Michel Ahouanmènou (23 December 1916 – 1979)https://rulers.org/indexa2.html was a

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...

ese politician and diplomat, most active when his country was known as Dahomey. Ahouanmènou was born on December 23, 1916, in

Porto Novo Porto-Novo (Portuguese: "New Port", , ; yo, Àjàṣẹ́, ), also known as Hogbonu and Ajashe, is the capital of Benin. The commune covers an area of and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people. Situated on an inlet of the Gulf of Gu ...

into an influential family. He was a civil service officer for several years and became a strong supporter of

Sourou-Migan Apithy Sourou-Migan Marcellin Joseph Apithy (April 8, 1913 – December 3, 1989) 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 o ...

. Ahouanmènou was elected to Dahomey's General Council in 1946, representing Porto Novo. He served as a deputy in the Afrique Occidentale Francaise from 1957 until 1959. Despite rising opposition to Apithy within the

Republican Party of Dahomey The Republican Party of Dahomey (french: Parti Républicain Dahoméen, PRD) was a political party in French Dahomey led by Sourou-Migan Apithy. History The party was established by Apithy in 1951.Mathurin C Houngnikpo & Samuel Decalo (2012) ''Hi ...

in 1959, Ahouanmènou stayed loyal to Apithy. Between 1959 and 1961, Ahouanmènou was a senator in the Communauté française. In 1960, when Dahomey achieved independence, President

Hubert Maga Coutoucou Hubert Maga (August 10, 1916 – May 8, 2000) was a politician from Dahomey (now known as Benin).Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. Se''New York Times'' obituary He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what regi ...

appointed Ahouanmènou the minister of youth and sports. Later that year, Maga appointed Ahouanmènou the minister of education, a post he held until 1963. Ahouanmènou became the director of President Apithy's cabinet from 1964 to 1965 and was again minister of education under General

Christophe Soglo Christophe Soglo (28 June 1909 – 7 October 1983) was a Beninese military officer and political leader. Early life Christophe Soglo was born on 28 June 1909 in Abomey, French Dahomey to a chiefly Fon family. Military career In 1931 Soglo vol ...

from 1966 until 1967. He served as ambassador to France from 1967 to 1971 and Great Britain from 1969 to 1971. He held the post of foreign minister under the Presidential Council government from 1971 to 1972 but was dismissed when

Mathieu Kérékou Mathieu Kérékou (; 2 September 1933 – 14 October 2015) was a Beninese politician who served as 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 19 years, for ...

took power by force. After the 1972 coup d'état, Ahouanmènou was accused of embezzlement and jailed briefly, though he was later absolved of all charges. Ahouanmènou died in 1979.

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References

* * 1916 births 1979 deaths Foreign ministers of Benin Beninese politicians 20th-century Beninese politicians Beninese diplomats People from Porto-Novo {{Benin-politician-stub