A ilusão da independência

This article examines the cultural and psychosocial impacts of neocolonialism in Côte d’Ivoire during the presidency of Félix Houphouët-Boigny (1960–1993), with an emphasis on the educational and linguistic paradigms inherited from the French colonial period. Through an interdisciplinary theoretical approach, it analyzes the imposition of French as the official language and as an instrument of national unification, the influence of Christian missions in reshaping the social fabric, and the persistence of an educational structure shaped by European frameworks. Drawing on authors such as Frantz Fanon, Kwame Nkrumah, Achille Mbembe, and Jean-Martial Kouamé, the study addresses the symbolic, subjective, and identity-related effects of this cultural domination, highlighting how the persistence of Eurocentric references shaped social relations and national self-image. By discussing the marginalization of local languages and cultural practices, the work offers a critical reflection on the strategies of power reproduction in the post-independence context and their consequences for the construction of Ivorian identity.