Paul-Émile de Souza
Encyclopedia
Colonel Paul-Émile de Souza (b. 1930? - d. June 17, 1999) was a Benin
ese army officer and political figure. He was chairman of the Directory of Dahomey from December 13, 1969 to May 7, 1970.
and was abolished on April 6, 1967. When Soglo was overthrown later that year, de Souza was chosen as Emile Derlin Zinsou
's Director of Military Affairs. For the most part de Souza tried to stay out of politics if he could and led the parachutist unit at Ouidah
.
was overthrown by Maurice Kouandété
, though the military did not recognize the latter. de Souza was briefly put under house arrest in the aftermath. Since the two men could not end their quarrels, a Military Directorate was established with de Souza as its chairman, Kouandete a member, and Col. Benoit Sinzogan
of the Gendarmie occupying the third seat. An election was held on March 28, 1970 to determine the true president. It was marked by a series of violent outbursts; unvalidated reports state that six people were killed were wounded at incidents in Parakou on the eve of the elections. Former presidents Hubert Maga
, Sourou-Migan Apithy
, and Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
received a majority of the vote in the north, southeast, and southwest/central, respectively.
de Souza decided to nullify the results from Atakora, the region where Maga received the most votes. Outraged, Maga threatened to secede unless he was declared President. Apithy stated that he would convince his region to join Nigeria if Maga took the presidency. The three former Presidents agreed to a hasty compromise to prevent a civil war. A presidential council, comprising Maga, Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin, and Apithy, with a presidency that changed every two years, was set up on May 7. Maga inaugurated this system for the first two years, before passing the power, on May 7, 1972, to Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin.
Kouandété attempted to usurp to power again on February 23, 1972. Leading the Ouidah
garrison, he also attempted to take over government buildings and murder de Souza. Over the course of the operation, assailant Major Moumouni was mortally wounded by de Souza's bullets. de Souza, meanwhile, escaped with only a slight injury. The plot was foiled, although Maga cancelled a visit to France to attend the matter at hand. Kouandété received the death penalty for his role in the attack.
When Mathieu Kérékou
seized power in October 1972, de Souza was dismissed from the army. He was appointed commissioner of the national Agricultural Credit Bank (SOCAD). He died on June 17, 1999.
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...
ese army officer and political figure. He was chairman of the Directory of Dahomey from December 13, 1969 to May 7, 1970.
Military career
In 1966, de Souza was selected as vice president of the Comite de Renovation Nationale, as well as being one of the three officers on the Comite. It had very few functions other than to advise Christophe SogloChristophe 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 was abolished on April 6, 1967. When Soglo was overthrown later that year, de Souza was chosen as 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...
's Director of Military Affairs. For the most part de Souza tried to stay out of politics if he could and led the parachutist unit at Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
.
Chairmanship
On December 10, 1969, Émile Derlin ZinsouEmile 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...
was overthrown by Maurice Kouandété
Maurice Kouandété
Iropa Maurice Kouandété was a military officer and politician in Benin . 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...
, though the military did not recognize the latter. de Souza was briefly put under house arrest in the aftermath. Since the two men could not end their quarrels, a Military Directorate was established with 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 occupying the third seat. An election was held on March 28, 1970 to determine the true president. It was marked by a series of violent outbursts; unvalidated reports state that six people were killed were wounded at incidents in Parakou on the eve of the elections. Former presidents 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...
received a majority of the vote in the north, southeast, and southwest/central, respectively.
de Souza decided to nullify the results from Atakora, the region where Maga received the most votes. Outraged, Maga threatened to secede unless he was declared President. Apithy stated that he would convince his region to join Nigeria if Maga took the presidency. The three former Presidents agreed to a hasty compromise to prevent a civil war. A presidential council, comprising Maga, Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin, and Apithy, with a presidency that changed every two years, was set up on May 7. Maga inaugurated this system for the first two years, before passing the power, on May 7, 1972, to Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin.
Later life
The colonel returned to his role as Chief of Staff of the Dahomeyan Army.Kouandété attempted to usurp to power again on February 23, 1972. Leading the Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
garrison, he also attempted to take over government buildings and murder de Souza. Over the course of the operation, assailant Major Moumouni was mortally wounded by de Souza's bullets. de Souza, meanwhile, escaped with only a slight injury. The plot was foiled, although Maga cancelled a visit to France to attend the matter at hand. Kouandété received the death penalty for his role in the attack.
When 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 in October 1972, de Souza was dismissed from the army. He was appointed commissioner of the national Agricultural Credit Bank (SOCAD). He died on June 17, 1999.