The Republic of Monkeys

Jean-François Kouadio

How can poverty be eradicated? How can Africa be industrialised? How can corruption be fought? How armed conflicts be settled? Why are so many Africans maladjusted once back from western universities? How can religious fundamentalism and fanaticism be contained? Do we really fight xenophobia and tribalism? How deeply do we comprehend the principles of the social contract? How do we hold back and eradicate pandemic diseases? How do we contain bad citizenship and insecurity? The sole aim of these short stories is to point out some of the daily behaviours Africans should rid ourselves of in the process of building better functioning societies.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jean-François Kouadio was born in Ivory Coast where he was educated in public law. Polyglot, he speaks seven languages (Baoulé, Dioula, Agni, Bambara – found in West Africa – as well as French, English and Spanish) and has travelled extensively in Africa; mainly in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar and South Africa. He is currently a divisional purchasing and marketing manager for a leading South African retailer. This collection is a fictionalised account of his field experience.