Kingdom of Sanwi
| Kingdom of Sanwi | |||||
| Traditional kingdom | |||||
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| Capital | Krinjabo | ||||
| Languages | Anyi language | ||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||
| Historical era | 18th-20th Centuries | ||||
| • | Established | Sanwi state founded by Agni from Ghana c.1740 | |||
| • | Kingdom abolished upon creation of Republic of Ivory Coast | 1959 | |||
Kingdom of Sanwi is a traditional kingdom located in the south-east corner of the Republic of Ivory Coast in west Africa. It was established in about 1740 by Anyi migrants from Ghana. In 1843 the kingdom became a protectorate of France. In 1959 it was merged with Ivory Coast and at that time the tribal population was estimated to be around 40,000 people in 119 settlements.
History
20th century
In the run up to independence for Ivory Coast the traditional administration in Sanwi attempted to organise a political movement to ensure their continued autonomy and traditional structures called Liste pour la Défense des Intérêt du Pays Sanwi'. This political party had limited success in the 1956-7 election year. After this the traditional elite sent representatives to Paris in an attempt to negotiate with the colonial master formal autonomy for Sanwi within Ivory Coast after independence. They cited the treaty of protectorate between France and the Sanwi of 1843. However, they did not receive support for their cause and later (in 1959) the traditional kingdom was formally abolished.
This was not accepted and shortly afterwards the kingdom declared its independence. In 1960 a "government in exile" was established in the neighbouring Republic of Ghana that received material support and encouragement from the government of Kwame Nkrumah.
After this Affaire Sanwe several hundred activists were arrested and put on trial, found guilty and subsequently released. Further declarations of independence were made in 1961 and 1969 with the royal family and entourage remaining in exile in Ghana, only returning home in 1981.
Rulers
The kingdom received much attention after declaring Michael Jackson to be a "KING" of the Sanwi in 1993. Reciprocal visits by Michael Jackson and Amon N'Douffou IV were made to Krinjabo and Los Angeles respectively. After Jackson's death in 2009 (an elaborate two-day funeral was held), Jesse Jackson was declared Prince in August of that year when he was crowned Prince Nana by Amon N'Douffou V, King of Krindjabo.
Prince Michael Jackson I, the eldest child of Michael Jackson was inaugurated via webcast as Prince Mikaeel Amalaman Anoh II Of the Ivory Coast Kingdom Krinjabo & Agni Empire on February 16, 2013. He was sworn in as the new health and well-being advisor and the new peace, youth and cultural ambassador of the Agni Empire by King Amon N'Douffou IV - Prince Mikaeel II Of Krinjabo,King Sani II of Sanwi, Senegal, Africa.