Alphonse Alley

Alphonse Amadou Alley (April 9, 1930 – March 28, 1987) was a Beninese army officer and political figure.

He was most active when his country was known as Dahomey.

Alley was born on April 9, 1930, in Bassila, central Dahomey.

He was a member of the small Widji ethnic group, based in the north.

His father was also a military commander, who served the French in Syria during 1942 and helped train police in Togo.

He was born in Bassila, central Dahomey, and enrolled in schools in Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, and Senegal before enlisting in the French army in 1950.

He saw combat in Indochina from 1950 to 1953, in Morocco from 1955 to 1956, and in Algeria from 1959 to 1961.

Alphonse enrolled in schools in Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, and Senegal until he enlisted in the French army in 1950.

His first combat operation later that year was at the Indochinese Peninsula for the First Indochina War.

Alley withdrew in late 1953, shortly before Operation Castor was launched at Dien Bien Phu.

After this wartime experience, he went the Saint Maxient Non-Commissioned Officer School in France (now the National Active Non-Commissioned Officers School (France) or École Nationale des Sous-Officiers d’Actives (ENSOA)).

He saw combat in Morocco from 1955 to 1956 and in Algeria from 1959 to 1961, where he became a paratrooper.

After Dahomey gained independence in 1960, Alley travelled back to his homeland and led a paratrooper unit.

At first, he was a lieutenant, but he was promoted to captain in 1962 and major in 1964.

Later that year he led several soldiers to the Dahomey-Niger border during a border dispute.

Historian Samuel Decalo described Alley as "a jovial, dashing, easygoing and well-liked figure" and was known by diplomats as "the wine, women and song officer".

In Dahomeyan coups in 1963 and 1965, Alley urged General Christophe Soglo to seize power.

His administration oversaw the creation of a new constitution and a presidential election, Dahomey's first since 1964.

The results were annulled because of a boycott that prevented almost three-quarters of the country from voting.

Alley lost popularity with the suggestion that the military should retreat back to the barracks, and was eventually reduced to a mouthpiece for Kouandété.

After the coup in 1965, President Christophe Soglo promoted Alley Chief of Staff of the Army.

After the 1965 coup, Soglo promoted Alley Chief of Staff of the Army.

Alley made known his disagreements with Soglo on several occasions, though he remained loyal nonetheless.

Young army officer Maurice Kouandété was appointed Alley's chef de cabinet in 1967.

Kouandété launched another coup against Soglo on December 17, but he was forced to hand power to Alley two days later.

Young army officer Maurice Kouandété was appointed Alley's chef de cabinet in 1967 and his frequent opposition to Alley during staff meetings helped to create factions in the Dahomeyan Army.

Kouandété had aspirations of his own.

On December 17, 1967, he and 60 other soldiers led a military coup and toppled Soglo.

Kouandété seized the presidency, though he was unsure what to do with it.

Members of his faction urged the new president to remain at his post, though the general public's opinion was against him.

Meanwhile, France refused to aid Dahomey and would not recognise Kouandété.

He was forced to appointed Alley provisional president two days later, although Kouandété had placed Alley under house arrest and accused him of "shirking [his] duties" and maintained a "policy of appeasement."

Kouandété served as prime minister thereafter.

On July 17, 1968, Alley was forced to hand power to Emile Zinsou, a veteran politician.

Alley's retirement was marked by a series of discharges from the military, trials, and prison sentences.

At one trial, Zinsou's conduct sparked another coup led by Kouandété.

On October 26, 1972, Mathieu Kérékou seized power in a coup.

He ended Alley's military career, as well as that of every other senior officer, and named Alley commissioner of the National Oil Wells (SNADAH), a role with very little responsibility.

Kérékou accused Alley of plotting against him on February 28, 1973, and sentenced the latter to 20 years in prison.

He died on March 28, 1987.