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Fans of African football are currently focused on Ivory Coast where nations are battling it out on the pitch, days into a huge continental sporting tournament. Two decades ago though, when Newsday's James Copnall was reporting from the country, it was a dangerous place as battles raged after rebels seized the north of Ivory Coast in 2002.

The rebels turned the city of Bouake into their capital. It was subsequently bombed by the Ivorian air force and in later years, when tensions reduced, Bouake became a symbol of reconciliation – the national football team played matches there to show the country could reunite after the conflict.

Now Ivory Coast’s second city is hosting games at the Africa Cup of Nations. So what is Bouake like now, more than a decade after the end of the war?

James went on a tour with Bouake resident, Adeline Ndri Kouadio - they started with her favourite place: the Jacques Aka Cultural Centre.

"We say here we are going slowly, slowly... the population here walks step-by-step to see what Bouake can be."

(Pic: Adeline Ndri Kouadio in central Bouake outside a building bombed in the war now turned into a mural for the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament; Credit: ´óÏó´«Ã½)

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