Author and journalist Venance Konan was born on the eve of his country's independence from France. But 50 years on, he sees no reason for the Cote d'Ivoire to celebrate when its people live in poverty and the country is split.

In his novel The Catapillas, Those Ungrateful Ones Konan writes mockingly: "Our parents are still asking us when this independence is going to be over." It is a bitter commentary from a country racked by civil war and government misdeeds.

Konan, who is a very critical of the Ivoirian government, writes books about his country and editorials in several opposition newspapers.

Here he talks about Ivoirian politics, 50 years of independence and the country's future.