History of The Alladians

The Alladians are a West African population mainly present in the south of Ivory Coast in the region of Jacqueville and Petit-Bassam. They are part of the Guan-Akan group, particularly the Lagoon Akan subgroup, and speak a Kwa language, Alladian, whose number of speakers was estimated at 23,000 in 1993. They practice animism and Christianity.

History

The Alladian, formerly probably called the Esiep, came from Ghana in the early 15th century. They migrated from the Kumasi region, more precisely from the village of Nantré, following deadly clashes. In the 16th century, they were already in contact with Europeans, notably the Portuguese, the Dutch, the English, and the French.

In 1890, the representation of the Alladian country was entrusted to the customary chief of Jacqueville, Adjé Bonny, currently designated by the elders under the title of “King Bonny.

They revolted in 1889 against the French occupation but it was quickly repressed by Marcel Treich-Laplène.

Migratory movement

The Alladians, after the Nantré stage, found themselves in the region of Appolonie in the Eotile country. then continuing towards the west, these people would have founded the village of Agrouvry in the current Mgbato village, more precisely on the location of the Akoré.

Subsequently, from Agrouvry, the Alladians, following the lagoon, established a base in the current village of Layo in the region of Songon M'brate. Through a movement in an axis almost perpendicular to the sea coast, the Alladians follow the lagoon and find themselves in the village of Abreby. 

The name of this ethnic group derives from the expression “Bodo Maa Aladja kê” which means “What is this weird language of Bodo?

 The Alladians are known by other names by the surrounding peoples: Amodyou by the Adioukrou, Nandjaman by the Agoua, and Nandja by the Abidji.

Depending on the sources and the context, we observe several variants: Aladian, Aladians, Aladyan, Alagian, Alagia, Alagya, Alladian, Alladyan, Aragya, Jack-Jack, Nladja-wron[8], Nlandianbo.