50th Anniversary of the Military in Benin

Benin republic is today celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of its military services which include the Army, the Navy, the Airforce, as well as other paramilitary agencies such as the Gendamerie, Marine Police, Commando force et cetera.
The purpose of this colourful ceremony, according to the Head of Armed Forces Dr. Boni Yayi, is to display the military capability of the country as well as reinforce the potentials of the military with a view to injectingthe spirit of non-partisanship in politics.
Historical Background:The Benin military came into being on the promulgation of Law Number 60-32 of 28th July 1960, but it was not until 1961 that the first embryo of the army was conceived in Ouidah which then served as the official headquarters of the then DAHOMEY now Benin Republic.
November 30 1975 saw the birth of the Peoples Republic of Benin which was promptly followed by the transformation of the Army to the Peoples Army on 14th January 1976.
Recruitment into the military is on quota basis across the 12 provinces of the country reflecting the national character of the military.