32 Facts About Sourou-Migan Apithy

Sourou-Migan Marcellin Joseph Apithy was a Beninese political figure most active when his country was known as Dahomey.

Sourou-Migan Apithy arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey one lived in.

Sourou-Migan Apithy later worked at a French company in Western Africa as an expert accountant.

Sourou-Migan Apithy served as the 2nd President of Dahomey between 25 January 1964 and 27 November 1965, when he was overthrown by Christophe Soglo after infighting among the members of the government.

Sourou-Migan Apithy was sometimes referred to as being part of the 'three-headed monster' of the 1960s in Benin.

Sourou-Migan Apithy died in exile in his Paris house, in December 1989, shortly before the transition to democracy in his country.

Sourou-Migan Apithy began his education at local mission schools and gained a bias for Roman Catholicism, for which he would later be insulted.

Sourou-Migan Apithy served as counsel in Paris and Dakar appeal courts.

Shortly after his return Francis Aupiais, a well-liked Roman Catholic pastor, encouraged Sourou-Migan Apithy to pursue a career in politics.

Sourou-Migan Apithy's nomination as a candidate for the Assembly was a strategic move on the part of the Europeans; they wished to elect a black person to appease their colonists, while they still held full power.

Nonetheless, Sourou-Migan Apithy did pass some legislation at the Assembly, including the February 1946 formation of a secondary school in Porto Novo.

Sourou-Migan Apithy was said to have ended slavery in Dahomey, although in fact he was not involved with the abolition bill.

Sourou-Migan Apithy was named a member of the Commission on Overseas Territories and debated on the political situation of the overseas departments and territories of France.

Thereafter Sourou-Migan Apithy was named to several political posts, all while a member of Dahomey's only political party, the Dahomeyan Progressive Union.

Sourou-Migan Apithy was the choice for vice president of the Rassemblement Democratique Africain, though left the organization shortly afterwards when facing Catholic opposition.

Sourou-Migan Apithy suggested the creation of a bank covering the AOF and Togo, and due to his efforts this bill was passed into law.

Sourou-Migan Apithy was reelected a deputy with 53,463 votes out of 147,350 cast.

Only 2.2 percent of Sourou-Migan Apithy's votes came from the northern region, while 64 percent came from the Porto Novo metropolitan area.

Sourou-Migan Apithy, meanwhile, was busy passing a bill regarding fiscal advantages in metropolitan enterprises in overseas territories.

Sourou-Migan Apithy was a political opportunist, frequently switching allegiances if it fit his needs.

Sourou-Migan Apithy chose Djibode Aplogan, Maga chose Gaustin Gbaguidi, and Ahomadegbe-Tometin was paired with Alexandre Adande.

Sourou-Migan Apithy proposed a resolution to create a regimen for a customs union between Dahomey and Togo, and several reports under the Commission on Overseas Territories.

Sourou-Migan Apithy served a variety of functions not related to the Assembly, such as being elected mayor of Porto-Novo in 1956.

Shortly after becoming president of the General Council of the AOF in 1957, Sourou-Migan Apithy was voted into the presidency of the Territorial Assembly of Dahomey.

Sourou-Migan Apithy led a parliamentary group for relations between France and Liberia.

Sourou-Migan Apithy was Minister of Finance in 1960, and from October 1963 to January 1964.

Sourou-Migan Apithy refused to leave his campaign headquarters at Parakou even to attend political meetings.

Sourou-Migan Apithy stated that he would convince his region to join Nigeria if Maga took the presidency and took steps to bribe his way into that office.

Maga's colleagues in the cabinet were Pascal Chabi Kao, minister of finance; Albert Ouassa, minister of health; and Chabi Mama, minister of rural development; while Sourou-Migan Apithy friends were Ambroise Agboton, minister of labor; Joseph Keke, minister of economy and planning; and Michel Toko, minister of justice and guardian of the seals.

Sourou-Migan Apithy helped create a tax plan that would finance their salaries by cutting expenditures and cracking down on tax evasion.

Maga convinced Sourou-Migan Apithy to help and the bill was vetoed.

Maga, Ahomadegbe-Tometin, and Sourou-Migan Apithy spent more than nine years in prison before being freed by Kerekou in 1981.