,

Benin
Benin Marina Hotel
Benin Financial
Benin Memories
Benin Friends
Benin: Groupage
Souvenirs

 

West Africa
Burkina Faso
Cote d'Ivoire
Ghana
Gabon
Guinea
|
Mali
Nigeria
Senegal
Togo


 

ATA Friends in Benin, West Africa
 

 ATA BENIN CHAPTER:
Theo Wilfrid Abediaye (dec.)
Past President, Benin Chapter ATA
Top Tours & Safaris
03 B,P, 3672, Cotonou, Benin
Tel. 229- 311-087, fax 229-31.10.88

 

 

The first tour operator I met during my first visit to Africa was Theo Abediaye, and our friendship grew over the years, until his untimely death. A few months before he passed away, Theo gave us a photo album of early photos taken at ATA functions and during the many tours he escorted so professionally. We will feature this material in coming editions, most especially the Souvenir Yearbook. Theo is the kind of rare individual one never forgets. Jerry W. Bird, Editor

Jet-Setters Meet : While strolling through the Medina in Marrakech, Morocco in December, 2002, we had the pleasure of a chance meeting with a familiar friend, Marie-Elyse Gbedo, former Tourism Minister of Benin. Later that day we visited with her at the Imperial Borj hotel for an interview session regarding her visions for West Africa in the coming decade. This meeting was timely, since Ms. Gbedo was in the Marrakech for the African Professional Women's Association.

An excerpt from Panafrican News Agency states the following: “Gbedo is former minister of trade, handicraft and tourism. Serving vice-president of Benin's Association of Women Lawyers, she named "moral integrity, scrupulous respect for the constitution and the independence of the judiciary" as pillars of her points for good governance. Improvement in the economy, agriculture, industry, health, education, as well as cultural awareness, social justice, child protection and women's advancement also form part of her 12-point program she has proposed. ”

Watch for her comments from our taped interview later in this section.