Joyeux Noel, Cote d’Ivoire!

Staff at Bobballs are always delighted to see peace and goodwill among men, particularly at this time of year. So well done Ivory Coast!

Remember the Ivory Coast… that conflict of ethnicity… large religious minority marginalized in the north of the country by the governing elite… inequalities under the law… demands for rights and entitlements and parity of esteem… violent sectarianism… coalition, unity power-sharing framework designed to promote peace… etc etc

So? Well, staff at Bobballs are pleased to see decommissioning is now underway and a consociational power-sharing agreement and unicameral legislature will soon be restored for the first time since 2002, and power divided between two leadership figures from the warring factions etc etc…

Y’see, if you try really hard you can always make something out of anything. (Happy Christmas Mike! Now where's the book on Northern Ireland & Ivory Coast Peace ProcessesTM?)

So who are Africa’s newest Chuckle Brothers? Step forward Guillaume Soro and Laurent Gbagbo. Well done chaps, you can now look forward to being derided by needlessly smug though less popular political opponents for acting in the common good.

Can we expect to see Sarkozy doing ‘le main d’histoire’ on this one? Why not? Ah heck, why not some egregious Peaceballs?

The West has been emitting/exporting all kind of things over the years to the detriment of Africa. Peaceballs is uniquely Northern Irish. And we offer it you to Ivory Coast. God forgive us…

Joyeux Noel, Cote d’Ivoire!