Who was the first President of Benin?

Coutoucou Hubert Maga was the first President of Dahomey when it gained independence from France in 1960.

Mathieu Kérékou was the first and only President of the People's Republic of Benin, as well as the first President of the Republic of Benin after it shedded Marxism and adopted a new constitution.

Maga was the President of Dahomey from 1960 August 1 to 1963 October 22. Later a rotating presidency was developed, and Maga was the Chairman of the Presidential Council from 1970 May 7 to 1972 May 7.

Kérékou was a military commander who seized power in Dahomey in a coup on 1972 October 26, becoming President of Dahomey. He would rename the country the People's Republic of Benin on 1975 November 30. Socialism would be officially abandoned on 1990 March 1, 15 years later as the country was again renamed to the Republic of Benin.