Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin

Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin (16 January 1917 in Abomey–8 March 2002 in Cotonou) was a Beninese political figure. He served as the prime minister of Benin from 1964 to 1965. He served as the President of Benin from 7 May to 26 October 1972, when he was overthrown in a coup d'état led by Mathieu Kérékou. [Francis Kpatindé, [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/jeune_afrique/article_jeune_afrique.asp?art_cle=LIN25033justitatled0 "Justin Tomêtin Ahomadégbé Éphémère chef de l'État."] , Jeuneafrique.com, 25 March 2002 fr icon.]

Ahomadégbé became President as part of a system that rotated the office between three leading political figures: Ahomadégbé, Hubert Maga, and Sourou-Migan Apithy. Maga peacefully handed power to Ahomadégbé in 1972, but later in the year Ahomadégbé was ousted in a military coup. All three remained under house arrest until 1981. [Samuel Decalo, "Benin: First of the New Democracies", in "Political Reform in Francophone Africa" (1997), ed. Clark and Gardinier, pages 46–47.]

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