Congolese educator, writer, and conservative politician (1909–1982)
"Bolikango" redirects here. For the commune of the same name, see Lisala.
Jean Bolikango
Bolikango in 1960
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo
In office 9 February 1961 – 1 August 1961
President
Joseph Kasa-Vubu
Prime Minister
Joseph Iléo
Preceded by
Antoine Gizenga
In office 13 February 1962 – 12 July 1962
President
Joseph Kasa-Vubu
Prime Minister
Cyrille Adoula
Ministerial offices
Minister of Information of the Republic of the Congo
In office 13 September 1960 – 20 September 1960
Preceded by
Anicet Kashamura
In office 9 February 1961 – 1 August 1961
Succeeded by
Joseph Iléo
Minister of Defence of the Republic of the Congo
In office 13 September 1960 – 20 September 1960
Preceded by
Patrice Lumumba
Minister of Public Works of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In office 28 November 1965 – 16 April 1966
President
Joseph-Désiré Mobutu
Prime Minister
Léonard Mulamba
Succeeded by
Antoine Apindia
Constituencies represented
Member of the Chamber of Deputies for Mongala
In office 1960–1963
In office 1965–1967
Member of Parliament for Kinshasa
In office 1970–1975
Personal details
Born
(1909-02-04)4 February 1909 Léopoldville, Belgian Congo
Died
17 February 1982(1982-02-17) (aged 73) Liège, Belgium
Political party
Parti de l'Unité Congolaise (1959) Front de l'Unite Bangala (1959–1960) Association des Ressortisants du Haut-Congo (1960) Parti de l'Unité Nationale (1960–?) Convention Nationale Congolaise (1965–?) Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution (1968–1982)
Spouse
Claire Bolikango
Jean Bolikango, later Bolikango Akpolokaka Gbukulu Nzete Nzube (4 February 1909 – 17 February 1982), was a Congolese educator, writer, and politician. He served twice as Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), in September 1960 and from February to August 1962. Enjoying substantial popularity among the Bangala people, he headed the Parti de l'Unité Nationale and worked as a key opposition member in Parliament in the early 1960s.
Bolikango began his career in the Belgian Congo as a teacher in Catholic schools, and became a prominent member of Congolese society as the leader of a cultural association. He wrote an award-winning novel and worked as a journalist before turning to politics in the late 1950s. Though he held a top communications post in the colonial administration, he became a leader in the push for independence, making him one of the "fathers of independence" in the Congo. The Republic of the Congo became independent in 1960 and Bolikango attempted to organise a national political base that would support his bid for a prestigious office in the new government. He succeeded in establishing the Parti de l'Unité Nationale and promoted both a united Congo and strong ties with Belgium. Older than most of his contemporaries and commanding significant respect—especially among his Bangala peers, he was seen as the Congo's "elder statesman". Regardless, his attempts to secure a position in the government failed and he became a leading member of the opposition in Parliament.
As the country became embroiled in a domestic crisis, the first government was dislodged and succeeded by several different administrations. Bolikango served as Deputy Prime Minister in one of the new governments before a partial state of stability was reestablished in 1961. He mediated between warring factions in the Congo and briefly served once again as Deputy Prime Minister in 1962 before returning to the parliamentary opposition. After Joseph-Désiré Mobutu took power in 1965, Bolikango became a minister in his government. Mobutu soon dismissed him but appointed him to the political bureau of the Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution. Bolikango left the bureau in 1970. He left Parliament in 1975 and died seven years later. His grandson created the Jean Bolikango Foundation in his memory to promote social progress. The President of the Congo posthumously awarded Bolikango a medal in 2005 for his long career in public service.
JeanBolikango, later Bolikango Akpolokaka Gbukulu Nzete Nzube (4 February 1909 – 17 February 1982), was a Congolese educator, writer, and politician...
1960, Lumumba had a government list, but negotiations continued with JeanBolikango, Albert Delvaux, and Kasa-Vubu. Lumumba reportedly offered the Alliance...
only co-opted as a senator on a PUNA ticket due to his friendship with JeanBolikango, leader of PUNA and a popular figure among the Bangala in Équateur Province...
from 1960 to 1963. Patrice Lumumba, Joseph Kasa-Vubu, Albert Kalonji, JeanBolikango, Cléophas Kamitatu, and Paul Bolya are all considered "Fathers of Independence"...
13 June. The central government was represented by Cyrille Adoula, JeanBolikango, and Marcel Lihau while the Stanleyville government was represented...
form; it principally consisted of the PNP, PUNA, and the MNC-K led by JeanBolikango (of PUNA), Kalonji, and Iléo (both of MNC-K). Kasa-Vubu aligned himself...
troops from Équateur and southern Kasai were additionally upset that JeanBolikango and Albert Kalonji were not included in the new government. Many of...
13.06 percent of the vote, after Joseph Kabila (Laurent-Désiré's son) and Jean-Pierre Bemba. On 30 September 2006, Gizenga signed a coalition agreement...
process from that point forward. In June he joined Cyrille Adoula and JeanBolikango in negotiating with the representatives of the Stanleyville government...
formed principally consisted of the PNP, PUNA, and the MNC-K led by JeanBolikango (of PUNA), Kalonji, and Iléo (both of MNC-K). Kasa-Vubu aligned himself...
21 June the Chamber selected him to be its first president, beating JeanBolikango in a vote 74 to 58. He presided over the joint-session of Parliament...
Joseph Kasa-Vubu's ABAKO. Promontorio became a political adviser to JeanBolikango's Association des Ressortisants du Haut-Congo (ASSORECO) during the Economic...
President Joseph Kasa-Vubu Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba Succeeded by JeanBolikango Personal details Born (1928-12-17)17 December 1928 Kalehe, Kivu Province...
Mouvement National Congolais, a political party, but later left it to join JeanBolikango's Parti de l'Unité Nationale (PUNA). In March 1960 Eketebi was appointed...
him. Lumumba separately declared Mpolo commander-in-chief of the ANC. Bolikango, who had been chosen as Iléo's Minister of Information, arrived at Kashamura's...
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