First Openly Non-Binary President of The Republic of Benin

2051 INAUGURAL SPEECH

By Igram Kévynn HONFO. Photos by Dah Photography

Madam Secretary General of the United Nations,
Presidents of the East and West African Union,
Mr. President of the National Assembly,
MissTer President of the Constitutional Court,
Ladies of the Constitutional Institutions,
Madam Grand Chancellor of the National Order of Benin,
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Government and the Diplomatic Corps
Honourable Deputies and members of the Institutions of the Republic,
Distinguished guests, partners and international organizations,
Dear compatriots,

At this solemn moment, as I take office as President of the Republic, I would like to express my deepest pride that the presidential election was held in a peaceful atmosphere, with regularity and transparency. I would also like to salute all the Beninese people who believed in me and elected me to lead this country. By doing so, you made me the first person in Africa – neither Mr. nor Mrs. but MissTer – openly non-binary, to have reached the highest level of responsibilities of a country. I would also like to congratulate you for your generous spirit, your open-mindedness, and for your desire to see our country, Benin, grow. I am committed to bringing sustainable development to this country for the good of all by exercising the power bestowed upon me with dignity and simplicity. Certainly, the task is immense, but it is not impossible if the actions to be undertaken are based on a clear vision as well as the skills and assets we have. I take this opportunity to acknowledge feminists and honor the memory of women as well as all those courageous, brave and inspiring mothers who sacrifice their lives to see their children succeed.

At this solemn moment, as I take office as President of the Republic, I would like to … salute all the Beninese people who believed in me … By doing so, you made me the first person in Africa – neither Mr. nor Mrs. but MissTer – openly non-binary, to have reached the highest level of responsibilities of a country.

Dear compatriots,

I will carry out my duties as President of the Republic with humility and selflessness. I will work every day so that my mandate can be an instrument of justice, peace, equity and inclusion for men, women, non-binary and trans* people by implementing major institutional political reforms. To achieve this, I intend to re-establish the rule of law that respects democratic principles and individual freedoms, and effectively ensures the protection of people and property.

I will make our democracy a true instrument of international cooperation, integration and influence. I will work to ensure and preserve freedom of the press as well as equitable access for all, without any distinction, to public media. I will ensure the protection of private initiatives and the private sector as main tools for development. I will work to reduce and then eradicate precariousness by ensuring the protection of the marginalized and destitute, as well as access to water and energy as inalienable rights for all and factors of development.

I will give priority to the restructuring of the health system in order to provide our citizens with more effective health coverage. Every citizen, without distinction, will have the right to consultations and primary care upon presentation of their national ID in all national health centers. There will also be health services adapted to sexual minorities and disabled people. Retirement homes will be available in each city to ensure the well-being and protection of the elderly with permanent access to family visits.

Thanks to various scientific and medical advances, HIV and AIDS are now a distant memory. However, since 2047, we have been losing loved ones and relatives with the advent of the global epidemic of Ibuzina, a virus that has been thriving due to global warming and that has been silently making victims. In order to face this scourge and reduce the mortality rate, each citizen will have to go to the Benin National Laboratory of their department for a complete health check-up every 6 months.

Trans* people are very close to my heart, which is why the State will fully cover costs of the transition process, from hormone therapy to surgery, including medical consultations, name and administrative gender change. I will personally see to it that this project is completed and sustained well after my term in office.

The Higher Institute of Science, Technology and Medical Research of Benin, established in several African countries, will ensure the training of the best national and international high school graduates. I strongly believe that our continent is full of young people committed to a great and changed Africa. Therefore, I will work to rebuild the national education system to ensure its adequacy with the ambitions of our country. Our children need to know the history of Benin, the foundations, the various social movements and even the inspirations that have brought us to this point. I will therefore personally see to the revision of school guides and textbooks, to the establishment of an exemplary teaching pedagogy as well as a class schedule from 7 am to 3 pm.

In this regard, the restructuring of the National Education Council and the creation of a free knowledge and innovation zone will be the main levers of government action in this sector. “Fongbe“, the first national language spoken in Benin, will be taught in primary school to enable Beninese citizens to speak and write their national language well. Vodoun will be taught starting from primary school and will be a special course, a subject of evaluation of the learners. Indeed, Vodoun is one of the few spiritual spaces that do not differentiate between sexual orientations and gender identities. Far from being an unhealthy practice, it will serve national unity. It is important that we show the positive aspects of our culture and promote Vodoun as an African and Beninese cultural practice, both at home and abroad.

I will also work for tourism to become a real tool for wealth and job creation. The National Fashion Museum will be installed in Abomey-Calavi. Attire from the country’s most important personalities will be displayed and several national and international fashion shows will be held there. Young aspiring models as well as fashion designers will be able to draw inspiration from these outfits. A LGBTQ+ Pride Museum will also be set up in Parakou. Soon, Benin will have a textile industry with talented designers who will produce “made in Benin” fabrics and clothes. People will no longer be required to dress in suits for formal wear. The Benin School of Art will welcome artists of all kinds and will grant scholarships to anyone wishing to perfect their skills. A committee of professionals will be responsible for the valorization and promotion of Beninese music.

The construction of a large stadium in Bohicon for the Olympic Games and the renovation of roads are also a priority in my action plan.

I am committed to promoting an independent, accessible and efficient justice system for all, in our cities and countryside, as well as revitalizing and modernizing the public administration for the benefit of competent young people. Beninese must be able to move freely and securely.

Our local currency, the Akwê, will be produced in Djougou and will be used for all our transactions. The development of a country also depends on cleanliness. We will therefore make sure that no garbage is left lying around. Controls will be carried out and the slightest deviation will be sanctioned by a fine.

Our country will be able to rise to the rank of regional agricultural power with a large production capacity in the agricultural, livestock and fishing sectors. In terms of security, intelligence services will support the public security and national defense forces to ensure the protection of the population.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear compatriots,

Great prospects await ahead of my upcoming mandate and I am committed to transforming these plans into concrete actions for the development of Benin, for the well-being and fulfillment of our people.

I am committed to our country, to new hope and new challenges.

Long live the Republic! Long live Benin!

Thank you.