François Tombalbaye

President of Chad from 1960 to 1975

François Tombalbaye (Arabic: فرنسوا تومبالباي Franswā Tūmbālbāy; 15 June 1918 – 13 April 1975), also known as N'Garta Tombalbaye, was a Chadian politician who served as the first President of Chad from the country's independence in 1960 until his overthrow in 1975. A dictatorial leader, his divisive policies as president led to factional conflict and a pattern of authoritarian leadership and political instability that is still relevant in Chad today. A native of the south of the country and a member of the Sara ethnic group, Tombalbaye began his career as a teacher during French colonial rule and joined the Chadian Progressive Party (PPT) in 1946.

From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA. More on occurri.