Former Ivory Coast President, Henri Konan Bedie is dead.

Badie, who dominated politics in the West African nation for a generation, died at the age of 89, a close relative told Reuters on Tuesday.

Bedie served as president from 1993 until his ouster in 1999.

He later ran a losing race against his long-time political rival, President Alassane Ouattara in 2020, when he was 86 years old.

NAN reports that it is not clear how Bedie died.

His spokesman could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.

He was long remembered – and in some parts reviled – for his role in promoting the issue of ivoirite, or Ivorian identity.