This study reflects some recent debates over citizenship, identity and conflict which have developed in social sciences and African studies in regard to the heritage of colonialism. After independence, many African countries followed the colonial model of citizenship based on system of privileges for a tiny minority and marginalization of majority. Together with the citizenship, discussions on identity and ethnicity became a necessary part of public as well as academic debates. Ethnicity is largely viewed as one of the major causes of violent conflicts in contemporary Africa although in reality, it is usually abused as a means of mobilization of masses. As such, citizenship, identity and ethnicity are discussed in theory as well as within a case study focused on Côte d'Ivoire where one of the most illustrative examples of identity and citizenship conflict has occurred in last two decades. As I show in the text, conflicts over identity and citizenship may have their roots back in colonial past when first seeds on inequalities were sown.