African Independence Leaders & Post-Colonial Figures Codexery

Félix Houphouët-Boigny

First president of Ivory Coast, architect of the 'Ivorian miracle'.

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Félix Houphouët-Boigny

via Wikipedia: Félix Houphouët-Boigny · see source

He was affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux.[1] According to his official biography, he was probably born on 18 October 1905 in Yamoussoukro to a family of hereditary chiefs of the Baoulé people.[2] From 1960 until his death in 1993, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, an Ivorian politician and physician, held the office of first president of Ivory Coast.[1]

Life and work

The French colonial administration arranged for Houphouët to attend school at the military post in Bonzi in 1910, despite objections from relatives.[3][4] He was transferred to Bingerville in 1915, where he converted to Christianity and chose to be christened Félix.[4][5] Houphouët attended the École normale supérieure William Ponty in 1919 and later the École de médecine de l'AOF in Dakar, qualifying as a medical assistant in 1925.[6][3] In 1932, he led a movement of farmers against white landowners and published an article titled "On nous a trop volés"[7]

Houphouët became chef de canton in 1939 after his brother's death, ending his medical career the next year.[8][9] He established the African Agricultural Union on 3 September 1944, which brought together African farmers to protect their interests.[10][11] He proposed a bill to abolish forced labor, which was adopted as the Loi Houphouët-Boigny on 11 April 1946.[12] Houphouët-Boigny became the first president of Ivory Coast on 27 November 1960 and was reelected unopposed to five successive five-year terms from 1965 to 1985.[13][14]

Following N'Go's murder in 1910, Dia was designated to succeed him as chief, but because Dia was still very young, his stepfather Gbro Diby governed as regent.[15]

What the cited sources add

According to Fraternité Matin, Houphouët was sent to school in 1910 despite opposition from his great-aunt Yamousso, and he finished first in his class at Bonzi in 1915.[3] The Thomson Gale account reports that Houphouët was selected chief of his district in 1940.[16] The same source records that Houphouët was abruptly transferred to Guiglo on 27 April 1927, a post where difficult-access officials were sent.[3]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Noble, "For Ivory Coast's Founder, Lavish Funeral", New York Times, 8 February 1994; "Félix Houphouët-Boigny", France Actuelle, 1956, p. 10 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Biographies des députés de la IV République: Félix Houphouët-Boigny", National Assembly of France; Noble, "Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Ivory Coast's Leader Since Freedom in 1960, Is Dead", New York Times, 8 December 1993; "Houphouët-Boigny Part 1", France Inter, 9 April 2005 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. "Spécial Houphouet", Fraternité Matin. facts only, no text reused. web.archive.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Spécial Houphouet", Fraternité Matin (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Ellenbogen, pp. 26–31. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Spécial Houphouet", Fraternité Matin; "Biographies des députés de la IV République: Félix Houphouët-Boigny", National Assembly of France; Segal, p. 282.; "Encyclopædia Universalis", Encyclopædia Universalis, 1975; "Houphouët-Boigny Part 1", France Inter, 9 April 2005 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Houphouët-Boigny Part 1", France Inter, 9 April 2005; Samou, "Commémoration de la naissance de Félix Houphouët Boigny: Houphouët a eu 102 ans hier", Le Patriote, 19 October 2007 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Samou, "Commémoration de la naissance de Félix Houphouët Boigny: Houphouët a eu 102 ans hier", Le Patriote, 19 October 2007; Mortimer, p. 36 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Biographies des députés de la IV République: Félix Houphouët-Boigny", National Assembly of France (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Ellenbogen, pp. 26–31.; "Houphouët-Boigny Part 1", France Inter, 9 April 2005; Ellenbogen, pp. 26–31. (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Noble, "Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Ivory Coast's Leader Since Freedom in 1960, Is Dead", New York Times, 8 December 1993; "Encyclopædia Universalis", Encyclopædia Universalis, 1975; "Brazzaville Conference in Ivory Coast: A Country Study", Library of Congress (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  12. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Mortimer, pp. 71–72; "Biographies des députés de la IV République: Félix Houphouët-Boigny", National Assembly of France; Noble, "Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Ivory Coast's Leader Since Freedom in 1960, Is Dead", New York Times, 8 December 1993; Mortimer, p. 76 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  13. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Felix Houphouët-Boigny", Thomson Gale; Nandjui, p. 130.; Segal, p. 287.; Nandjui, p. 66.; Nandjui, p. 73.; Segal, p. 287. (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  14. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Nandjui, p. 73.; ; ; Noble, "Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Ivory Coast's Leader Since Freedom in 1960, Is Dead", New York Times, 8 December 1993 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  15. Wikipedia, "Félix Houphouët-Boigny" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Ellenbogen, pp. 26–31.; "Spécial Houphouet", Fraternité Matin (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  16. "Felix Houphouët-Boigny", Thomson Gale. facts only, no text reused. bookrags.com

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Félix Houphouët-Boigny (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Test yourself

Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.

1. In what year did Félix Houphouët-Boigny die?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 1993.

From the source: “Félix Houphouët-Boigny (; 18 October 1905 – 7 December 1993), affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux ("the old one"), was an Ivorian politician and physician who served as the first president of Ivory Coast, from 1960 until his de”

2. In which place was Félix Houphouët-Boigny born?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Yamoussoukro, French West Africa.

3. In what year was Félix Houphouët-Boigny born?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 1905.

From the source: “According to his official biography, Houphouët-Boigny was probably born on 18 October 1905, in Yamoussoukro to a family of hereditary chiefs of the Baoulé people.”

Answers checked against the source article

Sources

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