Ahmed Sékou Touré

Ahmed Sékou Touré was a leader from Guinea. He was the first president of Guinea from 1958 until he died in 1984.

Touré helped Guinea become independent from France. He belonged to the Mandinka ethnic group and was a Muslim. He was also related to Samori Ture, an important leader in West Africa.

In 1960, Touré made his Democratic Party of Guinea the only party and led the country with firm control. Many people faced hard times during his rule.

Touré passed away in the United States in 1984.

Childhood and family background

Ahmed Sékou Touré was born on 9 January 1922 in a Muslim family in Faranah, a town in French Guinea, which was part of French West Africa. Faranah is next to the Niger River. He was one of seven children of Alpha Touré and Aminata Touré, who were farmers. Sékou Touré belonged to the Mandinka ethnic group, an important group in the area. His great-grandfather was Samori Ture, a famous leader who created the Wassoulou Empire in the late 1800s and fought against French rule.

Sékou Touré went to a local school and later a French school in Kankan. When he was young, he joined groups that helped workers and read books by thinkers like Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.

Politics and trade unions

In 1940, Touré started working for a company and later joined the postal service in 1941. During this time, he connected with a big labor group in France.

Touré became active in politics while working in the postal service. In 1945, he started the first trade union in French Guinea. In 1946, he helped create a group of political parties in French West and Equatorial Africa. He worked hard to support workers’ rights and later led a big strike in 1953. He was also elected to represent Guinea and spoke out against French colonial rule.

In 1958, Guinea had a vote on whether to stay under French control or become independent. Touré led Guinea to vote for independence. This made Guinea the first French colony to choose full independence. After the vote, many French workers left Guinea.

Presidency (1958–1984)

In 1960, Touré made his political party the only one allowed in Guinea. For the next 24 years, he held all the power. He was elected president in 1961 with no other candidates, and was re-elected many times after that.

Touré based his policies on ideas about sharing wealth and resources fairly. He took control of foreign companies and made plans to manage the economy centrally. He believed Africa should be independent from its former colonial rulers. Later, he also worked with other countries that shared his views on independence. However, many people were unhappy because they felt the government did not give them opportunities or rights. Some people even left Guinea to live in nearby countries.

Death

Ahmed Sékou Touré died from a heart problem on 26 March 1984 while he was getting medical care in the United States at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. He had fallen ill in Saudi Arabia the day before.

Prime Minister Louis Lansana Béavogui became the temporary leader of the country until elections could happen. Later, the military took control of the government. Colonel Lansana Conté became the new president, leading the Military Committee of National Restoration. The new leaders released many people who had been held for political reasons.

Desecration of Touré's tomb

On July 14, 2020, someone damaged the grave of Ahmed Sékou Touré. They set fire to a flag near the grave and poured liquid there. The next day, Touré’s widow shared how sad she felt about this. She said the grave belongs to her family and has no security, and she thought about asking for guards to keep it safe.

Awards and honours

Foreign awards and honours

Works by Touré (partial)

Ahmed Sékou Touré wrote many speeches and books. Some of his well-known works are:

• 8 novembre 1964 (Conakry): Parti démocratique de Guinée, (1965)
• A propos du Sahara Occidental: intervention du président Ahmed Sékou Touré devant le 17^e sommet de l'OUA, Freetown, le 3 juillet 1980. (S.l. : s.n., 1980)
• Address of President Ahmed Sékou Touré, President of the Republic of Guinee: suggestions submitted during the West Africa consultative regional meeting held at Conakry, during 19 and 20 November 1971. (Cairo : Permanent Secretariat of the Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Organization, 1971)
• Afrika and imperialism. Newark, N.J. : Jihad Pub. Co., 1973.
• Conférences, discours et rapports, Conakry : Impr. du Gouvernement, (1958–)
• Congres général de l'U.G.T.A.N. (Union général des travailleurs de l'Afrique noire): Conakry, 15–18 janvier 1959: rapport d'orientation et de doctrine. (Paris) : Présence africaine, c1959.
• Discours de Monsieur Sékou Touré, Président du Conseil de Gouvernement des 28 juillet et 25 aout 1958, de Monsieur Diallo Saifoulaye, Président de l'Assemblée territoriale et du Général de Gaulle, Président du Gouvernement de la Républ (Conakry) : Guinée Française, (1958)
• Doctrine and methods of the Democratic Party of Guinea (Conakry 1963).
• Expérience guinéenne et unité africaine. Paris, Présence africaine (1959)
• Guinée-Festival / commentaire et montage, Wolibo Dukuré dit Grand-pére. Conakry : Commission Culturelle du Comité Central, 1983.
• Guinée, prélude à l'indépendance (Avant-propos de Jacques Rabemananjara) Paris, Présence africaine (1958)
• Hommage à la révolution Cubaine; Message du camarade Ahmed Sekou Toure au peuple Cubain à l'occasion du 20^e anniversaire de l'attaque de la Caserne de Moncada (Juillet 1973). Conakry : Bureau de Presse de la Presidence de la Republique, (1975).
• Ahmed Sékou Touré. International policy and diplomatic action of the Democratic Party of Guinea; extracts from the report on doctrine and orientation submitted to the 3d National Conference of the P.D.G. (Cairo, Société Orientale de Publicité-Press, 1962)
• Ahmed Sékou Touré. Opening speech of the Summit of Heads of State and Government by President Ahmed Sékou Touré, chairman of the Summit (November 20, 1980). (S.l. : s.n., 1980)
• Ahmed Sékou Touré. Poèmes militants. (Conakry, Guinea) : Parti démocratique de Guinée, 1964
• Ahmed Sékou Touré. Political leader considered as the representative of a culture. (Newark, N. J. : Jihad Productions, 19--)
• Ahmed Sékou Touré. Pour l'amitié algéro-guinéenne. (Conakry, Guinea : Parti démocratique de Guinée, 1972)
• Rapport de doctrine et de politique générale, Conakry : Imprimerie Nationale, 1959.
• Strategy and tactics of the revolution, Conakry, Guinea : Press Office, 1978.
• Unité nationale, Conakry, République de Guinée (B.P. 1005, Conakry, République de Guinée) : Bureau de presse de la Présidence de la République, 1977.