Johan Henri Eliza Ferrier was a Surinamese politician who was the first President of Suriname, serving from November 25, 1975, to August 13, 1980. He was also the country’s last governor-general before independence, serving from 1968 to 1975. Ferrier was born on May 12, 1910, … Read MoreJohan Ferrier (1910–2010)
Sir Ellis Emmanuel Innocent Clarke was the second and last Governor General of Trinidad and Tobago and the first President of Trinidad and Tobago. He was one of the principal architects of the 1962 Constitution for the Independence of Trinidad and Tobago. Ellis Immanuel Innocent … Read MoreSir Ellis Clarke (1917–2010)
The current president of Angola, Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenço, was born on March 5, 1964, in Lobito, Angola. His parents were Sequeria Joao Lourenço, a nurse, and Josefina Goncalves Cipriano, a seamstress. Angola was a Portuguese colony and his father was an Angolan nationalist who … Read MoreJoao Lourenço (1964- )
Arthur Chung was the first President of Guyana from 1970 to 1980. He was the first ethnic Chinese (Hakka) head of state in a non-Asian country. During his time as President of Guyana, the office was that of a ceremonial Head of State, with actual … Read MoreArthur Chung (1918–2008)
Abdel Fattah Saeed Hassan Khalil al-Sisi, the current president of Egypt, was born on November 19, 1954, in Cairo, Egypt. His father, Said “Hassan” al-Sisi was a bazaar shop owner, and his mother, Soad Mohamed, was a housewife. Sisi attended the oldest and most prominent … Read MoreAbdel Fattah al-Sisi
(1954- )
Sylvanus Olympio was the first president of Togo and also served as prime minister. He was born on September 6, 1902, in Lome, Togoland, then a German colony. Olympio’s grandfather had emigrated from Brazil in the mid-19th century. Young Sylvanus was one of 30 children. … Read MoreSylvanus Olympio (1902-1963)
Ahmadou Ahidjo was the first president of Cameroon. Ahidjo was born on August 24, 1924, at Garoua in northern Cameroon, which was a French colony at the time. His father was a local Fulani chief. He was raised as a Muslim and was sent to … Read MoreAhmadou Ahidjo (1924-1989)
Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno is the Chairman of the Transitional Military Council of Chad (de facto President). Déby is the son of the former President of Chad, Idriss Déby. He was born on April 4, 1984, in the capital city of N’Djamena and is known … Read MoreMahamat Idriss Déby Itno
(1984- )
Antonio Agostinho Neto, fondly honored by Angolans as the “Father of Modern Angola” served as the first president of independent Angola. Not only was he a remarkable politician, but Neto was also a noted physician and famous poet. Antonio Agostinho Neto was born on September … Read MoreAgostinho Neto (1922-1979)
Milton Apollo Obote was the first Prime Minister and second President of Uganda. Obote was born in the village of Akoroko in Uganda on December 28, 1925. He was the third of nine children born to his parents who were farmers. Obote was from the … Read MoreMilton Obote (1925-2005)
