On this day . . .

On October 18,  1905, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, later on affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux (“The Old One”) was born. He was the first President of Côte d’Ivoire (1960 to 1993), serving for more than three decades until his death on December 7, 1993. A tribal chief, he worked as a medical aide, union leader and planter before being elected to the French Parliament. He served in several ministerial positions within the French government before leading Côte d’Ivoire following independence in 1960. Throughout his life, he played a significant role in politics and the decolonisation of Africa.