Jacques Opangault

Jacques Opangault was born on December 13, 1907, in Ikagna, Cuvette Department. Working as a judicial clerk in the colonial court system, he rose to become the preeminent political leader of northern Congo.

In 1946, Opangault founded the Congolese section of the SFIO (later the Mouvement Socialiste Africain - MSA). After years of fierce political rivalry with Fulbert Youlou's UDDIA, Opangault demonstrated patriotic statesmanship by agreeing to form a coalition government of national unity upon independence in 1960, serving as Minister of State and Deputy Prime Minister until retiring from politics in 1965.