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President Patrice Talon has been publicly honoured just days before leaving office, by women’s groups in the Benin Republic, who say his ten years in power have transformed the country.
The gathering, organised by Hon. Alimathou Badarou with support from Hon. Eleonor Yayi and Hon. Faridatou Traoré Yacoubou, brought together women from various political and community backgrounds to express gratitude for what they described as progress in governance, infrastructure and Benin’s international standing.
Speaking to News Central TV, one participant explained that the women see themselves as “modern Amazons,” drawing inspiration from the historic all-female warriors of the former Kingdom of Dahomey.
The event was branded “The Agoodjies on the march to say thank you to President Patrice Talon” — a direct reference to the legendary fighters.
“This is an initiative by the Honourable Aliouba Toubadaou… She deemed it important that after years at the helm of the country — having revealed Benin, having transformed our country, having given our country another dimension on all international stages — it was necessary for all the women of Benin to come together and say thank you to President Patrice Talon and his wife for everything they have done for this country,” the woman said.
“Today, we have a special place for the Amazons in our history. They are the emblematic figures who fought for our country, for the former Dahomey. So today, it is the modern Amazons, the Agoodjies, who are choosing to come together to say thank you to President Talon because they recognise everything he has done.”
The women also honoured Talon’s wife, Claudine Gbènagnon Talon, calling her the “first Amazon of Benin,” in recognition of her support role during the presidency.
“His wife, who is the first Amazon of Benin — because you have to be an Amazon to stand alongside a man like that and to see all the involvement, all the sacrifice that it requires to be able to lead this country, to be able to carry out all this work that has been accomplished. You really have to be an Amazon to be by his side,” the participant said.
“As he said himself in his last message, we didn’t see her, but she was by his side the whole time. She was there to advise him, she was there to support him. She was his primary support.”
The women expressed pride in infrastructure projects, economic growth and the promotion of Benin’s cultural identity, saying Beninese citizens now want to stay in their country rather than leave.
The tribute came as Talon delivered an emotional farewell address on Thursday, marking the end of his decade-long rule ahead of the transfer of power to President-elect Romuald Wadagni.
