ALPHONSE ALLEY

Alphonse Alley was born on April 9, 1930, in Bassila, a town in central Dahomey. He belonged to the small Widji ethnic group from the northern region. His father served as a military commander, notably training police in Togo after his service with the French in Syria during World War II. Alphonse's education took him through schools in Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal until he enlisted in the French army in 1950. His military career began with a combat operation in the First Indochina War later that year. Alley withdrew from Indochina in late 1953, shortly before the significant Operation Castor at Dien Bien Phu. He later attended the Saint Maxient Non-Commissioned Officer School in France, participating in combat missions in Morocco from 1955 to 1956 and in Algeria from 1959 to 1961, where he distinguished himself as a paratrooper.

Upon Dahomey’s independence in 1960, Alley returned to lead a paratrooper unit in his homeland. He rapidly ascended the ranks, becoming a captain in 1962 and then a major in 1964, notably leading troops during a border dispute with Niger. Historian Samuel Decalo described him as a charismatic figure, well-liked among his peers and diplomats, earning the nickname “the wine, women, and song officer.”

Alley played a pivotal role in the political turmoil that characterized Dahomey during the early 1960s, urging General Christophe Soglo to seize power during the coups of 1963 and 1965. Following the latter coup, Alley was appointed Chief of Staff of the Army and maintained a complex relationship with Soglo, marked by disagreements yet loyalty. In December 1967, a coup led by young officer Maurice Kouandété ousted Soglo, and Alley found himself appointed provisional president, albeit under house arrest.

Despite being a trusted figure who could bridge the divides between the northern and southern Dahomeyans, Alley's presidency was temporary, meant to transition power back to civilians. He oversaw the drafting of a new constitution, which significantly expanded executive powers. However, Alley’s administration faced challenges, including the disqualification of former political leaders from upcoming elections, which led to widespread protests. Recognizing his miscalculation, Alley attempted to restore civilian rule but was ultimately overshadowed by Kouandété, who had retained significant control.

By mid-1968, Alley handed power to Émile Derlin Zinsou, a move that led to his own retirement from the presidency. Though initially appointed military attaché in Washington, D.C., Alley refused the position and faced a purging from active duty. In 1969, he was accused of plotting against Kouandété and sentenced to ten years of hard labor, though Zinsou’s intervention helped reduce tensions between them.

After a coup in December 1969, Alley was released from prison and reinstated in the military, later becoming Secretary General of National Defence. His relationship with the government remained complicated; in 1972, following another coup led by Mathieu Kérékou, Alley was assigned a largely symbolic role as commissioner of the National Oil Wells. Kérékou accused him of conspiracy and sentenced him to twenty years in prison, from which he was eventually released in 1984 as part of a political amnesty.

Alley passed away on March 28, 1987, leaving behind a son, Zacharie.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_Alley