“We don’t cling to power forever; I’m proud to pass the baton,” Patrice Talon

Facing these compatriots, Patrice Talon shared his joy at not clinging to power after his two consecutive terms. “Have I done you proud? You don’t cling to power forever. I am proud to hand over,” said the president.

It is with this sober, weighty statement that Patrice Talon addressed the public on April 6, on the sidelines of the Ouidah Festival Blue, a major public gathering held on the beach of Ouidah.

The date is no accident. It exactly marks the tenth anniversary of his inauguration as Benin’s head of state. Ten years in power summarized in a few sentences, without excessive emphasis, but with a clear will to hand over.

In this address, the head of state revealed a mix of a measured assessment of his record, restrained pride, and acceptance of the political time. Without formally announcing the future, he uttered words rarely spoken in the exercise of power, those that hint at the end of a cycle and the responsibility to pass the baton.

Beyond the cultural event and popular fervor, the message resonated as a reminder. Power is not a property, but a mission limited in time. And through this declaration, Patrice Talon framed his speech in a logic of heritage rather than personal continuity.