History of the Benign one

African kingdoms

The three kingdoms of Allada, Oporto Novo and Dã Homè - in the belly of the king Dã - were founded by the Fons, which occupy the south of the country (the name of Dahomey was given to the worldwide after the French conquest). According to the legend, the girl of the king of the town of Tado (on the Mono river) was fertilized by a leopard, whereas it was going to draw water. The son whom it put at the world is the founder of all the dynasty. Its descendants founded a kingdom with Allada at the 16th century. The next century, three brothers disputed the throne; the first, Kopkon kept the kingdom of Allada, the second, C-Aklin founded Abomey and the third, Adjatché which became later Porto-Novo. The kingdom of Abomey was founded in 1625, but it is between 1645 and 1685 that it became a powerful state. The king Houegbadja, small son of C-Aklin, wanted to annex a neighboring state whose king, Dã, defied it to be installed on his belly. Dã was demolishes, decapitated in Abomey and its body was thrown in the foundations of the palate which was then in construction. Dã Homè had been born.

To the 18th century, Allada and Ouidah where existed strong Europeans were annexed. Europeans developed their forts in true base miltaire so d´imposer with the ethnos groups côtiéres a threat miltaire for qu´il their provide slaves. It is the king Guézo who consolidated the kingdom by attacking regularly the Yoruba S with the Nigeria, which got to Esclave S. His successor to him, the king Glélé, however irritated French by his quarrelsome attitude and the active share which it took in the Traite of the blacks. By the treaty of 1863, it authorized French to be settled with Cotonou. But the presence of those blocked the draft of the blacks and the king Béhanzin made them the war. The Treated of Ouidah which placed Porto-Novo and Cotonou under French supervision was signed in October 1890. This same treaty envisaged the payment by the France of a pension to the king of Dahomey. King Béhanzin was not satisfied and not begun again his raids with them. He was however demolishes in 1892 by the colonel Alfred-Amédée Dodds and had to escape. Abomey became a French protectorate then and Béhanzin was off-set in 1894. Allada and Porto-Novo, them also placed under protectorate, formed with Abomey the colony of the Dahomey.

The colony of Dahomey

At the beginning of the 20th century, the three kingdoms cease being autonomous and are confused in a unit divided into circles managed by administrators and cantons managed by African chiefs. During the First World War, disorders bursts in the north of the country after the sending of troops autochtones on the European face. At the end of the war, the colony structure: the means of communication develop, the agricultural production is rationalized and schooling increases. Under the influence of catholic missions and Protestant on the one hand, laic teaching on the other hand, an primary and secondary education is set up. Integrated in the French Western Africa (AOF), Dahoméens enter the public office and are useful in other territories of the federation; the country is then often qualified Latin Quarter of Africa.

the Conference of Brazzaville

February 8th, 1944 finishes with Brazzaville a conference bringing together the eighteen governors and general governors of the French Western Africa, of the French equatorial Africa, the French Côte of Somalis, Madagascar and the Réunion. Under the presidency of Rene Pleven, police chief with the Colonies of the French Committee of the national Release, this meeting has the role of putting forth recommendations on the future colonial legislation. The presence of the general De Gaulle and a meeting holding such whereas the war is far from being finished watch the real interest in the future carried these territories which then seem the incarnation of the permanence of the Republic out of the metropolitan territory. It comes out from Brazzaville the idea of an increased participation of the African population in the political life and the desire to give up the modes of exceptions to which she is then subjected as the code of the indigénat.

reforms and elections of 1945-1947

By three decrees published in August and in September 1945, the fixed provisional government with sixty-three the number of deputies for overseas on a total of five hundred and twenty-two. The double college is generalized, the first gathering the French citizens and the second the subjects of the colonial Empire French. The poll is uninominal with two turns, the Dahomey and the Togo forms only one district which obtains two seats.

As of the first turn of the elections on October 21st, 1945, Sourou Migan Apithy, the candidate of the electoral Committees, largely at the head gains the seat of the second college while arriving in front of seven candidates. The seat with the first college will be also gained by a candidate of the electoral Committees, the reverend-father Francis Aupiais, will be elected at the time of the second turn on November 4th. But this victory of the electoral Committees, presenting an united front vis-a-vis the electoral deadlines coming, was not possible that while avoiding posting a clear political orientation. Thus, Apithy falls under the group of the French Section of the International worker (SFIO) to the Palais Bourbon, whereas Aupiais is registered with the popular Republican movement (MRP). The death of this last, in the night from December 14th to 15th, involves a by-election on February 10th, 1946. Only candidate, the reverend-father Jacques Bertho is elected with the first college and is registered in his turn with MRP. The Constituent one abolishes obligatory work on April 11th (Law Houphouët-Boigny), extends the metropolitan penal code to the colonies on April 30th and grants on May 7th the French citizenship “to all the nationals of the overseas territories without it being undermined the personal status” (Loi Rolls Guèye). But the referendum of May 5th, whose vote was limited to the first college, is rejected.

A new legislative election is organized on June 2nd. Sourou Migan Apithy and Jacques Bertho is, as of the first appointed turn, elected officials. October 13rd, 1946, the Constitution of the Fourth Republic is adopted by referendum, still limited to the first college.

Locally, the political structures are organized and the first oppositions start to be born. At the federal level, the year 1946 is remembered by the congress founder of the African democratic Rassemblement (GDR) with Bamako (French Sudan, current Mali). Sourou Migan Apithy, Emile Derlin Zinsou and Louis-Ignacio Pinto trains the delegation of the Dahomey. Apithy is elected vice-president of the new party and sign the proclamation, whereas Pinto is elected president of the Commission of general policy. But, Zinsou refuses the position of secretary general blaming the affiliation of GDR at the French Communist party (PCF), only invited metropolitan party with Bamako. If the position of Zinsou is supported by the majority of the members of the management Committee of the electoral Committees, the importance taken by Apithy, which is elected with the first legislature of the Fourth Republic on November 10th, limits the means of pressures to its opposition. The more so as the electoral Committees lost the monopoly of political space dahoméen with the departure of some of its members and creation on December 7th of the African Popular Bloc (BPA) carried out by Emile Poisson and Justin Ahomadegbe.

Right before the elections at the General advice, the electoral Committees transform themselves into a political party which takes the name of Union progressist dahoméenne (UPD). Established very well, the UPD obtains the majority of the seats at the General advice of the Dahomey on November 15th, 1946. A series of elections, throughout the year 1947, allows designation by the General advice of the representatives of the Dahomey the Conseil of the Republic, to the Large council of AOF and the Parliament of the French Union. In January, Emile Poisson (BPA) for the first college and Louis-Ignacio Pinto (UPD) for the second college are elected advisers of the Republic. Then in September, it is the election of Sourou Migan Apithy (UPD), of Justin Ahomadegbe (BPA), of Pierre Bartoli (UPD), Hubert Maga (UPD) and of Gaston Nègre (UPD) to the Large council of the AOF. Lastly, in November, two members of the UPD, Emile Derlin Zinsou and Paul Hazoumé, are elected with the Parliament of the French Union.

1948-1952

The political life dahoméenne is rythmée by the sessions of the General advice and the electoral deadlines. But the distance of the most influential elected officials in the federal and national assemblies, that it is with Dakar or Paris, involves her lethargy the remainder of time.

First electoral episode during this period, the election in November 1948 by the General advice of two new advisers of the Republic, Albert Marescaux of the Gathering of French people (RPF) for the first college and Louis-Ignacio Pinto (UPD) for the second college. But Albert Marescaux, civil servant posts some with the Dahomey, is invalidated on January 25th, 1949. A by-election allows the election of Emile Poisson (BPA) on February 27th.

In May 1951, the district of the Dahomey obtains a second seat with the National Assembly. But the introduction of a poll per list causes a double rupture within the UPD. Its direction tries to put at the variation Apithy considered to be unverifiable while placing it second on the list. But he refuses, leaves the UPD and launches an independent list known as " of Française" Union; it is with the head. Then, it is with the tower of the majority of the members of the UPD originating in North to make secession, their request for a place for one as of their having been refused by the management Committee. June 17th, 1951, Hubert Maga (list of the ethnic Grouping of Dahomey North, GEND) and Sourou Migan Apithy (list of French Union) are elected appointed with the second legislature of the Fourth Republic. The first is registered with Independent of Overseas (IOM) whereas the second is registered with the Independent Peasants of social action (IPAS), thus marking its rupture with the IOM of which it was one of the founders.

In September, Apithy founds its own party, the Republican party of Dahomey (PRD), in seen elections with the territorial Parliament brought to replace the General advice. The very broad victory of the PRD and the successful establishment of the GEND at the time of these elections on March 30th, 1952 puts in danger the existence of the UPD. The more so as one month later at the time of the elections for the representatives of the Dahomey to the Large council of AOF, no candidate of the UPD manages to be made elect. This election sees the victory of Justin Ahomadegbe (BPA), Sourou Migan Apithy (PRD), Jacques Bertho (independent), Robert-Henri Chaux (independent) and Hubert Maga (GEND).

1953-1957

Dying man, the UPD receives the death-blow on October 10th, 1953 during the representative nomination of the territory for the Parliament of the French Union. An alliance UPD/BPA was concluded in order to bar the road with the PRD which for the occasion had been combined with the Democratic movement of Dahomey (MDD), a new party created by Hubert Maga to succeed the GEND which was threatened of bursting. The defeat of the pair Zinsou/Ahomadegbe (UPD/BPA) vis-a-vis the tandem Hazoumé/Deroux (PRD/MDD) puts a final point at the UPD and starts the future of the BPA seriously. Emile Derlin Zinsou however manages to be made elect to advise Republic in June 1955 while presenting himself without label to the first college and, while profiting from the voices from independent and the RPF. The candidate of the PRD, Maximilien Quenum, is elected with the second college.

End of the UPD, the national left history, and the difficulties of the BPA, whose electoral base is in the south-west of the Dahomey, seem let appear the double domination of the PRD for the south and the MDD for north. The victory of the leaders of these two parties, Sourou Migan Apithy for the PRD and Hubert Maga for the MDD, to the legislative elections of January 2nd, 1956 tends to show it. The more so as the democratic Union dahoméenne (UDD), the new party intended to succeed the UPD and the BPA, tears six months after its creation on the question of the affiliation to GDR, giving rise to a tendency pro GDR carried out by Justin Ahomadegbe and, a tendency anti GDR carried out by Emile Derlin Zinsou and Alexandre Adandé.

March 31st, 1957, the elections with the territorial Parliament give a broad victory to the PRD which obtains the majority of the seats. The UDD arrives in second position, follow-up of the MDD. But this last profits from the rallying from independent which makes of this party undeniable the second political clout of Dahomey. That is confirmed on May 15th with the elections of the representatives of the territory to the Large council of the AOF and the failure of candidates UDD. Jean Agier, Michel Ahouanmenou and Valentine Aplogan Djibode are elected for the PRD, whereas Mama Arouna and Pedro Boni Salifou is elected on the list Entente North-Dahomey, which gathers the MDD and Jeunesse mobility and progress.

August 17th, the MDD becomes the democratic Gathering dahoméen (RDD). The goal of this change being to create a single political clout for all the north of the country and, to make conceal the divergences which were expressed at the time of the elections to the territorial Parliament and the Large council. The fear of a south more populated and more rich person is cement of a northern space however composed of territories to the stories and the very diverse cultures. The person of Hubert Maga appears rassembleuse the more so as, single case in the history dahoméenne, it is named at a ministerial position on November 18th and becomes the true one during Sourou Migan Apithy which was elected on May 27th vice-president of the Government council of the Dahomey (the governor is president of right) pursuant to the Outline law known as Gaston Defferre.

1958-1960

September 28th, 1958, the Dahomey vote yes with the referendum instituting the the French Community. The Republic of the Dahomey is proclaimed on December 4th and Sourou Migan Apithy becomes president of the Government council. He profits from a very vast majority with the Party progressist dahoméen (PPD), founded in March 1958, and gathering the PRD, the RDD and former members of the UDD which was opposed to the affiliation with GDR. But on January 17th, 1959, the creation of the Federation of Mali in which take part of the members of Parliament of PD, causes its bursting. Maga and Apithy are opposed to the project of the Federation and reconstitute their respective parties, the RDD and the PRD. It is thus in dispersed order that are held the elections with the first National Assembly dahoméenne, April 2nd and 23rd 1959. The interval turns is marked by the resignation of their ministerial positions of Alexandre Adandé, Louis-Ignacio Pinto and Emile Derlin Zinsou who intend to show their attachment with the Federation. But no party obtains the majority with resulting from the elections which give twenty-eight seats to the PRD, twenty-two with the RDD and twenty with the UDD-RDA. A government of national union is thus formed with Sourou Migan Apithy at its head. The RDD however seems the true referee of the political scene dahoméenne between Sourou Migan Apithy and Justin Ahomadegbe whose alliance is impossible because of old personal rancours.

May 21st, 1959, Apithy resigns. With the support of the elected officials of the UDD-RDA, Hubert Maga replaces it. Pressed by the left wing of its party, he proposes even fusion with the UDD. Ahomadegbe refuses and the Ministers for the UDD finally decide to leave the government in December 1959. Without majority, Maga after a fashion manages to be maintained. The election with the presidency of the Republic of the Dahomey involves the formation on March 9th, 1960 of the Party of the nationalists of Dahomey (PND) which gathers PD of Zinsou and the PRD of Apithy. But anxious to bar the road to PD, the UDD-RDA supports the candidature of Hubert Maga which is elected first president of the Dahomey on July 26th, 1960 and which proclaims the independence of the Dahomey on August 1st of this same year in the presence of Louis Jacquinot, which represents France.

Independent Dahomey (1960-1972)

As much of African countries, Dahomey reaches independence in 1960, it, a new constitution is adopted and the cherf government, Hubert Maga, becomes the first president of the young republic. To avoid the harmful effects of the three-party government dahoméen, a sole party (Left dahoméen the Unit) is formed, but social and political disturbances involve the military coup d'etat of the Colonel Soglo (October 28th 1963).
In January 1964, the country returns to civil management. Sourou Migan Apithy then Justin Ahomadegbe provides the president's functions, but a new political crisis leads the soldiers to take again the capacity. The Soglo general then chairs a Committee of national restoration which undertakes to cleanse the economy and finances of the country, but of the strikes burst in 1967. the government is reversed the December 17th by the commander Maurice Kouandete who sets up a revolutionary committee charged to supervise the action of the provisional government, to constitute a constitutional commission and to control the goods of old controlling. The new Constitution, approved the March 31st 1968, establishes a mode of the presidential type. Emile Derlin Zinsou becomes president, but is reversed by a new coup d'etat which replaces it by a military direction the December 10th 1968. The presidential Council composed of the three traditional parties is founded the May 7th 1970; it sets up an organization which must allow the cohabitation of the three chiefs of the traditional parties.

The Popular republic of Benign (1972-1991)

But the October 26th 1972, ordering it Mathieu Kérékou seizes the power and establishes a revolutionary military government. The country becomes the Popular republic of the Bénin, adheres to the Marxisme-léninisme and the Party of the popular revolution of Benign (PRPB) is created. At the instigation of Mathieu Kérékou become colonel, a new constitution is adopted the September 9th 1977 and will remain in force until in 1990. The State directs all the sectors of the economy, leads the land reform and develops industrialization. Former president Emile Zinsou will characterize the Benign one after these seventeen years of " country without industry but controlled in the name of the class ouvrière" , of " Romania without exports, of Bohemia without factories, Poland without coal, Prussia without discipline".

The Republic of Benign (since 1991)

In February 1990, a National conference repeals the Constitution and sets up new institutions for one transitional period: creation of a post of Prime Minister, abandonment of the “popular” reference in the denomination of the country which becomes the Republic of Benign, limitation of the age of the candidate-presidents at 70 years in order to prevent the candidature of former presidents Zinsou, Maga and Ahomadegbe.
Following the presidential election of March 1991, Nicéphore Soglo replaced Mathieu Kérékou with the presidency of République.
This last is elected in its turn in March 1996 then re-elected in March 2001.
In March 2006, Thomas Yayi Boni, former director of the BOAD was elected president of Benign and currently directs the country.

Glossary

Fons : ethnicity of the south of the Benign one.
Ouidah : great center commercial of the slaves at the 18th century
Glélé or Glé-Glé says also Badou or Badohoun (???? - 1889), king d' Abomey starting from 1858.

Governors of the Colony of Dahomey

(1894 - 1900) - Victor Bundle
(1900 - 1906) - Victor Liotard
(1906 - 1908) - Charles Marchal
(1908 - 1909) - Jean Jules Emile Peuvergne
(1909 - 1911) - Henri Malan
(1911 - 1912) - Emile Merwart
(1912 - 1917) - Charles Henri Adrien Moufflard
(1917 - 1928) - Gaston Leon Joseph FourN
(1928) - Lucien Eugene Geay
(1928- 1930) - François Joseph Remains
(1931 - 1932) - Theophilus Antoine Pascal Tellier
(1932 - 1933) - Louis Aujas
(1933) - Louis Placide Blacher
(1933 - 1934) - Marcel de Coppet
(1934) - Mallet
(1934) - Marchessou
(1934 - 1935) - Jean Desanti
(1935 - 1937) - Maurice Bourgine
(1937) - Henri Etienne Martine (? T)
(1937) - Bonvin
(1937 - 1939) - Ernest Gayon
(1938 - 1941) - Armand Annet
(1941 - 1944) - Leon Truitard
(1944 - 1945) - Maurice Assier De Pompignan
(1945 - 1946) - De Villedeuil
(1946 - 1948) - Robert Legendre
(1948) - Jean Chambon
(1948 - 1951) - Jacques Boissier
(1949 -1951) - Claude Valluy
(1951- 1955) - Charles-Henri Bonfils
(1955 - 1958) - Marc Casimir Biros
(1958 - 1960) - Rene Drawing

Heads of State of the Republic of Dahomey (1960-1972), then of the Popular republic of Benign (1972-1991), then of the Republic of Benign (since 1991)

August 1st, 1960
Independence

August 1960 - October 28th, 1963
Hubert MAGA (1916-2000)

Popular Strikes and risings. Coup d'etat of colonel Christophe Soglo, military adviser of president Maga.

October 1963 - January 1964
Colonel (then general) Christophe SOGLO (1912-1984)

Soglo returns the capacity to the civilians. Elections are organized in January 1964.

January 1964 - November 27th, 1965
Sourou Migan APITHY (1913-1989)

on November 27th, the Dahoméen Democratic party (PDD) dislocates Apithy of its functions and names Ahomadegbe with the report heading. on November 29th, Christophe Soglo puts an end to institutional blocking by obliging Apithy and Ahomadegbe to be resigned. The president of the National Assembly, Tahirou Congacou, takes the head of the provisional government.

November 29th - December 22nd, 1965
Tahirou CONGAKOU

Coup d'etat carried out by Christophe Soglo, chief of the armies.

December 1965 - December 1967
Général Christophe SOGLO

Coup d'etat by colonel Maurice Kouandété who yields the capacity to the chief of the armies Alphonse Alley.

December 1967 - June 1968
Lieutenant-colonel Alphonse ALLEY (born in 1930)

Following several governmental crises and with division between the soldiers, Emile Derlin Zinsou is selected to take the report heading.

June 1968 - December 10th, 1969
Emile Derlin ZINSOU (born in 1918)

Coup d'etat directed by Maurice Kouandété, Sinzogan and Paul Emile de Souza. A military council indicates of Souza as Head of State.

December 1969 - May 1970
Lieutenant-colonel Paul Emile of SOUZA

Returns the capacity to the civilians. Maga is indicated as chief of a troika to which belongbelong Apithy and Ahomadegbe. A rotation is envisaged every two years.

May 1970 - May 1972
Hubert MAGA (1916-2000)

revolving Triangle.

May 1972 - October 26th, 1972
Justin Tometin AHOMADEGBE (1917-2002)

Coup d'etat of Mathieu Kérékou.

October 1972 - March 1991
Mathieu KÉRÉKOU (born in 1933)

Beaten with the elections of March 1991.

March 1991 - March 1996
Nicéphore SOGLO (born in 1934)

Beaten with the elections of March 1996.

March 1996 - March 2006
Mathieu KÉRÉKOU (born in 1933)

it is not represented with the elections of March 2006.

since March 2006
Thomas Yayi Boni

External bonds

Site of the ministry for the Culture of the Craft industry and Tourism of Benign the

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