In Benin, President Patrice Talon delivered his State of the Nation address on Tuesday, December 23. It was the very last of his second term as head of state. During this final address, the Beninese leader touted his record, taking the opportunity to provoke his political opponents.

The man will say, for example, that the "legacy" left to him in 2016 "was not comfortable", but he succeeded in putting the country on the path of development and progress.

"Democracy is no longer a pretext for chaos, corruption, and impunity."

Now, Benin "is a country where everything is improving day by day, so that what is not yet achieved no longer seems inaccessible," believes Patrice Talon.

He also praised the political and constitutional reforms carried out during his reign.

For him, leading the Beninese nation should no longer be seen as a right, but rather as a duty requiring availability, vision, competence, and selflessness. "Democracy is no longer a pretext for chaos, corruption, and impunity," he continued.

Further on, the former cotton magnate will say that "it is no longer enough to be a crowd haranguer, a seller of illusions proclaimed as a political actor to seize (the) destiny (of the Beninese people) without any other plans than to enjoy it alone with his supporters."

"Preventing, at all costs, the retrograde nostalgics and the marginalized from halting progress"

To lead the people of Benin, protect them, ensure their well-being and the development of the country, "one must be capable and politically deserving," asserts Patrice Talon, who sees the "resistance, misunderstandings and clashes (which) are testing (his regime)" as proof that he is "on the right path."

He expects each generation to bring "to the eternal nation its share of innovation and constructive genius as well as its courage to prevent at all costs the retrograde nostalgics and the marginals from stopping progress."