End of reign in Benin: letters of gratitude and calls for another term pour into the presidency according to Wilfried Houngbédji
In a recent media outing, the government spokesperson, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji, revealed a lesser-known aspect of the relationship between the president of the Republic and certain citizens.
Numerous letters regularly flow into the presidency, evidencing a strong, sometimes unexpected, attachment to the head of state.
“If you could know the number of letters of this nature that the president receives, some to congratulate him, others sending him 5000, 10,000 francs, saying: ‘Mr. President, I know you do not need this, but frankly, this is my modest way of thanking you…'”, he confided.
These gestures, although modest in material terms, convey a deep respect and sincere recognition of the presidential action. Some senders even specify: “Have a beer… if it’s a bottle of water, that allows you to take…”, indicated the spokesperson.
But these signs of recognition sometimes go beyond mere thanks, points out Wilfried Houngbédji. Some citizens express a fervent wish to see President Patrice Talon remain in power beyond the deadline of 2026. This is the case of a retired teacher, mentioned by the spokesperson: “He sent a letter to the head of state expressly asking him not to leave power in 2026. He is ready, he says, to come and explain to him how to proceed to stay in office.”
In response to these requests, the executive’s answer is unambiguous. Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji recalled President Talon’s position on this matter, already clearly expressed several times: “Obviously, President Talon will not meet with him, because he will not be taught how to stay in power beyond 2026, his decision already being made, known to everyone. To the extreme, he smiles at it. And all this is part of a triumphant exit.”
This underlines the presidency’s commitment to democratic principles, while humbly acknowledging the esteem that some citizens show for the person and action of the president of the Republic.
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