STATUE OF TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE
Statue of Toussaint Louverture in full regalia, standing on a pedestal in the center of a small square in Allada
Toussaint Louverture? In the center of a small square in Allada, the father of Haiti's independence stands on a pedestal. Toussaint Louverture is depicted in full regalia, with golden epaulets and a sword in each hand. This is an unexpected sight on the outskirts of the small Beninese town, but Toussaint Louverture is said to be a son of a king of Allada. Indeed, even during his lifetime, a rumor told that, although born in the Caribbean, he was the son of Gahou Deguénon, a king of Allada. The myth of this royal ancestry would come from the fact that Toussaint Louverture could read and write, which strongly impressed the other slaves, according to historian Bernard Gainot.
Born a slave in 1743 on the Caribbean island of Saint-Domingue, he was finally freed in 1776. When the French Revolution broke out, he took the lead of the black insurgent troops of Saint-Domingue. After a few ups and downs, Toussaint Louverture was appointed general-in-chief of the army in 1797. He then installed "black power" over the French colony of Saint-Domingue and took the title of governor. This strongly displeased Napoleon Bonaparte, who had him arrested. In 1802, General Toussaint Louverture was transferred to France, where he died a few months later in prison, but the wheel of history continued to turn. In 1804, Saint-Domingue was the first colony to become independent. It then took back its original name: Haiti.
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