The Ivory Coast

France made Côte d'Ivoire a protectorate in 1842, but did not actively occupy the territory until 1882. The country became a French colony in 1893. Côte d'Ivoire became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958 and achieved full independence on August 7, 1960. In October 1985, the United Nations approved a request from the Ivorian government to change the country's official name from Ivory Coast to Côte d'Ivoire.

Côte d'Ivoire maintains close ties with France, but also seeks to expand its contacts with other nations. It is Africa's largest exporter of coffee and cocoa, and also one of the largest exporters of timber and other tropical products.They gained Independence in the 60s along with many other African countries like Ghana and Nigeria.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast

The capital of the Ivory Coast is Yamoussoukro, In 1998, the city had about 155,803 inhabitants. It is the fourth most populous city in Côte d'Ivoire, after Abidjan, Bouke, and Daloa.

I think my character Kojo never lived in a city I think he lived in a rural area where it would have been easy for him to be taken as a soldier. And since he had to walk along a dust track indicates poverty which I don't think their would have been a lot of in the cities.