Dahomeyan Administrative Council election, 1934

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Administrative Council elections were held in Dahomey in 1934. [1]

Benin country in Africa

Benin, officially the Republic of Benin and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. The majority of its population lives on the small southern coastline of the Bight of Benin, part of the Gulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, but the seat of government is in Cotonou, the country's largest city and economic capital. Benin covers an area of 114,763 square kilometres (44,310 sq mi) and its population in 2016 was estimated to be approximately 10.87 million. Benin is a tropical nation, highly dependent on agriculture, with substantial employment and income arising from subsistence farming.

Contents

Electoral system

Three members of the Administrative Council were elected from single-member constituencies; Abomey, Ouidah and Porto-Novo. However, the franchise was extremely restricted.

Abomey Commune and city in Zou Department, Benin

Abomey is a city in the Zou Department of Benin. Abomey is also the former capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey, which would later become a French colony, then the Republic of Dahomey (1960–1975), and is the modern-day Republic of Benin.

Ouidah Commune and city in Atlantique Department, Benin

Ouidah or Whydah, formerly the Kingdom of Whydah, is a city on the coast of the Republic of Benin. The commune covers an area of 364 km2 (141 sq mi) and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.

Porto-Novo City and commune in Ouémé, Benin

Porto-Novo is the capital of Benin, and was the capital of French Dahomey. The commune covers an area of 110 square kilometres (42 sq mi) and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people.

Campaign

The councillors supported by La Voix were challenged by an alliance of candidates created by Louis Hunkanrin after he returned from exile in Mauritania. The Hunkanrin group was supported by civil servants, farmers and workers, and allied itself with Augustin Nicoué, who had run against the La Voix group in the 1932 elections. During the campaign they accused the La Voix group of being capitalists and not socialists. [1]

Louis Hunkanrin was a Dahomeyan writer, educator, journalist, and politician. He was one of the earliest critics of French colonial power in his country, later renamed Benin.

Mauritania Islamic republic in Northwest Africa

Mauritania is a country in Northwest Africa. It is the eleventh largest sovereign state in Africa and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to the north and northwest, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest.

In the Abomey constituency incumbent councillor Augustinho Olympio opted to stand down rather than run for re-election. [1]

Results

The La Voix candidates were beaten in all three constituencies. Richard Johnson, who was elected in Abomey, was the brother of the defeated Pierre Johnson. [1]

ConstituencyElected candidateLosing candidate(s)
Abomey Richard Johnson
Ouidah Ambroise Dossou-Yovo Pierre Johnson (La Voix)
Porto-Novo Augustin Nicoué Casimir d'Almeida (La Voix)

Aftermath

Following the elections, Casimir d'Almeida attempted to sue his opponents for defamation, but was not successful. However, the administration did successfully prosecute Pierre Johnson and Hunkanrin group associate Blaise Kuassi for the same offence, resulting in a prison sentence. [2]

Soon after the elections Dosso-Yovo and Nicoué changed their stance to one supportive of the administration, [1] with Richard Johnson the only councillor to remain critical of the establishment. [2]

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Administrative Council elections were held in Dahomey in 1936.

1930 Dahomeyan Administrative Council election

Administrative Council elections were held in Dahomey in 1930.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Patrick Manning (2004) Slavery, Colonialism and Economic Growth in Dahomey, 1640-1960, Cambridge University Press, p271
  2. 1 2 Manning, p272