Marien Ngouabi

**Marien Ngouabi** (December 31, 1938 – March 18, 1977) be a Congolese politician den military officer who served as de fourth President of de People ein Republic of de Congo from 1969 until ein assassination insyd 1977.

## Biography

### Origins
Marien Ngouabi born on 31 December 1938 for Ombellé village insyd Cuvette Department, wey dey for Kouyou territory. Ein poppie be Dominique Osséré m'Opoma den ein mommie na Antoinette Mboualé-Abemba. Ngouabi be Kuyu man from humble family. From 1947 go 1953, he do him primary school for Owando. Then on 14 September 1953, he go start study for *École des enfants de troupes Général Leclerc* wey dey Brazzaville. By 1957, dem move am go Bouar for Oubangui-Chari (wey be Central African Republic now).

After Ngouabi serve for Cameroon between 1958 and 1960 as Sergeant insyd de second battalion of de tirailleurs, he go France for September 1960 go train for École Militaire Préparatoire for Strasbourg. From there, he enter École Inter-armes for Coëtquidan Saint-Cyr in 1961.By 1962, he come back Congo as Second Lieutenant and dem post am for Pointe-Noire garrison as deputy commander of one infantry battalion. Na for 1963 dem promote am to Lieutenant.

### Rise to power
For 1965, Ngouabi create de first battalion of paratroopers for Republic of Congo. As person wey get strong leftist beliefs, dem demote am go soldier second class for April 1966 sake of say he refuse to accept reposting go Pointe-Noire. He rebel against de army ein political rigidity plus criticize de president seriously. Na President Alphonse Massamba-Débat arrest Ngouabi plus Second Lieutenant Eyabo for 29 July 1968.

But de arrest vex plenty soldiers, so by 31 July, some Civil Defense soldiers free Ngouabi. Then dem form de National Revolutionary Council (CNR) under Ngouabi ein leadership for 5 August 1968. By 1 October 1968, Ngouabi get promotion to Commanding Officer, wey be de rank he hold till he die. As de CNR reduce Massamba-Débat ein power, de man resign for 4 September, and Prime Minister Alfred Raoul act as Head of State till 31 December 1968, wey be when CNR officially become de highest authority and Ngouabi take over as president.

### Head of state
As Ngouabi take power finish, he change de country ein name go People's Republic of de Congo, declare say na de first Marxist–Leninist state for Africa. He come establish de Congolese Workers' Party (Parti Congolais du Travail, PCT) as de only legal political party wey go operate for de country.

Ngouabi be Mbochi man wey come from northern Congo, so as he enter power, control of de country shift from south go north. Dis move vex plenty people, especially for Brazzaville wey politics dey hot pass. Im government start to dey operate like bureaucratic centralism, dey use repression, and de party system (PCT) turn into something wey dem dey call “mechanism” — tight control wey no dey give chance to opposition. Because Ngouabi dey favor Mbochi people and people from La Cuvette (ein home region), opposition grow, even from inside de Communist Party itself, especially from de youth wing. For late 1971, students for Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire go on strike, but government clamp down on dem hard. E make de whole country dey unstable. By February 1972, one coup attempt happen, wey lead to plenty purging of opposition members. Some people believe say France dey pressure Ngouabi make he annex Cabinda enclave (oil-rich area wey belong to Portuguese Angola). But as Ngouabi no gree do am, dem talk say France withdraw support, and even sponsor some coups to remove am. From February 1973, Ngouabi send army go Goma Tse-tse region to fight one insurgent group called M22, wey former army officer Ange Diawara dey lead. That same month, he expose another coup plan from Diawara, arrest 45 people including Pascal Lissouba and Sylvain Bemba (Minister of Information). Dem do trial between March 16–23, some people chop sentence, but Lissouba waka free (acquitted).

De whole M22 rebellion matter end sharp-sharp on April 24, 1973, as dem capture den execute de rebel leaders — Ange Diawara, Ikoko, den Bakekolo. Ngouabi no just stop deh. He carry demma dead bodies go round Brazzaville, den even display dem by einself for public gathering wey happen for Stade de la Révolution. Dis public display of lifeless bodies vex plenty Congolese people, because for Congo culture, you no dey disrespect dead bodies — dem dey expect reverence and dignity. So Ngouabi’s move cause national condemnation. Insyd July 1973, he travel go People’s Republic of China, wey show say he dey keep strong ties plus oda socialist states.

Later, on December 30, 1974, Ngouabi get re-elected as Chairman of de PCT Central Committee, den dem add am as Permanent Secretary of de party. Dem swear am insyd as President again on January 9, 1975. For that same 1975, Ngouabi still tighten him socialist alliances by signing economic aid deal plus Soviet Union.

On March 23, Lieutenant General Pierre Kinganga, wey dey exile for Kinshasa insyd Zaire (now DRC) since him alleged coup attempt for June 1969, land back for Brazzaville plus one commando squad to try overthrow Marien Ngouabi ein government. But di coup attempt flop. Dem shoot Kinganga dead close to de national radio station wey he just capture. Him body plus de other commando members wey die follow am remain dey exposed for long for front of de radio building. Some youth supporters wey join Kinganga en route self carry arms. Captain Augustin Poignet, wey dem say follow plan di coup, manage run go back Kinshasa. One week later, three accomplices — Miawouama, Nkoutou, and Mengo — wey military court-martial sentence, dem execute dem. All de other soldiers and gendarmes wey join de mission face trial from de revolutionary court, and dem find dem guilty. After all dis gbegbe, Ngouabi accuse de CIA and Mobutu Sese Seko, de President of Zaire, say dem dey behind de attempted coup.

Afta dis coup attempt, PCT hold one extraordinary congress from 30 March to 2 April 1970. Dem expand de Political Bureau to 10 members, wey favour people like Ambroise Noumazalaye and Captain Denis Sassou N'Guesso. Dem dissolve de Gendarmerie sake of say e no show full loyalty, and dem merge am plus de regular army. Council of State too get reshuffle.

Later, for 29 August 1970, dem arrest former minister Stéphane-Maurice Bongo-Nouarra for counter-revolutionary plot, and court sentence am to 10 years hard labour.

### Assassination
On 18 March 1977, around 2:30 pm, President Marien Ngouabi get assassinated. De government quickly hold trial for de people dem accuse say dem join for de killing. Some of dem wey court find guilty face execution, including former President Alphonse Massamba-Débat.

Afta dem kill President Ngouabi, dem form one interim government wey dem call Military Committee of de Party (CMP). Na Colonel Joachim Yhombi-Opango, wey be conservative, dem put as Head of State for dat time.

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