Maurice Yaméogo
Encyclopedia
Maurice Yaméogo was the first President of the Republic of Upper Volta
, now called Burkina Faso
. He proclaimed the independence of the country on August 5, 1960 and also tried (but failed) to create a union between Cote d'Ivoire
and Upper-Volta. On January 3, 1966, he left the Presidency because of a nation-wide syndicalist strike.
. “Nawalagmba”, in Mossi, the most spoken language in Burkina Faso
means: “The one coming to unite, to gather the others”. Nawalagmba had a twin sister called Wamanegdo. It is only after his baptism, on July 28, 1929 that he was given the name “Maurice”.
(President of Ivory Coast) and Hamani Diori
(President of Niger
) were the witnesses at his marriage. Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny
took care of the bride. However, this union would not last long and Maurice would get married a third time with Jeannette. Maurice Yaméogo had many children.
and Koudougou. Maurice Yaméogo was later appointed head of the CFTC syndicate (French Confederation of Christian Workers) of his corporation, and vice-president of CFTC Upper-Volta.
. On February 6, 1958, after a Government change, Maurice Yaméogo was appointed Minister of Interior. This was a sign of recognition of Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly because Maurice helped him during difficult political periods and was now part his political party, the UDV (Voltaic Democratic Union), affiliated to RDA. Actually, Maurice Yaméogo was now the second in the government because at this time, the Minister of Interior was the one designed to replace the President of the council of Government if this one was away. The “National Fate” of Maurice Yaméogo was being clearer from this time.
of the country. Maurice Yaméogo obtained this Independence by simple transfer of powers, without negotiation or any referendum.
Maurice Yaméogo was a close friend of Félix Houphouët-Boigny
(President) who inspired him all his life long. Yaméogo favored a “Federation of Mali” that would gather Senegal
, French Soudan (called Mali
today), Dahomey (Benin
), and Upper-Volta (Burkina Faso). However, he would finally adopt anti-federalist ideas developed by France
and Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Yaméogo would follow Houphouët-Boigny in his ambition to create the “Conseil de l'Entente
” (Agreement Council), an organization to promote peace and solidarity between west African countries. Maurice Yaméogo and Houphouët-Boigny also worked on a project of double nationality between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. However, when Yaméogo left the presidency on January 3, 1966, Houphouët-Boigny abandoned this project of double nationality.
a military coup caused Yaméogo to be abdicated, the Constitution to be suspended, the National Assembly to be dissolved, and Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana
to be placed at the head of a government essentially run by senior army officers. The army remained in power for four years, and on June 14, 1970, the Voltans ratified a new Constitution
that established a 4-year transition period toward complete civilian rule. Lamizana remained in power throughout the 1970s as president of military or mixed civil-military governments. After a conflict arising over the 1970 Constitution, a new constitution was written and approved in 1977, and Lamizana was reelected through open elections in 1978.
tried to free him, but failed and was put in jail too. On May 8, 1969, Maurice Yaméogo was condemned to five years of forced work and to a lifetime banishment. However, he was freed on August 5, 1970. Maurice Yaméogo also experienced political internment with other politicians during the revolution of 1983.
rehabilitated Maurice Yaméogo, giving him back his Burkinabé citizenship rights. He would often play the role of “go-between” between the two countries. On September 9, 1993, Maurice Yaméogo died in Ouagadougou. During his funerals that took place in Koudougou on September 17, 1993, Blaise Compaore and his wife Chantal Compaoré
were there, with other personalities. Among them were Alassane Ouattara
(Prime Minister of Ivory Coast) and Laurent Dona Fologo (Secretary general of PDCI-RDA).
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960 it attained full independence from France.Thomas Sankara came to power...
, now called Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
. He proclaimed the independence of the country on August 5, 1960 and also tried (but failed) to create a union between Cote d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
and Upper-Volta. On January 3, 1966, he left the Presidency because of a nation-wide syndicalist strike.
Birth
Maurice Nawalagmba Yaméogo was born on December 31, 1921 in an animist family of farmers at KoudougouKoudougou
Koudougou is a town in the province of Boulkiemdé, west of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. It is mainly inhabited by Mossi, and has 131,825 inhabitants, as of 2006...
. “Nawalagmba”, in Mossi, the most spoken language in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
means: “The one coming to unite, to gather the others”. Nawalagmba had a twin sister called Wamanegdo. It is only after his baptism, on July 28, 1929 that he was given the name “Maurice”.
High school
After the primary school of his native village, Maurice Yaméogo went to the Small Seminar of Pabre. Pabre is the institution in which most of Upper-Volta priests were trained. However, during his training, the young Maurice lost his sacerdotal vocation and left Pabre.Marriages
Maurice Yaméogo wanted to be a priest but he finally left the Small Seminar of Pabre. Maurice fell in love with Felecite Zagre who later became his wife. But, on October 17, 1965, he would get married with Suzanne de Monaco, a young Ivorian woman. Félix Houphouët-BoignyFélix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny , affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux, was the first President of Côte d'Ivoire. Originally a village chief, he worked as a doctor, an administrator of a plantation, and a union leader, before being elected to the French Parliament and serving in a number of...
(President of Ivory Coast) and Hamani Diori
Hamani Diori
Hamani Diori was the first President of the Republic of Niger. He was appointed to that office in 1960, when Niger gained independence.- Youth :...
(President of Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
) were the witnesses at his marriage. Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny
Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny
Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny was the First Lady of the Ivory Coast from 1960 to 1993. Her husband was Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the first President of Côte d'Ivoire....
took care of the bride. However, this union would not last long and Maurice would get married a third time with Jeannette. Maurice Yaméogo had many children.
Professional career
Maurice Yaméogo started his professional career just after leaving Pabre. He started as a simple clerk for the French Colonial Administration. For this reason, Maurice worked in Ivory Coast where he was shocked by the fact that some Upper-Volta businessmen were illegally practicing some kind of workforce traffic to supply Ivory Coast huge plantations with workers. In Upper-Volta, Maurice also worked as a clerk for the Administrative, Accounting and Finance Services (SAFC) of the French Colonial Administration. For this purpose, he was appointed in towns like DedougouDédougou
Dédougou is a city located in western Burkina Faso. It is the capital city of Mouhoun Province and Boucle du Mouhoun Region. The main ethnic groups are the Marka and the Bwa. The population of Dédougou was 37,793 in 2006; 18,778 were male and 19,015 were female. It is the 9th largest city in...
and Koudougou. Maurice Yaméogo was later appointed head of the CFTC syndicate (French Confederation of Christian Workers) of his corporation, and vice-president of CFTC Upper-Volta.
Political career
Maurice Yaméogo started his political career as the general counsellor of Koudougou before reaching, after several steps, the Presidency. This very active political career started when he was elected general counsellor of Koudougou and then territorial counsellor in 1948 with re-elections in 1952. On March 31, 1957, he was elected Grand Counsellor of AOF (French Occidental Africa) on an MDV list (Voltaic Democratic Movement), and two months later, he was appointed minister of the agricultural economy in the first council of government headed by Mr. Yvon Bourges, last French Governor in Upper-Volta (May 18, 1957) that was later replaced by Daniel Ouezzin CoulibalyDaniel Ouezzin Coulibaly
Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly was the president of the governing council of the French colony of Upper Volta, today's Burkina Faso, from 17 May 1957 until his death on 7 September 1958 in Paris...
. On February 6, 1958, after a Government change, Maurice Yaméogo was appointed Minister of Interior. This was a sign of recognition of Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly because Maurice helped him during difficult political periods and was now part his political party, the UDV (Voltaic Democratic Union), affiliated to RDA. Actually, Maurice Yaméogo was now the second in the government because at this time, the Minister of Interior was the one designed to replace the President of the council of Government if this one was away. The “National Fate” of Maurice Yaméogo was being clearer from this time.
Way to presidency
When Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly was taken to Paris for health reasons, Maurice Yaméogo was the one ensuring the interim (July 28, 1958). On October 21, 1958, he was appointed President of Upper-Volta council of Government after Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly, the former President of the council of government who died in Paris on September 7, 1958. From now, the road to the Presidency seemed all shaped for Maurice Yaméogo. Then, his political career followed these steps:| Periods | Functions |
|---|---|
| December 11, 1958 – April 25, 1959 |
|
| April 20, 1959 – December 11, 1959 |
|
| April 25, 1959 – December 11, 1959 |
|
President
On December 11, 1959, Maurice Yaméogo became the first President of the new Republic of Upper-Volta and proclaimed on August 5, 1960, the independenceIndependence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
of the country. Maurice Yaméogo obtained this Independence by simple transfer of powers, without negotiation or any referendum.
Maurice Yaméogo was a close friend of Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny , affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux, was the first President of Côte d'Ivoire. Originally a village chief, he worked as a doctor, an administrator of a plantation, and a union leader, before being elected to the French Parliament and serving in a number of...
(President) who inspired him all his life long. Yaméogo favored a “Federation of Mali” that would gather Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, French Soudan (called Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
today), Dahomey (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...
), and Upper-Volta (Burkina Faso). However, he would finally adopt anti-federalist ideas developed by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Yaméogo would follow Houphouët-Boigny in his ambition to create the “Conseil de l'Entente
Conseil de l'Entente
The Conseil de l'Entente is a West African regional co-operation forum established in May 1959 by Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Upper Volta and Dahomey The Conseil de l'Entente ("Council of Accord" or "Council of Understanding") is a West African regional co-operation forum established in May 1959 by...
” (Agreement Council), an organization to promote peace and solidarity between west African countries. Maurice Yaméogo and Houphouët-Boigny also worked on a project of double nationality between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. However, when Yaméogo left the presidency on January 3, 1966, Houphouët-Boigny abandoned this project of double nationality.
Resignation
On December 27, 1965, Maurice Yaméogo was in the Ivory Coast to negotiate the project of double nationality. Having heard about serious decreases in salaries and budget, Voltaic syndicates drove a nationwide strike. The Upper-Volta Army then decided to seize power, and Yaméogo resigned the Presidency on January 3, 1966 in order to avoid a civil war. The Army was in control;a military coup caused Yaméogo to be abdicated, the Constitution to be suspended, the National Assembly to be dissolved, and Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana
Sangoulé Lamizana
Major General Aboubakar Sangoulé Lamizana was the second president of Upper Volta , in power from January 3, 1966 to November 25, 1980...
to be placed at the head of a government essentially run by senior army officers. The army remained in power for four years, and on June 14, 1970, the Voltans ratified a new Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
that established a 4-year transition period toward complete civilian rule. Lamizana remained in power throughout the 1970s as president of military or mixed civil-military governments. After a conflict arising over the 1970 Constitution, a new constitution was written and approved in 1977, and Lamizana was reelected through open elections in 1978.
Jail
After resigning, Maurice Yaméogo was put in jail three days later. His son Hermann YaméogoHermann Yaméogo
Hermann Yaméogo is a Burkinabé politician and leader of the National Union for Democracy and Development ....
tried to free him, but failed and was put in jail too. On May 8, 1969, Maurice Yaméogo was condemned to five years of forced work and to a lifetime banishment. However, he was freed on August 5, 1970. Maurice Yaméogo also experienced political internment with other politicians during the revolution of 1983.
Exile in Ivory Coast
From 1985 until 1990, Maurice Yaméogo was exiled in Ivory Coast, a country with which he always kept good relations.Rehabilitation
On May 1991, President Blaise CompaoréBlaise Compaoré
Blaise Compaoré has been the President of Burkina Faso since 1987 following a coup d'état that ousted then-President Thomas Sankara. In 2011, a mutiny by soldiers over unpaid housing allowances forced him to flee the capital for his hometown...
rehabilitated Maurice Yaméogo, giving him back his Burkinabé citizenship rights. He would often play the role of “go-between” between the two countries. On September 9, 1993, Maurice Yaméogo died in Ouagadougou. During his funerals that took place in Koudougou on September 17, 1993, Blaise Compaore and his wife Chantal Compaoré
Chantal Compaoré
Chantal Compaoré, born Chantal Terrasson de Fougères, is the wife of President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso since 1985. Since becoming the first lady, in 1987, she has endeavored in philanthropic ventures in Burkina Faso, and in the continent of Africa...
were there, with other personalities. Among them were Alassane Ouattara
Alassane Ouattara
Alassane Dramane Ouattara is an Ivorian politician who has been President of Côte d'Ivoire since 2011. An economist by profession, Ouattara worked for the International Monetary Fund and the Central Bank of West African States , and he was the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire from November 1990 to...
(Prime Minister of Ivory Coast) and Laurent Dona Fologo (Secretary general of PDCI-RDA).