artist/ BRULY BOUABRÉ Frédéric

Côte d'Ivoire

Frédéric Bruly Bouabré was an Ivorian illustrator and poet, born on March 11, 1923, in Zéprégühé, and passed away on January 28, 2014, in Abidjan.
He is also the inventor of the Bété script, a specifically African writing system designed to preserve the culture of the Bété people from being forgotten. The syllabary consists of 448 characters, each representing a syllable, inspired by geometric forms.

Following a “divine revelation” he received in 1948, he devoted himself to creating an entirely African writing system for Africa. This vision would directly influence his work. It was also at this time that he began calling himself “Cheik Nadro,” meaning “The Revealer” or “The One Who Does Not Forget.”