Jean Konan Banny

Jean Konan Banny (July 14, 1929[1] – May 27, 2018)[2] was an Ivorian politician of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI). He is the brother of Charles Konan Banny, a former Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire.[3]

Jean Konan Banny
Minister of Defense
In office 1960 – September 1963
Preceded by	None (position first established)
Succeeded by	Kouadio M'Bahia Blé
Personal details
Born	July 14, 1929 Divo, Ivory Coast
Died	May 27, 2018 (aged 88) Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Nationality	Ivorian
Political party	Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire
Occupation	Lawyer, Minister

A lawyer, Banny served as Minister of Defense for Côte d'Ivoire from its independence in 1960 to 1963.[1] In 1963, he was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death on charges of participating in President Félix Houphouët-Boigny's "complot du chat noir" (black cat conspiracy).[1] Meanwhile, his office was transferred to Kouadio M'Bahia Blé whose ministership lasted more than 17 years.[4] There was discontent in the army, as the generals stirred following his arrest and Houphouët-Boigny had to intervene personally to sedate the army.[5]

Banny, who personally knew Houphouët-Boigny from childhood, was pardoned and released in 1967.[1] He asked Banny to be the mayor of Yamoussoukro, though Houphouët-Boigny's successor, Henri Konan Bédié, appointed Banny as Resident Minister of the capital.[1] The Resident Minister is a member of the Council of Elders of the PDCI, which includes roughly a hundred elders.[1]

He also directed the Société fruitière du Bandama, an industrial company, which produces and exports fruit juice, mainly that of pineapples.[1] The company created the popular drink Cristelor in 1983.[6] Described as a delice d'ananas petillant, French for sparkling pineapple delight, it is popularly called pineapple champagne.[6] Banny claimed the idea "came to [him when he thought] to make a wine from pineapples" and was named after his granddaughter Cristel. He also proposed an alcoholic version of the drink.[6]

Notes

1. Kpatindé, Francis (1999-05-11). "Jean Konan Banny". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2018-05-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. "Time to End Shenanigans". AllAfrica. 2005-12-06. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
4. "Ivory Coast: Constitutional, Legal, and Administrative Structure". Library of Congress Country Studies. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
5. Le Vine, p. 211.
6. May, Clifford D. (1984-03-18). "Pineapple Bubbly". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-05.

References

• Le Vine, Victor T. (2004). Politics in Francophone Africa: The States of West and Equatorial Africa. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers. ISBN 1-58826-249-9. OCLC 54372166.