Maurice Kouandété
Encyclopedia
Iropa Maurice Kouandété was a military officer and politician in Benin
(known as Dahomey until 1975). He was born to Somba
parents in the Gaba District of Dahomey. Kouandété enrolled in the army in his late teens. Over the years, he became popular among junior soldiers in the north and gained the contempt of those in the south. Jim Hoagland of The Washington Post
described Kouandété as a "moody, brilliant and highly ambitious soldier".
On December 17, 1967, Kouandété led a military coup and toppled President Christophe Soglo
. Kouandété seized the presidency, although he was unsure how to wield it. He handed power to Alphonse Alley two days later, and forced him to retire in 1968 in favor of Kouandété's choice, Emile Derlin Zinsou
. Kouandété was appointed chief of staff of Dahomey's 1,500-man army and launched another coup against Zinsou, on December 10, 1969, to defend it. The military did not recognise Kouandété as legitimate, and the elections that followed paved the way toward a Presidential Council form of government. Kouandété attempted to usurp to power again at dawn on March 23, 1972, but the convoluted plot was foiled and Kouandété was sentenced to death. Kouandete was immediately pardoned when Major Mathieu Kérékou
, his cousin, seized power on October 26. After his pardon, Kouandété retired from military life and died in 2003.
parents. He was a cousin of Mathieu Kérékou
, who also become president of Benin. In his late teens, Kouandété enrolled in the army, and went to Ecole Militaire and Saint Cyr in France. He began to rebel against superior officers such as Colonels Christophe Soglo
and Alphonse Alley as well as, by extension, the entire Fon
hierarchy, who dominated the Dahomeyan military. He grew in popularity among junior northern soldiers while those in the south increased their contempt of him. Jim Hoagland of The Washington Post
described Kouandété as a "moody, brilliant and highly ambitious soldier".
Kouandété's rose to power during a period of intense regionalism in Dahomey. They were spurred by the historical resentment shared by members of the former kingdoms of Abomey
, Porto Novo, and disorganised tribes from the north. Its result led to the creation of three de facto tribal zones: the north, southeast, and southwest. This regionalism permeated into the armed forces, compounded by divisions of officers into cliques based on education.
Despite Kouandété's disdain for him, Soglo appointed the former to his palace guard in 1965. He was removed the next year after the president asserted Kouandété falsified reports in opposition to Soglo. Kouandété was appointed Alley's chef de cabinet in 1967 and his frequent opposition toward Alley during staff meetings helped to create factions in the Dahomeyan Army. In April, Kouandété became the vice president of the Comite Militare du Vigilance, which was established to manage the Soglo administration. Beside his usual contempt, Kouandété became increasingly concerned about the president's "unmilitary" ways.
Their roles were only temporary, as power was to be ceded back to civilians in six months time. By that time, Alley became little more than Kouandété's mouthpiece. On July 17, 1968, Kouandété forced Alley to resign and handed power to Dr. Emile Derlin Zinsou
. This transition of power was enacted mostly to improve relations with the French, as Zinsou was popular among them. Zinsou was not expected to be chosen president, as he believed that Kouandété's coup was an illegal matter. He also condemned Gnassingbé Eyadéma
of Togo, whom Kouandété regarded highly. In September, Alley was forced to resign his position as chief of staff and was released from the military. Kouandété was chosen as the next chief of staff.
The military, however, did not recognize Kouandété. Because the two men could stop quarreling, a Military Directorate was established with Paul Emile de Souza as its chairman, Kouandete a member, and Col. Benoit Sinzogan
of the Gendarmie the occupant of the third seat. An election was held on March 28, 1970 to determine the true president. This time, veteran politicians Hubert Maga
, Sourou-Migan Apithy
, and Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
were allowed to campaign in this election, and they took advantage of the opportunity. Violent outbursts accompanied these campaigns; unvalidated reports state that six people were killed were wounded at incidents in Parakou on the eve of the elections. The elections were later annulled, and a presidential council, which consisted of Maga, Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin, and Apithy, was set up on May 7 with a presidency that changed every two years. Maga inaugurated this system for the first two years. Kouandété had his Chief of Staff status revoked and was forced to be an aide of Alley, who was recently let out of jail. The former was also appointed Deputy Secretary of National Defense.
Kouandété attempted to usurp to power again at dawn on February 23. When he first heard of the mutiny, Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin believed it to be an attempt by Maga to retain power. Leading the Ouidah garrison, Kouandété also attempted to take over government buildings and murder de Souza. During the operation, assailant Major Moumouni was mortally wounded by de Souza's bullets. The plot was foiled, although Maga cancelled a visit to France to attend to the matter at hand. A 12-member military commission soon discovered another plot that would have been undertaken simultaneous to Kouandété's. According to its findings, Captains Glélé and Pierre Boni were going to follow Kouandété until de Souza was assassinated, and would then kill their leader and insert Zinsou back into power.
The organization of a military trial was slow, and it did not begin until May 12. The court tried 21 men in addition to Kouandété,The true number of accused men was not known until the trial convened. mostly military officers but also several commoners and Maga bodyguards. The punishments were announced on May 16. Kouandété received the death penalty, as did Captains Josué and Glélé, Quartermaster Sergeant Agboton, and a corporal and a sergeant in absentia
. Lesser sentences were handed to five men who were given life imprisonment, two who would serve 20 years in prison, another with 15 years, two with ten, and two with five. An additional four were acquitted. The sentences were never carried out; the jurors believed that Kouandété would seize power in another coup. He was immediately pardoned when Major Mathieu Kérékou
seized power on October 26, 1972.
. He was 70 years old and had been suffering an undisclosed illness. The Beninese government decreed three national days of mourning from April 10 to April 13. During this period, flags remained at half-staff until his national funeral was held on the last day of mourning. According to a government press release, the mourning was held "in recognition of exceptional services" that Kouandété provided Benin.
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
(known as Dahomey until 1975). He was born to Somba
Somba
Somba may refer to:*Somba people - an ethnic group of northern Benin, Africa.*Southern Oregon Mountain Bike Association -*South of Market Business Association*SOMBA, a brazilian Jamband from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.*Soma Bay, Egypt...
parents in the Gaba District of Dahomey. Kouandété enrolled in the army in his late teens. Over the years, he became popular among junior soldiers in the north and gained the contempt of those in the south. Jim Hoagland of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
described Kouandété as a "moody, brilliant and highly ambitious soldier".
On December 17, 1967, Kouandété led a military coup and toppled President Christophe Soglo
Christophe Soglo
Christophe Soglo was a Beninese military officer and political leader and one of the most important figures in Benin's period of political instability and frequent, though usually bloodless, coups during the 1960s.-Biography:...
. Kouandété seized the presidency, although he was unsure how to wield it. He handed power to Alphonse Alley two days later, and forced him to retire in 1968 in favor of Kouandété's choice, Emile Derlin Zinsou
Emile Derlin Zinsou
Emile Derlin Zinsou is a Beninese political figure who was the President of Dahomey from 17 July 1968 until 10 December 1969, supported by the military regime that took power in 1967. Zinsou also served in the French senate from 1955 to 1958. He was previously Minister of Foreign Affairs from...
. Kouandété was appointed chief of staff of Dahomey's 1,500-man army and launched another coup against Zinsou, on December 10, 1969, to defend it. The military did not recognise Kouandété as legitimate, and the elections that followed paved the way toward a Presidential Council form of government. Kouandété attempted to usurp to power again at dawn on March 23, 1972, but the convoluted plot was foiled and Kouandété was sentenced to death. Kouandete was immediately pardoned when Major Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of...
, his cousin, seized power on October 26. After his pardon, Kouandété retired from military life and died in 2003.
Early life and military career
Kouandété was born in the Gaba District of northern Dahomey to SombaSomba (ethnic group)
The Somba are a major ethnic group inhabiting primarily north-eastern Benin. The name is a generic term for the Betammaribe and related peoples, who make up about one-twelfth of Benin’s population. They are especially found in towns such as Nikki and Kandi that were once Bariba kingdoms and in...
parents. He was a cousin of Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of...
, who also become president of Benin. In his late teens, Kouandété enrolled in the army, and went to Ecole Militaire and Saint Cyr in France. He began to rebel against superior officers such as Colonels Christophe Soglo
Christophe Soglo
Christophe Soglo was a Beninese military officer and political leader and one of the most important figures in Benin's period of political instability and frequent, though usually bloodless, coups during the 1960s.-Biography:...
and Alphonse Alley as well as, by extension, the entire Fon
Fon people
The Fon people, or Fon nu, are a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 3,500,000 people. The Fon language is the main language spoken in Southern Benin, and is a member of the Gbe language group...
hierarchy, who dominated the Dahomeyan military. He grew in popularity among junior northern soldiers while those in the south increased their contempt of him. Jim Hoagland of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
described Kouandété as a "moody, brilliant and highly ambitious soldier".
Kouandété's rose to power during a period of intense regionalism in Dahomey. They were spurred by the historical resentment shared by members of the former kingdoms of Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
, Porto Novo, and disorganised tribes from the north. Its result led to the creation of three de facto tribal zones: the north, southeast, and southwest. This regionalism permeated into the armed forces, compounded by divisions of officers into cliques based on education.
Despite Kouandété's disdain for him, Soglo appointed the former to his palace guard in 1965. He was removed the next year after the president asserted Kouandété falsified reports in opposition to Soglo. Kouandété was appointed Alley's chef de cabinet in 1967 and his frequent opposition toward Alley during staff meetings helped to create factions in the Dahomeyan Army. In April, Kouandété became the vice president of the Comite Militare du Vigilance, which was established to manage the Soglo administration. Beside his usual contempt, Kouandété became increasingly concerned about the president's "unmilitary" ways.
1967 coup d'état
On December 17, 1967, Kouandété, Kerekou, and 60 other soldiers led a military coup and toppled Soglo. Kouandété seized power although he was unsure of how to wield it. Even though he was not popular among the general public, members of Kouandété's faction urged the him to remain at his post. Meanwhile, France refused to provide aid to Dahomey and did not recognise Kouandété as legitimate. Two days later, in an attempt to fix the crisis in Dahomey, Kouandété appointed the well-liked Alley provisional president, whom Kouandété previously put under house arrest. Kouandété served as prime minister thereafter.Their roles were only temporary, as power was to be ceded back to civilians in six months time. By that time, Alley became little more than Kouandété's mouthpiece. On July 17, 1968, Kouandété forced Alley to resign and handed power to Dr. Emile Derlin Zinsou
Emile Derlin Zinsou
Emile Derlin Zinsou is a Beninese political figure who was the President of Dahomey from 17 July 1968 until 10 December 1969, supported by the military regime that took power in 1967. Zinsou also served in the French senate from 1955 to 1958. He was previously Minister of Foreign Affairs from...
. This transition of power was enacted mostly to improve relations with the French, as Zinsou was popular among them. Zinsou was not expected to be chosen president, as he believed that Kouandété's coup was an illegal matter. He also condemned Gnassingbé Eyadéma
Gnassingbé Eyadéma
General Gnassingbé Eyadéma , was the President of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005. He participated in two successful military coups, in January 1963 and January 1967, and became President on April 14, 1967...
of Togo, whom Kouandété regarded highly. In September, Alley was forced to resign his position as chief of staff and was released from the military. Kouandété was chosen as the next chief of staff.
1969 coup d'état
In 1969, Kouandété discovered that Zinsou planned to replace him and cut the size of the armed forces. On December 10, 1969, Zinsou was overthrown by Kouandété. Zinsou was met with soldiers firing automatic guns when he arrived at his presidential palace. The former president escaped with an injury, though two of his bodyguards were murdered. Kouandété justified the coup by saying that Zinsou failed to reconcile the country.The military, however, did not recognize Kouandété. Because the two men could stop quarreling, a Military Directorate was established with Paul Emile de Souza as its chairman, Kouandete a member, and Col. Benoit Sinzogan
Benoît Sinzogan
Benoît Sinzogan is a Beninese military officer and politician, best known for leading his country's gendarmerie in the late 1960s. He was a member of the Fon ethnic group, which dominated the Beninese army from 1965 to 1967...
of the Gendarmie the occupant of the third seat. An election was held on March 28, 1970 to determine the true president. This time, veteran politicians Hubert Maga
Hubert Maga
Coutoucou Hubert Maga was a politician from Dahomey .Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. See . He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived...
, Sourou-Migan Apithy
Sourou-Migan Apithy
Sourou-Migan Marcellin Joseph Apithy was a Beninese political figure most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived....
, and Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin
Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin was a Beninese politician most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived...
were allowed to campaign in this election, and they took advantage of the opportunity. Violent outbursts accompanied these campaigns; unvalidated reports state that six people were killed were wounded at incidents in Parakou on the eve of the elections. The elections were later annulled, and a presidential council, which consisted of Maga, Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin, and Apithy, was set up on May 7 with a presidency that changed every two years. Maga inaugurated this system for the first two years. Kouandété had his Chief of Staff status revoked and was forced to be an aide of Alley, who was recently let out of jail. The former was also appointed Deputy Secretary of National Defense.
1972 coup attempt
The organization of a military trial was slow, and it did not begin until May 12. The court tried 21 men in addition to Kouandété,The true number of accused men was not known until the trial convened. mostly military officers but also several commoners and Maga bodyguards. The punishments were announced on May 16. Kouandété received the death penalty, as did Captains Josué and Glélé, Quartermaster Sergeant Agboton, and a corporal and a sergeant in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
. Lesser sentences were handed to five men who were given life imprisonment, two who would serve 20 years in prison, another with 15 years, two with ten, and two with five. An additional four were acquitted. The sentences were never carried out; the jurors believed that Kouandété would seize power in another coup. He was immediately pardoned when Major Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou
Mathieu Kérékou, was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006. After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years, for most of that time under an officially Marxist-Leninist ideology, before he was stripped of his powers by the National Conference of...
seized power on October 26, 1972.
Later life and death
After his pardon Kouandété retired from military life. The former president died on April 7, 2003 in NatitingouNatitingou
Natitingou is a city and commune in north western Benin. It is about 50 km from Benin's Pendjari National Park, where tourists can see West African wildlife during the months of December through June...
. He was 70 years old and had been suffering an undisclosed illness. The Beninese government decreed three national days of mourning from April 10 to April 13. During this period, flags remained at half-staff until his national funeral was held on the last day of mourning. According to a government press release, the mourning was held "in recognition of exceptional services" that Kouandété provided Benin.