Abbé Youlou
Abbé Youlou was born on July 19, 1917. He was a Black African Congolese Roman Catholic priest, nationalist leader, and politician.
Abbé Fulbert Youlou, whose last name means "Grape" in the Lari language, was born in Madibou in Pool. At nine years old, a younger child in a family of three boys, he was baptized and received the Christian name Fulbert. In 1929, he entered the Petit Seminar of Brazzaville and was sent to Cameroon to complete his secondary studies. After this, he entered the Grand Seminar of Yaoundé, doing well in philosophy. Here, he met Barthélemy Boganda, the future nationalist leader of Oubangui-Chari, the first prime minister of the Central African Republic autonomous territory, and Andre-Marie Mbida, Cameroon's first head of state.
Returning to Congo, he taught before traveling to Libreville to complete his theological studies. He completed his final cycle of studies and was ordained as a priest in 1949. He was assigned to the parish of Saint-François de Brazzaville, where he directed several youth organizations, sporting activities, and Catholic groups. He also covered the general hospital and the prison. Youlou was interested in politics. Encouraged by his protector, Father Charles Lecomte, he offered his candidature for the African college in the territorial elections in 1947 in the district of Pool.
However, although Lecomte was elected to the European College without difficulty, Youlou suffered a bitter defeat. He realized that if he were elected, he would no longer appear so clearly supported by the administration or the missions. However, a man of the white church, Youlou, gave himself over to the African resistance. In August 1960, he led his country into independence with Patrice Lumumba, the MNC-L leader, becoming the first Prime Minister.
In December 1960, he organized an intercontinental conference in Brazzaville, during which he praised the advantages of economic liberalism and condemned communism. Three years later, he left power. Youlou disappointed many from the North when he imposed a single-party system and imprisoned union leaders in August 1963; this led to the revolution of the "Trois Glorieuses." Charles de Gaulle despised him, and France refused to assist him. He resigned in the face of overwhelming opposition to his governance. Abbé Youlou, who became the first President of the Republic of the Congo upon its independence, died on May 6, 1972.
