HUBERT MAGA

Hubert Maga was born in August 1916 in Parakou, northern Dahomey, to a peasant family. Though he claimed royal lineage from the Kingdom of Bourgou, he grew up in modest surroundings, with a Bariba mother and a Voltaic father. Raised as a Muslim, he later converted to Roman Catholicism in his twenties, an uncommon step for a northerner at the time.

Maga's education took him from local schools in Parakou to Bohicon and Abomey, before he attended the Victor Ballot School in Porto Novo and the Ponty Normal School in Dakar. It was in Dakar that he met Hamani Diori, the future president of Niger, and the two became lifelong friends. After completing his education, Maga became a teacher, starting his career in Natitingou in 1935. He later married a fellow Christian and nurse from Ouidah, a union that bridged the divide between northern and southern Dahomey, which was unusual at the time.

In 1945, Maga’s career began to take a political turn. He was appointed as the director of a school and soon became involved in trade unions, notably leading the Teachers' Union of Dahomey. His political rise was set against the backdrop of regionalism in Dahomey, where ethnic and geographic divisions shaped the political landscape. Maga's influence grew in the north, while Sourou Migan Apithy and Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin dominated the southeast and southwest respectively. Maga's party, the Northern Ethnic Group, which later became the Dahomeyan Democratic Movement, capitalized on these regional divisions.

In 1951, Maga won a seat in the French National Assembly, despite the political challenges posed by regionalism. His political reputation grew, though it was marked by shifts in alliances and moderate success. By 1959, he was selected as a compromise candidate to become Prime Minister, a role that positioned him as a leading figure in Dahomey's move towards independence. His leadership was critical during a period of economic challenges, political unrest, and factional rivalries. After Dahomey gained independence in 1960, Maga became the country’s first president.

Maga’s presidency was characterized by economic difficulties, including rising unemployment and limited foreign investment. He faced significant opposition, particularly from Apithy and Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin, leading to deepening political instability. Despite efforts to unify the country, including a constitutional overhaul and a series of economic initiatives, political divisions persisted. Strikes and protests became common, fueled by dissatisfaction with Maga’s handling of the economy and allegations of corruption. By 1963, his administration faced severe opposition, and following public unrest, the army, led by Christophe Soglo, forced Maga to resign. He was placed under house arrest and later found guilty of corruption.

Though briefly exiled, Maga returned to the political scene in 1970, following a series of coups that destabilized Dahomey. He joined a presidential council with Apithy and Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin, rotating power among the three leaders every two years. Maga’s time in this council saw some economic improvements, but internal conflicts and public discontent eventually led to its downfall. In 1972, Major Mathieu Kérékou seized power in a coup, accusing the leadership of incompetence, and Maga, along with his fellow council members, was imprisoned for nine years.

Maga was released in 1981 and gradually returned to public life. He founded the National Party for Democracy and Development in 1989 and played a role in the National Conference of 1990, which helped transition Benin (formerly Dahomey) to democracy. He retired from active politics, but he remained a respected figure, making occasional public appearances and serving on the Constitutional Court of Dahomey until his death in 2000.

Reference:https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Maga