Orbituary – Professor Toussaint Yaouvi Tchitchi

Toussaint Yaovi TCHITCHI

Research professor in the Department of Language and Communication Sciences, retired;

Former Minister of Information and Communications;

Former Director of the National Institute for Training and Research in Education (INFRE);

Former Director of the National Center for Applied Linguistics (CENALA, now INALA);

Commander of the National Order of Benin on an exceptional basis;

Raised to the Dignity of Grand Officer of the National Order of Benin.

Professor Toussaint Yaovi Tchitchi was a founding member of CAFOR. He had previously worked in various capacities, including that of being the Zonal Coordinator for Francophone Africa for the writing of an Education ToolKit for African journalists and communication experts. This work was completed with many of the professionals in media end education who formed the organization we now called CAFOR. At the time, this was a Working Group on Communication for Education and Development known as COMED.

We at CAFOR are devastated to learn of the passing away of this eminent scholar and academic and world-renowned Professor of Languages and Linguistics from the University of Abomey-Calavi in the Republic of Benin.

Toussaint Yaovi Tchitchi taught African linguistics, terminology and languages, including “adja”, at the University of Abomey-Calavi.  He had held many senior positions in the Republic of Benin, including Minister of Information and Communications, Director of the National Institute for Training and Research in Education (INFRE) and former Director of the National Institute of Applied Linguistics (INALA), formerly CANELA).

Professor Toussaint Yaovi Tchitchi is the author of several literary works, including “The Spider in His Tales”.  A book prefaced by Bruno Amoussou, at the time President of the National Assembly of Benin. The book tells of what the political upheavals of June 1979 were like – the spider in the “adja” tale.  Professor Tchitchi was indeed a great scholar, whose works were published globally.

Toussaint Yaovi Tchitchi was also the promoter of the journal “Ablɔɖe”, a journal of his laboratory. Without a doubt, his demise constitutes a new “intellectual” loss for the African academic scientific community.

Toussaint Yaovi Tchitchi, the former Minister of Information and Communication of the Republic of Benin was born on December 31, 1938 and died on November 30, 2019, after a long illness at the National Hospital and University Center (CNHU) Hubert Koutoukou Maga of Cotonou. He was 80 years old.

Friends, relatives, scholars, academics, colleagues and professionals around the world have been paying tributes to Professor Tchitchi. Often described as a physically handsome man, many also saw him as a man too great in soul and spirit. He was a very kind and friendly person. Professor Tchitchi was so easy to access that he immediately became your friend the minute after your first meeting. This phenom was the case not only with his teacher-researcher colleagues but also with the younger ones, his students.

CAFOR extends its profound condolences to the bereaved family of Professor Toussaint Yaovi Tchitchi, and also to the entire academic community in Benin and elsewhere. Members of CAFOR who worked with Professor Tchtchi over the past decade have expressed their deep sadness on his passing. We have also been able to capture many tributes from around the world.

May His Soul Rest in Perfect Peace!