In Côte d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo's Very Confidential Remarriage

Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has officially married his long-time companion, Hadia Nadiany Bamba, one year after his widely publicized divorce from former First Lady Simone Gbagbo.

In June 2023, Gbagbo finalized his divorce from Simone Gbagbo, as announced by a press release from Simone’s lawyer, Maître Ange Rodrigue Dadjé. The divorce was attributed to "characterized and notorious adultery, abandonment of marital home, and serious insults" against Simone Gbagbo. This divorce was highly publicized, making headlines in both the gossip and political sections of the press.

On August 8, 2024, Laurent Gbagbo married Hadia Nadiany Bamba in a much more discreet ceremony. Despite some photos surfacing, the event was held quietly at the Cocody Town Hall with Mayor Jean-Marc Yacé officiating, and at a Catholic church. The new couple was surrounded by family and key members of Gbagbo’s new political party, PPA-CI. Following the ceremony, they hosted a modest reception for their guests.

Hadia Nadiany Bamba, 50, is an Ivorian journalist. Her relationship with the former president began in the early 2000s, while she was finishing her studies in France. The French newspaper Le Monde notes that during Gbagbo’s decade in power, he had two significant women in his life: Simone Gbagbo, his official wife since 1989, and Nady Bamba, who remained more in the shadows. Their relationship remained strong despite Gbagbo’s imprisonment and has become more public since his return from exile.