Laurent Gbagbo: Why Ivory Coast former president return back to im kontri afta 10 years of exile

Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo dey expected to return home, 10 years afta dem carry am go di International Criminal Court (ICC) on top accuse of crimes against humanity.

Oga Gbagbo dey live for Belgian capital, Brussels since im release from detention three years ago.

Im successor and rival President Alassane Ouattara don invite am back.

E be di first former head of state wey go face trial for ICC but later dey free of all charges.

Di 76-year-old face charges afta e refuse to accept defeat for di 2010 election wey cause civil war wey lead to di death of 3,000 pipo. E bin always deny all di accuse.

For March, di ICC appeal court bin maintain one 2019 judgement wey free Gbagbo, say di prosecution fail to prove dia case against am and Charles Blé Goudé, one supporter and former youth leader wey also face accusation say e lead soldiers to back am.

Why Gbagbo dey go back?

Afta ICC court free am of all accuse, President Ouattara invite am to come back Ivory Coast, wey still dey try get political stability. Oga Gbagbo reply say im want promote peace for im kontri.

Although bitterness and division still dey one decade afta di election, and civil war, observers say President Ouattara feel politically secure afta e win controversial third term last year and e dey willing to reconcile wit im political enemy.

But odas dey point to di 2018 amnesty wey dem give Gbagbo wife, Simone, and several oda pipo dem jail for crimes wey dem commit during di 2010-11 crisis, say di reconciliation effort don start for some time.

Six oda former supporters of oga Gbagbo also return two months ago afta dem spend years for exile.

Why ICC clear Gbagbo?

For 2019, judges rule say prosecutors fail to show say plan dey to keep "Gbagbo for power" wey include crimes against civilians, or "policy to attack civilian population".

Presiding Judge Cuno Tarfusser say di prosecution also "fail to demonstrate say "na wetin Gbagbo tok for public start or cause di alleged crimes".

For March, ICC appeals court uphold di acquittal and troway di prosecution argument wey say procedural errors dey how dem take deliver di original judgement plus say thousands of documents and 96 witnesses wey dey present during di trial don prove di guilt of oga Gbagbo beyond reasonable doubt.

Who be Gbagbo

Dem born oga Gbagbo for south-central region of Gagnoa for 1945 to a Catholic family. Oga Gbagbo attend Christian seminary and later become history professor.

E start im political career wit one trade union movement where e begin oppose Ivory Coast one-party state for dat time.

E start im political career wit opposition but in di 1980s, e take one strong nationalist stance, wey critics tok say dey bordered on xenophobia.

Afta 20 years for opposition, dem finally elect am as president for year 2000, but civil war happun just two years later. Oga Gbagbo supporters dey accused of carrying out xenophobic attacks for di areas dem dey control - against those wey come from di mainly Muslim north, immigrants from neighbouring African countries, and Westerners.

Afta 20 years for opposition, dem finally elect am as president for year 2000, but civil war happun just two years later. Oga Gbagbo supporters dey accused of carrying out xenophobic attacks for di areas dem dey control - against those wey come from di mainly Muslim north, immigrants from neighbouring African countries, and Westerners.

Dem accuse former colonial power France and di UN say dem no do enough to put down a rebellion wey split Ivory Coast into two.

Di crisis lead to di postponement of di 2005 presidential elections six times before dem finally do am for 2010 but oga Gbagbo no gree accept defeat to Mr Ouattara afta e lose.

Di five months of violence wey follow dey described as some of di most brutal violence di kontri don ever see.

E still dey too early to judge impact of return

Wetin oga Gbagbo return mean and di impact neva dey certain, but for some Ivorians, hope dey say im coming go fit help reconcile di kontri and shift goment attention to economic reforms and to deal wit wetin remain of di Islamist insurgency from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali.

However, for many victims of oga Gbagbo reign, time neva heal dia physical and emotional wounds. Im return na reminder of di violence dem suffer plus di injustice dem still dey endure.

Dis West African nation want peace for dia borders to dey achieved through reconciling its people - whether dem go fit achieve dis without justice for victims of di civil wars, only time go tell.