Sokodé

Sokodé is the country's third city, a Tem and Kotokoli trading centre that most travellers only pass through on the road north rather than stop in for its own sake. A large mosque and an old Muslim quarter give the centre its particular character, and the busy market handles goods moving in every direction along the highway. Traditional local festivals tied to the harvest and to the Muslim calendar bring the whole town to life on their particular dates each year. Outside those particular dates it functions mainly as a fuel and food stop between the coast and Kara.