Wateni

Wateni (or Waténi) is a rural commune in the Cercle of Sikasso in the Sikasso Region of southern Mali. The commune covers an area of 211 square kilometers and includes ten villages. In the 2009 census it had a population of 6,701. The village of N'Tjila, the administrative center (chef-lieu) of the commune, is 94 km west-northwest of Sikasso.

History

The name Wateni was given to the commune by a meeting of the eleven village chiefs in memory of the founder of the historical kingdom of Ganadougou: Wateni Diallo (pronounced waat-e-nay djia-low)

The rural commune Wateni was created on November 4, 1996 by law No 96-059, for the creation of communes in Mali.

Geography

The Rural Commune Wateni is located North-West of Niena.

The commune is bordered in the north by the commune of Benkadi and in the south and south-east by the rural commune of Niena, and in the north-east by the commune of Blendio, and in the west by the cercle of Bougouni.

The commune is composed of ten villages: N'tjilla (commune capital), Bougoulaba, Tiala, M'pankourou, Fougani, Diegui, Miambougou, Mononomo, Sibirila, and Chokoro.