This book is a case study of the political system and practices of the Baoulés, an Akan group in Côte d’Ivoire, who migrated from current Ghana in the 18th Century under the leadership of Queen Nanan Abla Pokou. Prior to French colonial rule in Côte d’Ivoire from the end of the 19th Century to its independence in 1960, Baoulé women, like other women of the global African world, constituted a significant, central and indispensable force in all spheres of society, including politics. They fought fiercely in all facets of anti-colonial struggles. However colonial rule and ideologies, which emulated the European traditions of the time, marginalized African women considerably, taking away their power. Based on the analysis of archival and socio-historical data collected for this empirical research, the author calls for the restoration of African women’s rights in education, the political arena and broader representation, a sine qua non for social progress in Africa.