Jean-Bédel Bokassa: Africa's Craziest Dictator who Crowned Himself Emperor
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- On December 4, 1977, a very unusual event took place in the heart of Africa. This was the coronation of Emperor Bokassa of the appropriately named Central African Empire, with a pomp and style patterned in much detail after that of Emperor Napoleon I in 1804.
The man at the centre of all of this was Jean-Bedel Bokassa. His career as dictator of the Central African Republic combined not only extreme greed and personal violence but delusions of grandeur unsurpassed by any other African leader.He was prone to towering rages as well as outbursts of sentimentality; and he also gained a reputation for cannibalism.
For a time, Jean-Bédel Bokassa, who came to be known as the “Butcher of Bangui,” was the very embodiment of the extravagant African tyrant.
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Sources:
Dark age, the political odyssey of Emperor Bokassa- Brian Titley
Africa: A Modern History - Guy Arnold
State of Africa After Independence - Martin Meredith
Encyclopeadia of African History - Kevin Shiilington
www.britannica...
www.blackpast....
www.independen...
uca.edu/politi...
www.dailymaver...
content.time.c...
The Coronation of Emperor Bokassa, Author(s): John H. Crabb
www.nytimes.co...
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Music:
Epidemic Sound
Kai Engel - Harbor, CC BY-SA 4.0
Arid Foothills - The Dark Contenent by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. creativecommon...
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Night Music - Kevin MacLeod
#Bokassa #AfricanDictator #africanhistory
There's an interesting interview out there, for those that know French, with a French then-university student that managed to convince Centrafrican embassy that he was a nobleman "expecting" an invitation to Bokassa's coronation.
Turns out, it worked, and he and his then-girlfriend spent a couple of days, all expenses paid, in Central Africa to attend the coronation.
It seems insane, but there's photos of the guy that seem to corroborate the story. Seems Bokassa was pretty desperate for any kind of acknowledgement from European nobility.
LMAO WHAT?
Considering his fascination with Napoleon, that checks out from a monarchial standpoint. Napoleon declared himself emperor too but just happened to hold onto power a bit longer. Bokassa’s royal pretensions were no different than Napoleon’s.
Can you post the interview? I used to work in the C.A.R. and my office was around the corner from the dilapidated, destroyed stadium 🏟️ where he held his coronation. Apparently the people had destroyed and ransacked it when he was overthrown
@@ekibirigeable sad what socialism did to africa :( all facilitated by western "elites"
He reverse Nigerian princed him, what a legend
Oh no. I forgot all about this maniac. As an avid watcher of your channel I still think Francisco Macias of Equatorial Guinea is the maddest and most frightening of all the dictators. But watching this documentary made all the news of Bokassa come back - the cannibalism, the chopping off of the ears of thieves, the murder of schoolchildren. I also remember that every time he spoke he had some wild and different story about his war service in France. From what I understand the Central African Republic is now a violent and lawless place with almost no functioning government at all. I wonder how much of the chaos and violence there today can be traced back to Bokassa. It's incredible Dacko wasn't murdered. Thank you for another fantastic video with great films and information!
I’ve got to say that if I was living in Uganda at the time I would tell Idi Amin he looked like a model of decorum and restraint next to Bokassa who looked like a ridiculous midget in a dress next to him. I’m sure Amin would kill me for saying so but it’s true nonetheless.
After all ,Dacko is family
@@teddydog6229that just shows how devilish he really was. Imagine how can someone be worse than Amin
I came here to say exactly that -- that, when it comes to pure crazy, no one outdoes Macías
@@teddydog6229And even more so next to Macías! Amin's got nothin' on these guys
Growing up in North America, I realized my education about Africa and African history was severely lacking, so I am making a point to learn as much as I can about all the countries, cultures and people I can as well as history.
Thank you.
Same in the U.K. We learnt pretty much nothing about the subject. All the best ✌️❤️
If you knew about non Europeans how could you feel guilty?
@@rerun374 no one should feel guilty, none of what happened is our faults. its the fault of kings and queens who had absolute power, NOT the people
@rerun374
You talking to me? @ your reply please, I have no idea.
I dont feel guilty, nor am I European.
I just noticed that there isnt a lot of history taught where I am from about Africa. So as an adult, I am learning about it to know more about all the peoples of the world.
Guilt doesnt have anything to do with it, why would you assume it does?
Good Luck finding all the fall empire and countries. How far in time do you plan on going back?
One of his sons is very much involved in CAR politics today. A while ago, Bokassa was posthumously pardoned, and aknowledged as a “great builder of the nation”. A number of Bokassa’s children are involved in major businesses in the country, and I believe there’s a quite wealthy one living in Paris. I recall watching a video a ways back where people in the CAR were interviewed, and some of them expressed a longing for the return of that era.
I'm not surprised 😯 that someone is eager to get back to the era that favoured his/her dreams. That's life as I've observed in the past 50 years. As it pains some people, some people are actually having a ball 🏀🏈 ⚽. 😂🎉.
Most of his family was living in paris his wife or many and a dozen of kids who are groomed by the French state, because the French seized all Bokassa assets they could and in the process made a deal withy the family. As i saw in a Herzog documentary back in the days.
I'm not sure about this info, but it said that the reason why he's revered as a great builder was because subsequent leaders of the CAR only made life more difficult compared during Bokassa's reign.
Man, and I thought I had an unhealthy obsession with Napoleon. Jean blows me out of the water.
He was literally him xD
Minus war accomplishments... and the exile was the icing on the cake!
Much like the former Bokassa didn't get executed but the latter returned home. Unlike the Napolean Emperor, by the way Washington really wanted to offer him asylum but his brother did reach America.
Interesting video. The only thing most people know about Bokassa is the crazy party he threw when he declared himself emperor - this gives a much broader view.
This confirms that he truly was crazy
Only crazy people call themselves Emperor.
Google: “Emperor Norton” from America. He was an old solider who lost his mind and thought he was Emperor… so everyone in the city also pretended he was the Emperor so he would be happy. It is actually a very funny story. He dressed up as the Pope and had a funeral for a dog that died on the street. Thousands of people showed up to the funeral because they thought it was funny. Whenever he walked around town people bowed to him because they thought it was funny.
Nepoleon also went crazy and called himself Emperor. But unlike Emperor Norton in America, it was not funny… millions of innocent people died as a result. Napoleon first fought for the democratic revolution in France, but after 10 years he took control of the government and crowned himself the first emperor of France. He took the crown from the Pope and said the revolution is over because it had achieved it’s goals. He also said something like, “God doesn’t crown man as king. Only man crowns himself as king.”
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊9😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊o😊 I 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
He wasn’t any crazier than Idi Amin
NO ONE knows who this guy is
Fun fact: Bokassa also had a daughter that was shuffled with a fake one when he sent people to find her, and when the real daughter showed up, he jailed the imposter, but later pardon her.
Wasn’t that mentioned in the video? Or did it happen twice. lol
@@sforza209 🤣🤣
Already mentioned in the video.
The imposter married a general but they were executed later.
The real then disappeared
So glad I found this channel. Been binging for a while now, quickly realized how very little African history I actually knew!
This is one of your finest biogaphic assessments. - I personally appreciate your efforts and diligence.
Thank you
Excellent video. I think that the real truth of Bokassa can be seen on the face of his queen -- she was absolutely terrified.
Well noticed.
Always found Bokassa an interesting character. Learnt so many new things about him from this, thanks so much for this great video!
You've a nack, of getting the tone of these former African leaders spot on. Excellent, and really enjoyable accounts.
Knack
The new African president wanted to know why we have to go to Western countries when Africa has so much wealth in the ground. Well with leaders like this that answers his question.
Ghana's President?
@@wakaikozy6084 you can watch the video and then you can realize what my comment is about because if you watched it you wouldn't have to ask
@Jan32116is that your measure of intelligence? That's sad.
Sad but true
This was a very well done video. Ridiculous how the French couldn't let go of their colonial past and funded Bokassa's delusions
French colonies still exist , the governers Just changed
Seems like this very thing dominated the second half of the 20th century... Between the former colonial powers and the cold-warring superpowers, they really fu€£ed shit up
Is It better off today ? It was corrupt under France as is today
The French government's attempts to hold onto their colonies post WW2.. which they were defeated in, was disgraceful. The British dismantled their empire and relations remained on the whole, good with the successor states. France caused the Vietnam War and a handful of appalling dictators.
The nature of French colonialism was oppression and exploitation. Whilst the British version had major issues, Common Law was extended to all subjects of the Empire. A native of the Gold Coast had the same legal rights as a White Londoner. France did not do this and it did not protect the people of their empire from the acts of corrupt officials.
@@HarryFlashmanVC You need to learn a bit more about History (ever heard about the Amritsar massacre for instance ?) before posting preposterous falsehoods like this... The Brits were ruthless and cruel
Yet again another interesting episode.....We appreciate Your work
Thank you
When I was in the Peace Corps in CAR in 1988-89, my friend and I gave a little money to a guard, and we were able to explore the ruins of his 'palace' in Bangui. He had lion cages and crocodile ponds where he would throw convicts. We roamed around the lion cages.
That's how he feed his pets. He was a mad man. It's sad the CAR has had such terrible leadership for so long - the regular people I met there were kind, hardworking and generous, even though they were so poor.
the ordinal people value & norms are what give birth to such a clownish leaders. their decaying culture must be changer first
Great video. The only thing I remembered about this guy was that he spent like a quarter of his country's annual GDP on his lavish coronation. I think I read it as a child in one of the many Guinness Book of Records that littered our house...
Frantz Fanon was so good to talk about this kind of alienation shaped by european imperialism: France took his parents, gave his a roots to be part of, made him up to take him down.
Another great example of how decolonization was a great deal to european powers.
It's unfortunate that Africa has had so few decent political leaders. They deserve better, especially from their own.
Yeah man people are really suffering...there is so much poverty and lack
When former colonial powers and Cold War-era superpowers are calling all the shots, the African civilians are left as pawns in an horrific game of Risk 🥺
@@JackAShepherd What are your experiences living in Africa?
When corrupt African politicians and terrorists are calling all the shots, the African civilians are left as pawns in a horrific game of Risk.
Fixed that for you.
@@Absaalookemensch I have no idea what things are like now; I meet a lot of Africans, mostly from Zimbabwe and Namibia, where I live in Europe, and they say the same as you (albeit more politely 😹). But I was referring to the Cold War, decolonization era -- i.e., the period of the video we're commenting on ✌️
Blame imperialism.
The French didn't care whose regimes they propped up in Francophone Africa. All that mattered was that their former French colonies remained in France's sphere of influence. Bokassa is an example par excellence of what this policy gave rise to.
I live in Africa. This is what African leaders do best. I don't know of an exception.
Thomas Sankara, Nelson Mandela, Eduardo Mondlane…just a few exceptions
Seretse Khama of Botswana was a shining exception.
@@Kagiso-n4yPatrice Lumumba
Julias K Nyerere
@@Kagiso-n4y I don't get why people admire Sankara, he was just another dictator and a tyrant
In October of 1970 Bokassa was invited by Chiang Kai-Sek's 'Chinese Nationalist Party(CNP)' (that had been disposed from China to Taiwan ) for a state visit. One evening, while he was visiting the southern city of Kaoshung he was escorted by the CNP officials on a walk along the Love Canal in the city. There Bokassa noticed a young woman sitting on a bench by the canal. He went to chat with the woman and she replied in fluent French(what a coincidence! You think many people in Taiwan speak French? Not even today!). Bokassa was very pleased with her and invited her to visit his country and the woman gladly accepted. She then became one of his wives and gave birth to one(?) child. After Bokassa had been expelled she brought her child with her and returned to Taiwan.
I wonder how the child actually look like
@@krayxeez mixed up
It's amazing, how so many dictators have childhoods that make it so clear why they turned out the way they did.
If you think about it this isn't actually that bad. If this happened in 1899 this man would have been celebrated as an African King. Unfortunately he was a few decades late
Typical of the events that occurred after many former colonies gained independence.
Despite all the horrors of military regimes in the past, naive and ignorant youths in the Sahel are supporting the military regimes in Mali , Niger , Burkina Faso who will soon follow the legacies of their senior officers who destroyed their countries and Africa : Iddi Amin, Bokassa, Mobutu, Abatcha, Marcia Nguema, Eyadema, Samuel Doe , Fode Sanko, Jerry Rawlings, Gadafi, Yaya Dzameh etc.. African youths need to learn more from these videos.
charles taylor of liberia...
Well said.
The guy was just one of Africa's many mediocre leaders, men of small backgrounds unable to control their urges once in power and becoming uncontrollable megalomaniacs.
. Add Kenya to that list
And it continues to this day. In Africa the tribal dimension is never far from the corruption.
Weak men are great at only one thing: being mediocre or worse
One thing I would note is Bokassa possibly to a certain extent was inspired by the French in putting the protesters in a tiny cell. The French used to force the men to work by kidnapping their wives and children and only letting them go once they agreed to work for them. One instance saw something like 60 people put into a tiny house where most of the mothers would end up dying trying to hold their children up to the house’s single air slit. It’s in Louise Lombard’s book state of rebellion page 96 btw if you are curious
Just another reason why I don't like the French 😂
I cant stop watching your videos because it has been an eye opener for me. Our History left a lot about the continent, what we have been through as a people. Valentine Strasser was a name I had never heard in my life despite him being the youngest HOS at the time. thank you for telling our story how it is.
I'm a new subscriber after having read through the comments section. The presenter is really good 👍 with his narration of the events that surrounded Bokassa's life. The entire story is wild and juicy 😀. Sprinkled with a bit of bravado here and there, but ending in tragedy. A truly powerful presentation of a military career and the story of another African dictator with French connection.
Always thought he was an interesting character. Great work on rhe video, cant wait for the next one. Cheers!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love your vids. Can’t wait!
Thanks Panashe
All this reeks of how inadequate he felt as a man
Dope video man, you've got one hell of a smooth voice. Learned a lot from this, thank you !
ngl I almost expected this to be another Simon channel XD great video though.
I enjoy your work Tatenda. Keep up the good work
I don't know who I love more
Bokassa or Idi Amin
One was an Emperor and the other was the Last King of Scotland
😂😂😂
I hope you meant to be ironic - would be tragic & disgusting if you were serious -
@masehoart7569 you are an epitome of stupidity.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom SNUBBED a fellow monarch by not attending Bokassa coronation! How RUDE and ARROGANT of her!
Huge fan from kenya 🇰🇪
In the Herman Herzog documentary on Bokassa, he interviews the cook who cooked the person Bokassa was eating. He said Bokassa was liking it with rosemary seasoning.
Jean Bedel Bokassa Uganda IdiAmin , Congo Mobutu Sese Seko, and Nigeria Sani Abacha are in the same circle of brutal leaders , will be on the bad side of Africa dark history
Mobutu wasn't that brutal but he was economically incompetent, Idi Amin was loved by lower ranking Ugandans
@@1wun1mobutu wasn't brutal?
@@princechangwook6019
Comparatively no, his 30 years body count is never mentioned because it's too low.
@@1wun1 Africa's bloodiest uprising happened during his time in power and u say no?
@@princechangwook6019
If you mean the second Congo war that's during Kabila Sr regime.
Bokassa is a perfect illustration of what african independentism in the Cold War really was about.
THANKS TO UTUBE WE ARE ABLE TO LEARN ASTOUNDING STORIES ABOUT THE WORLD'S LEADERS THAT WE OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN. I LOVE HISTORY SO I WILL SUBSCRIBE, GO TO YOUR PLAYLIST AND ENJOY YOUR VIDEOS. BLESSINGS FROM DALLAS TEXAS USA 🇺🇸
Thank you. Very informative.
He reminds me a lot of “Emperor Norton” we had in America. A crazy person everyone pretends is king.
Superb insights. Beautifully presented. THANKS
This was so fascinating to watch. You sir are an awesome story teller. From a new subscriber.
Didn’t they find human heads in his refrigerator?😳
Reminds me of the guys who drive 80,000 cars but still use food stamps 😂
There is a French joke about him and his friend, the French president Giscard d'Estain. At dinner Giscard asks if he can eat with fingers, Bokassa replies: fingers are best at desert.
I'm from Venezuela and I've always been interested in Bokassa's story because it's really crazy what he did.
I waited for the version of this story...from. thanks #AB.
Thank you for this video
AGAIN ???
how does one continent produce soooo many tyrants and warlords soooo rapidly ???
The colonizer and its interference
@@romzaishwell put
@@TheRealLordPencilThey have no foundation of western jurisprudence.
Ha ha ! Default African response : “ We are responsible for naught ! “
post-colonial power grab
Thank you for another good video.
Thank you for this great video.
I love your videos!
Could you make a video about biography of Ian Douglas Smith, the prime minister of Rhodesia?
Greetings to all African brothers and friends from Belgrade, Serbia.
I like your videos ! It further proves to me that we (black american) and africans are not the same people✊🏿
You sound & think very racist . You are neither better or worse than others. But when you compaire you self as "superior" than africans then you are Not better than the africans ! May be you are compairing your self with the sick Bokasa ?
This is your best video by far you are a genius ✌️
Very well researched video, please create more content. Would love to know more.
Interesting video, thanks for uploading this.
Imagine having a coronation of 22nillions dollars while the people live in abject poverty
It sounds like he essentially got away with his atrocities.
The damage was done but at least history can demonstrate why he was a terrible ruler.
I get stuck on one subject and spend a couple weeks learning about it. African history is what I'm currently stuck on
Interesting thank you Tatenda
This video was very well done
As a German, we have a German french relationship. But I'm shocked what France did in Africa, after the decades of colony, during the time of friendship between France and Germany.
In africa the french are the worst and they still have colonies in africa , for example you still have massive shipments of Phosphat Out of togo to favorable Terms and Presidents are usually 50 years democratically elected and many civil wars are supplied by french arms
Germans have no right to criticize ANY country.
Shocked by France, really?? Well as far as Gernany is concerned, it has its own colonial dirt to deal with in its former East-African colony in what is now Namibia. They almost succeeded in completely wiping out the rebellious Herrera tribe. And the German government just recently negotiated a reparation settlement. For those atrocities. German business ties are still very strong there and many German s there still maintain a snide colonial attitude towards the country and its people. I've seen it with my own eyes
@chunchun863 Just to add to your comment, please note that the money offered by Germany to the Namibian government is not for reparations. The German government wants it characterized as Aid so that it will not be another blow to Germany's reputation. My understanding is that discussions are still ongoing but that too is controversial.
@@phylliskumi4355 Agreed, but Namibia shouldn't settle for anything less, even if it is not necessarily politically expedient.
Thank you.
... Comrade Trumpski will be Taking Notes....
Don't be a twaat
Don’t be a Trump cult member
@@plus0ultra okgroomer
Pretty pathetic reply given Trump has publicly lusted after & fondled his own daughter on several occasions 🙄
Quite the ironic reply considering Trump has publicly lusted after & f0ndled his own daughter on several occasions
One day you should make a video on William Tubman of Liberia or Siaka Stevens of Sierra Leone
crowned himself Emperor!? Baka ne!
Every time someone talks about how bad Africa is run, remember none of this happened until Europe got involved.
And then when Britain pulled out they made the newspeak-esque system called the ‘commonwealth’ like Africa was too poor to live without the UK 💀
Your videos are really good. Thanks for your effort.
18:20 😂😂 he named everything after himself
Not the only crazy national leader. There are plenty around today including nations that think they are entitled to lead the world.
What's the best possible outcome of insulting one of your officers and then banning him from the country?
😊😊😊😊 I watch every documentary about this guy. I don’t know why
Excellent documentary
Give an African man too much power, and see what he became
Give any man too much power, and see what he becomes
@@cindys9491 nope Africa in particular, you know why? Because the vast majority of Africans will prefer to live in devastating oppression, then to fight against their oppressor and die in the process, in other word they prefer to live as a slave than die as free people, it's happening in my country Nigeria right now, and everyone are just too scared to speak up or they just pretend ad if it's not happening, there's a reason why the most oppressed group of people in history have been Black people.
@@cindys9491no need to correct her Cindy.
@@hotmess9640 Not a correction, an addendum.
Love your vids!
Very interesting documentary
This man is a legend! 😤
This was an amazing video
How come we've never heard of him before? 🕵🏽♀️
Because you have not read about him previously, I'm just a guy from north wales and I had heard of him.
Fascinating individual. Thank you for the video. Also goes to show, no matter what you do to your people, if you're a Francophone leader and you support the French, you'll remain in power - just look at Togo
It’s crazy how all the dictators, emporors and kings used to ride in. Mercedes 600
african history is really intresting to watch.greeting from asia
The coronation sounds like a parody. Ridiculous.
Crowning himself at his coronation has made my day.😂
Good content 👌
A man that reached his potential at the rank of Captain. Then an inflated ego and connections led to his brutal rise in power.
Not only a rational-seeming leader, but also a handsome gent!
As I said about another documentary, "people deserve the leaders they have"... this is ridiculous. Almost a joke. What a level of ignorance of those who allowed this man to do everything he did. This is a shared responsibility. He is "out of control" and we allow him to do whatever he wants to do. Incredible to say the least.
Love the editng
I love this channel very nice videos. Impressive summary of Central African history under Bokassa’s regime. But how can you talk about the man who was a womanizer but turned out have a wife who cheated multiple times with Giscard. I think we need a part 2 of this episode, there’re more to his regime and the end of his life with his relationship between him, his wife, france and the centrafrican country.
I never forgot the pictures I saw ina an Italian magazine showing his freezer with human frozen pieces.
Typical Africans with power.
Why africa will never be technologically advanced is because we have maintain traditions that are not usefull
Great video, thank you! I know way less about younger african history than I'd like to admit - I'm sure your channel will be a great help in catching up!
PS: And the remark about the Royals, racism and double-standards doesn't seem too wrong actually - just by accident.
A very good video 👏😊