Mariam Dicoh Konan died this Tuesday, June 4, 2024. This name may be unknown to many, but all West Africans who have had a 25 CFA franc coin in their pocket know her face. Mariam Dicoh is the woman whose profile appears on this piece and this is not completely by chance.
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Not everyone can be in the pocket or wallet of millions of people. Mariam Dicoh, renowned for being one of the first chemists in Ivory Coast, is even better known in West Africa for being the one whose profile illustrates the 25 CFA franc coin. This young girl handling a test tube in a laboratory has become a legendary figure in the emancipation of African women.
“ The first symbol is the tribute to African women. Either to those who contributed to the anti-colonial struggle, like Marie Koré, or those who invested in science like Mariam Dicoh. The 2nd symbol is to encourage women to be interested in the scientific and technical field. We need inspiring role models and I think she was one. », explains historian Jean-Noël Loukou.
“ It is an honor for me to represent the country and Africa on this coin »
For her son Jean-Luc Konan, she was above all a model. “ To summarize for you a little the greatness of the character, on the anecdote of this 25 CFA franc coin, we were not aware of it. Some people, some lawyers came and said “But say Madam, we didn’t ask you for image rights? You can attack the Central Bank today and ask for damages”. She answered quickly “It’s an honor for me to represent the country and Africa on this coin, I will never do such a thing”. This is to tell you who she is as a character », Testifies his son.
25 CFA francs is also a coin that is no longer found much in West Africa, which only adds to its value.