Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Full Name
Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Date of Birth
February 22, 1921
Place of Birth
Bobangui, French Equatorial Africa (now in the Central African Republic)
Date of Death
November 3, 1996
Place of Death
Bangui, Central African Republic
Education
- Attended a Christian mission school in Mbaïki
- Studied at École Saint-Louis in Bangui
- Further education in Brazzaville, where he developed his cooking skills
Spouses Names
Multiple marriages; specific names not provided in the sources.
Children Names
Not detailed in the provided sources.
Parents Names
- Father: Mindogon Mufasa, a village chief
- Mother: Marie Yokowo
Jean-Bédel Bokassa, also known as Bokassa I, was a Central African political and military leader who served as the second president of the Central African Republic and later proclaimed himself Emperor of the Central African Empire. His rule was marked by his autocratic style, lavish lifestyle, and accusations of severe human rights abuses, including cannibalism, although he was acquitted of these charges. Bokassa’s early life was marred by tragedy; his father was murdered for defying French colonial authorities, and his mother committed suicide shortly afterward. Raised by missionaries, Bokassa joined the French colonial troops, where he served with distinction during World War II and in subsequent conflicts in Indochina and Algeria, earning France’s highest military decorations. In 1965, Bokassa seized power in a coup d’état, overthrowing his cousin, President David Dacko. Initially, his rule brought some development projects, but his governance soon turned repressive. In 1976, he dissolved the republic and declared himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire, holding a lavish coronation ceremony in 1977 that further drained the country’s finances. Bokassa’s regime was supported by French military and economic aid until international condemnation over human rights abuses, particularly the massacre of schoolchildren protesting against a government decree, led to his downfall. In 1979, while Bokassa was abroad, French paratroopers reinstated Dacko as president. After years in exile and a controversial return to the Central African Republic, Bokassa was tried and found guilty of several crimes but was eventually pardoned. He died in 1996 in Bangui. Despite his notorious rule, Bokassa was posthumously rehabilitated by President François Bozizé in 2010, leading to an upsurge in his popularity