The Wambɲug emblem of the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny and its implications for contemporary iconoclasm in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

The present reflections are intended as a contribution to the theme of the colloquium “Iconoclasm, heritage, and restitution.” The wambɲung symbol, which is shown on the emblem of the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, finds itself at the very heart of contradictory actions and assertions, reflecting the ebb and flow in the status of the rest of the monument of which it is part, on the university boulevard, between 2001 and 2010. The wambɲung symbol is in a delicate and unstable statutory position, determined by time and context.