Hubert Maga

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Hubert Maga (August 10, 1916–May 8, 2000) became the first president of Dahomey, now Benin, when the country gained independence from France on August 1, 1960.

Maga represented the Dahomey Democratic Rally party (Rassemblement Démocratique du Dahomé). Prior to his presidency, he served as Prime Minister of Dahomey during the country's last year under French rule. He had also served as representative in the French national assembly. In October 1963, unrest led to a coup that put Maga out of office. After years in exile, he returned to the country and served as head of a rotating three-man presidential council from 1970, together with Sourou Migan Apithy and Justin Ahomadegbé. The latter took over the chairmanship for a few months in 1972, until a new coup took place October 26 the same year, installing Major Mathieu Kérékou as the new President of the Republic. Maga was imprisoned and not released until 1981.