Politics of Benin century until the colonial period, the Kingdom of Dahomey (whose borders encompassed more than present day Benin) was ruled by an "Oba". The French were the colonial power from 1892 to 1960, when independence was finally achieved. Between 1960 and 1972, a series of military coups in Benin (known until 1975 as the Republic of Dahomey) brought about many changes of government. The last of these brought Major Mathieu Kérékou to power as the head of a regime professing strict Marxist-Leninist principles. The Revolutionary Party of the People of Benin (PRPB) remained in complete power until the beginning of the
Dahomey from which they gave me liberty to select one hundred and twenty-five as mine offering to brand them for me, from which I preemptorily ["sic"] forbid; commenced taking on cargo of negroes ["sic"], successfully securing on board one hundred and ten." A notable descendant of a slave from this ship is Ahmir Khalib Thompson (American music artist known as Questlove). Mr. Thompson's story is depicted in the PBS Television show "Finding Your Roots" [Season 4, Episode 9]. The military of the Kingdom of Dahomey was divided into two units: the right and the left. The right was controlled by the