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Mathieu Kérékou

Mathieu Kérékou was a Beninese politician who served as president from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled under a Marxist–Leninist ideology for 18 years until being ousted in 1990. He returned to power in the 1996 election and was re-elected in 2001.

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MATHIEU KEREKOU

Mathieu Kérékou, born in 1933 in Kouarfa village in northwest French Dahomey, was a military officer and influential leader in Benin’s political landscape. After studying at military academies in present-day Mali and Senegal, he joined the French army in 1960. Kérékou returned to Dahomey following independence and served as an aide to President Hubert Maga. In 1967, after his cousin Maurice Kouandété’s coup, Kérékou became chairman of the Military Revolutionary Council, eventually rising to major and commander of a paratroop unit.

In October 1972, Kérékou seized power in a coup, ending the rotational presidential council that had governed Dahomey. Initially, he promoted a unique national ideology, but in 1974, he shifted to Marxism-Leninism, transforming Dahomey into the People’s Republic of Benin and establishing a single-party system. His regime pursued socialist reforms, nationalizing key industries and launching agricultural cooperatives. However, economic struggles persisted, and Kérékou’s rule faced isolation due to tensions with regional leaders and France.

Despite these challenges, Kérékou maintained power, even surviving a failed coup attempt in 1977. In the 1980s, as the economy deteriorated, he moderated his socialist policies, eventually adopting austerity measures under an IMF program. By 1989, mounting unrest led him to abandon Marxism-Leninism and permit political reforms. In a 1990 national conference, Kérékou admitted past mistakes, which helped him gain symbolic forgiveness and avoid prosecution.

Kérékou lost Benin’s first multi-party elections in 1991 to Nicéphore Soglo but made a political comeback in 1996, winning the presidency in a runoff. During this term, he shifted towards a liberal economic approach and contributed to regional peacekeeping efforts. Kérékou secured re-election in 2001 amid allegations of fraud but remained popular among northern voters.

Due to constitutional limits, Kérékou stepped down in 2006, signaling a commitment to democratic principles. He retired from politics, spending his later years in Cotonou and Natitingou. Known as “the chameleon” for his adaptability, Kérékou’s legacy reflects both his authoritarian beginnings and his role in Benin’s peaceful democratic transition. He passed away on October 14, 2015, leaving a complex imprint on Benin’s history.

Reference:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathieu_K%C3%A9r%C3%A9kou

GOVERNING TIME LINE

Mathieu Kérékou served as the President of Benin in two non-consecutive terms. His first tenure began on October 26, 1972, after a military coup that overthrew then-President Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin. Kérékou established a Marxist-Leninist government, renaming the country the People's Republic of Benin in 1975. He remained in power until 1991, when he stepped down following Benin's transition to a multi-party democracy. After winning democratic elections, he returned to the presidency on April 4, 1996, and served until April 6, 2006, when he left office due to constitutional age limits preventing him from running for another term.

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