Passion or Profession: President

Period: 1933–

Educated in Senegal and Mali, Kérékou held military positions in the years that followed Dahomey's independence in 1960. The nation's instability allowed Kérékou to take the presidency in 1972. He adopted Marxism-Leninism as the nation's official ideology in 1974 and changed the nation's name from Dahomey to Benin. Kérékou ruled over a one-party system until 1991, when he allowed multiparty elections and lost to rival candidate Nicéphore Soglo. Kérékou returned to power by defeating Soglo in 1996 elections.