Inauguration of Romuald Wadagni: the CEROW showcases its ambitions during a gala dinner in Cotonou.

The Circle of Elites of Romuald Wadagni (CEROW) celebrated, on Sunday, May 24, 2026, the inauguration of President Romuald Wadagni through a gala dinner bringing together diplomats, academics, political leaders, and members of civil society. Organized in both a festive and political atmosphere, the evening primarily allowed the movement to unveil its ambitions for the coming years. At the heart of the various speeches was the same message: to transform the electoral victory into a dynamic of governance and development.

First to speak was the Secretary General of CEROW, Dr. Rodrigue Moncho, who reflected on the origins of the movement and its involvement in the electoral mobilization. According to him, the main challenge was to strengthen the popular legitimacy of the new head of state. “We believed that the elites needed to engage in mobilization. Too often, politics is seen as something negative, whereas it is essential for development,” the academic explained to an attentive audience.

The lecturer also emphasized the need to move to a new stage. “We must now transition from electoral legitimacy to the legitimacy of action,” he stated, while calling on the members of the movement to actively contribute to the implementation of public policies. The guest of honor for the evening, the former ambassador of Benin to the United States, Segbe Cyrille Oguin, praised CEROW’s ability to mobilize the youth, women, and artisans across the country during the presidential campaign.

“Your organization has succeeded in a major challenge: to strongly mobilize the youth, women, and artisans of this country so that they can fulfill their civic duty,” he declared. The former diplomat urged the activists to maintain this momentum after the election. “It would be easy to think that the main thing is done, that ‘the train has arrived at the station.’ But that is not the case. Now is the time to roll up our sleeves,” he proclaimed amidst applause.

Another highlight of the evening was the speech by the former ambassador of Benin to China, Simon-Pierre Adovèlandé. In a speech focused on the role of elites in national building, he defended a demanding vision of leadership. “The elite are those who create wealth, who innovate, who support others, and who want to build something that transcends their own generation,” he stated. Addressing the members of the movement, he listed the values he deemed essential: vision, hard work, integrity, courage, and punctuality. “Well-done work remains the foundation of any elite in a society,” he particularly emphasized.

But it was particularly the address of the president of CEROW, Dr. Brice Hondi, that drew attention. Reflecting on the months of campaigning and the efforts made by his teams, he assured that the political struggle was just beginning. “Together, we have risen to the challenge, and we will continue the fight to support our President in implementing the societal project he presented,” asserted the leader of the movement. Before clearly announcing CEROW’s political ambitions: “I tell you firmly: CEROW will become a political party.”

“I declare this to you today. It will not be easy, but we will succeed. We will maintain our autonomy, and when our president tells us that a merger is necessary, we will do it. Our goal is clear: to continue on the path that has been laid out for us. And nothing will stop us. Believe us, we are ready. For those who do not yet believe in this vision, the time is now. Because development and the future is now,” he added.

A strong declaration that marks a turning point for this organization born out of support for Romuald Wadagni, which now intends to have a lasting impact on the Beninese political landscape. Beyond the festive character of the evening, this gala dinner thus served as a political platform for a movement determined to position itself for the long term, with the stated ambition to support government action while building its own national base.