Isidore de Souza
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Isidore de Souza | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Cotonou | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Cotonou |
| In office | 27 December 1990 – 13 March 1999 |
| Predecessor | Christophe Adimou |
| Successor | Nestor Assogba |
| Previous post | Coadjutor Archbishop of Cotonou (1981-1990) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 8 July 1962 by Bernardin Gantin |
| Consecration | 8 December 1981 by Bernardin Gantin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 April 1934 |
| Died | 13 March 1999 (aged 64) Ouidah, Atlantique Department, Benin |
Isidore de Souza (4 April 1934 – 13 March 1999) was a Beninese Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Cotonou from 1990 to 1999.
De Souza was born into the aristocratic De Souza family of Ouidah on 4 April 1934. He was the uncle of Chantal Yayi, who served as First Lady of Benin from 2006 to 2016, and the late Marcel Alain de Souza (1953–2019), a banker and former President of the ECOWAS Commission.[1]
De Souza went on to study in Abidjan and Rome.[2] He was ordained a priest on 8 July 1962. De Souza was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Cotonou on 17 July 1981 and became Archbishop on 27 December 1990.[3] He led the National Conference in February 1990, which was convened to address economic issues but returned Benin to democracy. He was instrumental in preventing the army from disbanding it.[4]
De Souza served as the chairman of the High Council of the Republic from 28 February 1990 to 31 March 1991,[5] setting up the presidential election and a new constitution. He persuaded President Mathieu Kerekou to accept the decisions of the council and return Benin to civilian rule.[2] De Souza was the chairman of the Regional Episcopal Conference of Francophone West Africa from 1997 to his death.[6] He died on 13 March 1999 in Ouidah.[2]
