De facto President
Shortly fter Independence, the three parties united to form a Front d'Action Patriotique (Patriotic Action front)and reorganised Dahomey's one electoral conssttuency. This unity didn't last long.
In early 1961, the president began applying repressive measures on the opposition press and any one suspected of trouble-making, thus effectively silencing Tometin's voice in the country.Being unable to to pursue a coup d'eta
Statue of Maga
t , he decided to conspire against the president.The country was engulfed with political turmoil and coup d'etats. Under such condition Maga formed a presidential coucil with Apithy and Tometin that the presidentship would be nhanged after every two years. maga inaugurated this system. The cabinet was composed of 4 Tometin's allies, three Maga allies and three allies of Apithy and different portfolios of the ministers were distributed.
Officially after two years, Maga transferred power to Ahomadegbe -Tometin on 7 May, 1972.This was the first time in 12 years that the head of Dahomey was suceeded in a non-military fashion.
But another coup was successfully launched by Major Mathieu kerekou who installed himself as president and the three memberw of Council Maga, Tometin and Apithy were sent prison and for nine years after which they were released by Kerekou. Maga died on 8 May, 2000 and at the time of his death he sat upon the Constitutional Court of Dahomey.
In the mean time Dahomey's BOP came down severely. Since 1924, Dahomey faced a major economic recession and GDP grew by 1.4 p.c. annually from 1957 to 1965, making Dahomey's economy one of the weakest in Africa.
