Félix Houphouët-Boigny

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Félix Houphouët-Boigny
1st President of Côte d'Ivoire
In office November 3, 1960 – December 7, 1993
Preceded by	None (position first established)
Succeeded by	Henri Konan Bédié
Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire
In office 7 August 1960 – 27 November 1960
Preceded by	None (position first established)
Succeeded by	None (position abolished)
Born	October 18, 1905(1905-10-18) Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire
Died	December 7, 1993 (aged 88) Côte d'Ivoire
Nationality	Ivoirian
Political party	Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire
Spouse	Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny
Religion	Roman Catholic

Félix Houphouët-Boigny (pronounced [felis ufuɛ bwaˈɲi]) (b. Dia Houphouët October 18, 1905 - d. December 7, 1993) was the first President of Côte d'Ivoire (1960 - 1993). Previously elected to the French parliament, he was also appointed minister in the government of France several times between 1957 and 1961. His name is African spelled with French orthography; using an English-based one, as in Ghana or Nigeria, it would likely be spelled Ufuwe-Bwanyi.

Under Houphouët-Boigny's ideologically moderate leadership, Côte d'Ivoire prospered economically due to a combination of sound planning, strong and moderate leadership, the maintenance of strong ties with the West^[1] (particularly France),^[2] and the development of the country's significant cocoa industry. Houphouët-Boigny moved the country's capital from Abidjan to his hometown of Yamoussoukro, and built the world's largest church there, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro at a cost of $300 million.^[3] He also built a presidential palace at great cost.

Houphouët-Boigny maintained an ardently anticommunist foreign policy, which included severing diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1969 (after first establishing relations in 1967), refusing to recognize China until 1983, and providing assistance to UNITA, a United States-supported, anti-communist rebel movement in Angola. He considered the two major communist powers a malevolent influence in the Third World, and frequently denounced their actions, especially China's. He was one of the last African leaders to recognize China. Relations with the Soviet Union were not renewed until February 1986.^[4]

Houphouët-Boigny was commonly known in the West as the "Sage of Africa" or the "Grand Old Man of Africa." In 1989, UNESCO created the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize for the "safeguarding, maintaining and seeking of peace." It should be noted, however, that he is believed to have diverted significant funds for his personal use and for patronage.

After his death, conditions in Côte d'Ivoire deteriorated quickly. From 1994 until 2002, there were a number of coups, a currency devaluation, an economic recession, and beginning in 2002, the Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early life 1.1.1 Childhood and education 1.1.2 Medical career 1.1.3 Canton administrator and union boss 1.2 A major player on the French political scene 1.2.1 As a Minister of Parliament advocating the rights of Africans 1.2.2 Foundation of the RDA 1.3 Later life 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

[edit] Childhood and education

According to his official biography, Houphouët-Boigny was born on October 18, 1905, in N'Gokro, Yamoussoukro.^[5] However, doubts remain about the accuracy of this date; his Baoulé ethnicity does not maintain a birth register and thus it is highly probable that his birthdate was before 1905.^[6]

Born into the Akouès, an animist tribe, he was the son of a Houphouët who gave him the first name Dia, meaning prophet or magician.^[7] Dia Houphouët was the great-nephew of Queen Yamousso and the village chief, Kouassi N'Go.^[7] When N'Go was murdered in 1910, the young Dia was called on to succeed him as chief.^[7] Due to his young age, his stepfather Gbro Diby became regent (his father having already died).^[8]

Recognising his place in the hierarchy, the colonial administration decided to send him to school at the military post of Bonzi, not far from his village.^[8] In 1915 he was moved to the école primaire supérieure (secondary school) at Bingerville despite reluctance on the part of his family.^[7] The same year, at Bingerville, he converted to Christianity as he considered it a modern religion and an obstacle to the spread of Islam. He baptised himself Félix.^[7]

A brilliant student, in 1919 he was accepted into the École William Ponty where he obtained a teaching degree.^[8] In 1921 he attended the École de médecine de l'AOF (French West Africa School of Medicine) in Senegal, where in 1925 he came first in his class^[5]. However, he never completed his studies in medicine and could only aspire to a career as a médecin africain^[9], a sort of poorly-paid doctor.^[6]

[edit] Medical career

On October 26, 1925, Houphouët began his career as a doctor's aid at the hospital of Abidjan^[10] where he founded an association bringing together indigenous medical personnel.^[7] However, this undertaking was short-lived - the colonial administration viewed unsympathetically what it considered to be a union group^[7] and decided to move Houphouët to a hospital in Guiglo where conditions were particularly unsanitary.^[11] This event occurred on April 27, 1927.^[8] However, when he proved his considerable talents he was promoted to Abenbourou on September 17, 1929^[8], to a post until that time reserved for Europeans.^[7]

At Abengourou Houphouët witnessed the exploitation of indigenous cocoa farmers by the colonists.^[12] Deciding to act, in 1932 he became the head of a movement of farmers hostile to the major white landowners and to the economic policies of the colonisers which favoured them.^[6] On December 22 he had published, under a pseudonym, an article titled On nous a trop volés (They have stolen too much from us) appearing in the Trait d'union^[12], a Côte d'Ivoirian socialist newspaper.^[10]

The following year, Houphouët was summoned by his tribe to assume the responsibilities of village chief^[8], but, preferring to pursue his medical career, he stood down in favour of his younger brother Augustin.^[13] However, wishing to live closer to his village, he got a transfer to Dimbokro on February 3, 1934^[8] and then to Toumodi on June 28, 1936.^[8] If until that point Houphouët had displayed real professional qualities, his attitude had come to displease - in September 1938 his clinical director demanded that he choose between his job as a doctor and his involvement in local politics.^[12] The choice was quickly made for him - in 1939 his brother died, and Houphouët became chief.

[edit] Canton administrator and union boss

In becoming chief Houphouët assumed responsibility for the administration of the Akouè canton, which comprised 36 villages.^[7] He also took charge of the family plantation, at the time one of the most important in the country, and worked to diversify its rubber, cocoa and coffee crops.^[7] He soon became one of Africa's richest farmers.^[6]

On September 3, 1944, he established, in cooperation with the colonial administration^[7], the 'African Farm Workers' Union (Syndicat agricole africain, SAA). Under his presidency the SAA brought together African farmers who were dissatisfied with their payments.^[9] Anti-colonialist and anti-racist, the organisation demanded better working conditions, higher wages and the abolition of unfree labor.^[7] The union quickly received the support of nearly 20,000 plantation workers^[7], its success irritating the colonisers so much that they took legal action against Houphouët.^[8]

In October 1945, Houphouët was projected onto his country's political scene; the French government, decided to represent its colonies in the assemblée constituante, and gave Côte d’Ivoire two Ministers of Parliament: one representing the white colonists and another representing the indigenous population.^[7] Houphouët ran for the indigenous seat and, with the popularity of his African Farm Workers' Union, easily won the election with 1,000 votes in advance.^[5] Despite his victory, the colonial administration decided to have a second round on November 4, 1945, in which Houphouët again won with 12,980 votes out of a total of 31,081.^[5] In honor of his entry into politics, he decided to add Boigny, meaning ram (symbolizing his role as a leader)^[7] to his surname, becoming Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

[edit] A major player on the French political scene

[edit] As a Minister of Parliament advocating the rights of Africans

At the Palais Bourbon, Houphouët-Boigny was appopinted a member of the Commission des territoires d'outre-mer (Commission on Overseas Territories).^[5] During this time he worked to implement the demand of the SAA. He proposed a bill to abolish forced labor on March 1, 1946 which the Assembly adopted in 1947.^[5] On April 3, 1946, Houphouët-Boigny proposed to unify labor regulations in the territories of Africa; this would eventually be done in 1952.^[5] Finally, on September 27, 1946, he filed a report on the public health system, calling for its reformation.^[5]

Houphouët-Boigny was a supporter of the French Union, particularly a project of its to build settlements in France's oversea departments and territories. The project was unpopular among most of France's native population who thought that this would start to make France become a colony of its colonies.^[5] Trying to reassure them, Houphouët-Boigny replied that there was à l’heure actuelle (at present) no risk that Africans would take over France, rather such a union would stop the double policy pursued by France: one that was "métropolitaine et démocratique" (metropolitan and democratic), the other "coloniale et réactionnaire" (colonial and reactionary).^[5]

After the adoption of the constitution of the Fourth Republic, he was easily re-elected with 21,099 votes out of 37,888 votes cast.^[5] He was also a member of the Commission des territoires d'outre-mer (Commission of overseas territories), appointed in 1946 of which he regulated universal suffrage.^[5] A secretary of the commission from 1947 to 1948, he proposed on 18 February 1947 to refom the AOF, AEF, and Conseil fédéral to better reprent the African peoples.^[5] On numerous occasions, he called for the creation of local assemblies in Africa so that natives could learn about how to be autonomomus.^[5]

[edit] Foundation of the RDA

On April 9, 1946,^[14] Houphouët-Boigny, with the help of the Groupes d’études communistes d’Abidjan, recreated the SAA as the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire - African Democratic Rally.)^[15] The latter, after the Congress of Bamako on October 18, 1946, became a member of the African Democratic Rally, of which he was President.^[16]

The RDA soon join the communists, the only political group openly anti-colonist.^[6] Houphouët-Boigny justified the alliance because, it seemed at the time, the only way for his voice to be heard:

"Dès avant la création du RDA, cette alliance avait servi notre cause : en mars 1946, l’abolition du travail obligatoire fut adoptée à l’unanimité, sans vote, grâce à notre alliance tactique."

English translation: "Even before the creation of RDA, the alliance had served our cause: in March 1946, the abolition of compulsory labour was adopted unanimously, without a vote, thanks to our tactical alliance."^[17]

[edit] Later life

From 1956-1957, he was minister delegate, involved in forming French colonial policy. He rose to prominence during the colonial period, when he founded the multinational party Rassemblement Démocratique Africain, which advocated independence for European colonies in Africa.

In 1960, Côte d'Ivoire achieved independence, and Houphouët-Boigny was president of the constituent assembly. In 1959, he became prime minister of the colonial government, and became president of the republic in 1960.

From 1960 to 1990, he was repeatedly elected president of Côte d'Ivoire for five year terms; however, no opposition parties were legal. During this period, Côte d'Ivoire grew to be the most stable and prosperous country in West Africa, growth that was attributed to Houphouët-Boigny's strong and politically moderate leadership, and the maintenance of strong ties to France and South Africa. The reality was somewhat different. After cocoa and coffee prices collapsed at the end of 1978, the Ivorian economy began a slide that was made much worse by the mismanagement of state-controlled industries that Houphouët-Boigny had established.^{[citation needed]}

In October 1990, he was elected to his seventh five-year term and, for the first time, with the participation of legal opposition parties. He won with 81.7% of the vote.^[18] At that time, the Ivorian economy had already begun a disastrous slide that would lead the country to declare insolvency in 1997. After that time, he grew increasingly feeble, and died in December 1993 after a lengthy illness.

Félix Houphouët-Boigny divorced from his first wife to marry the much younger Marie-Therese Houphouet-Boigny, then dubbed "Africa's Jackie" after the couple visited the Kennedy White House in 1962.^[19] Félix and Marie-Thérèse had three children together. Erratus: Felix and Marie-Therese Houphouet Boigny had NO kids together. He had his children from a previous mariage

[edit] See also

• List of Presidents of Côte d'Ivoire
• Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Harshe, Rajen (1984). Pervasive Entente: France and Ivory Coast in African Affairs. Humanities Press Intl Inc. ISBN 039102891X
• Rémy, Mylène (1981). The Ivory Coast Today. Les Éditions J.A. ISBN 2852582120
• Tuinder, Bastiaan den (1978). Ivory Coast: The Challenge of Success. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0801819393
• Wallerstein, I. (1964). Road to Independence. Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Mouton. ASIN B000GPAUD6
• Zartman, I. William (1984). Political Economy of the Ivory Coast. Praeger Publishers Inc., U.S. ISBN 0030640970
• Zolberg, Aristide (1969). One-Party Government in the Ivory Coast. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691000107

Preceded by vacant	French Minister of Health 1957-1958	Succeeded by André Maroselli
Preceded by (–)	Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire 1960	Succeeded by Post Abolished
Preceded by (–)	President of Côte d'Ivoire 1960-1993	Succeeded by Henri Konan Bédié

v • d • e Presidents of Côte d'Ivoire Houphouët-Boigny • Bédié • Guéï • Gbagbo

v • d • e Heads of government of Côte d'Ivoire Colonial: Denise • Houphouët-Boigny • Independent: Houphouët-Boigny • post abolished, 1960-90 • Ouattara • Duncan • Diarra • N'Guessan • Diarra • Banny • Soro