The Kola Trader Who Invented an Alphabet

In 1944, in Bouaké, a young Guinean kola trader read that African languages had no rules and could not be written. Five years later, in Bingerville, he unveiled a new alphabet that marked tone and called it N'ko, « I say ». Two African states turned him down, and he died unrecognised. His students carried on, all the way to the Guinean decree of 17 April 2026.

Great figuresAfrican independencesColonial historyMemory and redressKnowledge and heritageGuineaSKSolomana KantéAKAmara Kanté