French and in 2019, the estimated population was 12,214,000.

(Conakry, Guinea)

Leaders Sékou Touré and Lansana Conte led the campaign to the country’s independence in 1958. After independence, Sékou Touré ruled the country with a tight leash for the remainder of his life. After Touré’s death, Lansana Conte led a coup d’etat and took control of the country until his demise, and in 2008, Captain Dadis Camara rose to power via coup d’etat. Due to inhumane treatment of citizens, Camara was shot in December 2019, and by 2010, Guinea held its first presidential election.

(Sékou Touré)

The current president, Alpha Conde, has been in office since 2010, and is running for a third term in this year’s presidential election, set for October 18th, 2020.

(President Alpha Conde)

The tribes of Guinea include the Fulani, Malinke or Mandinka, Soussou, Kpelle, Kissi, Toma and more. Tribalism is a recurring issue in Guinea, as is the case in many other parts of the continent and world. In Guinea there have been countless incidents of ethnic disputes, violence and killings, notably with those in political power improv ing the conditions of their tribes only and clashes between the Fulani and Malinke peoples.

(Fulani dancers)

The National dish of Guinea is Poulet Yassa. Other dishes include Foufou or mashed cassava with soup, Cassava Leaf Sauce with rice, Peanut Sauce with rice, Potato Leaf Stew with rice and more.