BY: LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE

Ahmed Sekou Toure was born on January 9, 1922, in the French colony of French Guinea. He came from a very aristocratic family, his great-grandfather Samory Toure was a muslim Mandinka (Mandingo ) king, who founded the Wassoulou Empire from (1861-1890) in areas that are now part of modern-day Guinea and Mali. Samory resisted French Colonial rule, until he was captured in 1891, sadly he would die while in exile in the country of Gabon.

In 1945, while working for the French Guinea postal service, Toure began to get involved in politics, when he and others founded the postal workers union.

Seven years later, he would become head of the Guinean Democratic Party, the party’s main goal was to end European rule and colonialism on the continent of Africa.

In 1956, Toure would organize a trade union between African countries under French colonial rule.

While in France, Toure would also work as a representative for African groups fighting for independence from their colonial oppressor.

Toure would go on to win independence for Guinea on October 2, 1958.

The rest of Francophone Africa would follow suit and gain independence two years later in 1960.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION USE LINK :

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Sékou_Touré