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biography
| name: |
Kérékou, Mathieu Ahmed
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pronunciation:
[kayraykoo]
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1933– )
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| biography:
| Benin soldier, politician, and president (1980–91, 1996– ), born in Natitingou, W Benin. Trained in France, he served in the French army before joining the army of what was Dahomey, where he took part in a coup which removed the civilian government in 1967. He became army deputy chief (1968), and led the coup which removed the government of Justin Ahomadegbe (1972), established a National Council of the Revolution (CNR), and changed the country's name to Benin. Gradually social and economic stability returned, the CNR was dissolved, and a civilian administration installed. He was elected president in 1980 and re-elected in 1984. In 1987 he resigned from the army as a gesture of his commitment to genuine democracy. He was soundly defeated when the first free elections for 30 years were held in 1991, but re-elected in 1996. |
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