Jean Bolikango

Jean Bolikango
Bolikango in 1960
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo
In office 9 February 1961 – 1 August 1961
President	Joseph Kasa-Vubu
Prime Minister	Joseph Iléo
Preceded by	Antoine Gizenga
In office 13 February 1962 – 12 July 1962
President	Joseph Kasa-Vubu
Prime Minister	Cyrille Adoula
Ministerial offices Minister of Information of the Republic of the Congo In office 13 September 1960 – 20 September 1960 Preceded by Anicet Kashamura In office 9 February 1961 – 1 August 1961 Succeeded by Joseph Iléo Minister of Defence of the Republic of the Congo In office 13 September 1960 – 20 September 1960 Preceded by Patrice Lumumba Minister of Public Works of the Democratic Republic of the Congo In office 28 November 1965 – 16 April 1966 President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu Prime Minister Léonard Mulamba Succeeded by Antoine Apindia
Constituencies represented Member of the Chamber of Deputies for Mongala In office 1960–1963 In office 1965–1967 Member of Parliament for Kinshasa In office 1970–1975
Personal details
Born	(1909-02-04)4 February 1909 Léopoldville, Belgian Congo
Died	17 February 1982(1982-02-17) (aged 73) Liège, Belgium
Political party	Parti de l'Unité Congolaise (1959) Front de l'Unite Bangala (1959–1960) Association des Ressortisants du Haut-Congo (1960) Parti de l'Unité Nationale (1960–?) Convention Nationale Congolaise (1965–?) Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution (1968–1982)
Spouse	Claire Bolikango

Jean Bolikango, later Bolikango Akpolokaka Gbukulu Nzete Nzube (4 February 1909 – 17 February 1982), was a Congolese educator, writer, and politician. He served twice as Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), in September 1960 and from February to August 1962. Enjoying substantial popularity among the Bangala people, he headed the Parti de l'Unité Nationale and worked as a key opposition member in Parliament in the early 1960s.

Bolikango began his career in the Belgian Congo as a teacher in Catholic schools, and became a prominent member of Congolese society as the leader of a cultural association. He wrote an award-winning novel and worked as a journalist before turning to politics in the late 1950s. Though he held a top communications post in the colonial administration, he became a leader in the push for independence, making him one of the "fathers of independence" in the Congo. The Republic of the Congo became independent in 1960 and Bolikango attempted to organise a national political base that would support his bid for a prestigious office in the new government. He succeeded in establishing the Parti de l'Unité Nationale and promoted both a united Congo and strong ties with Belgium. Older than most of his contemporaries and commanding significant respect—especially among his Bangala peers, he was seen as the Congo's "elder statesman". Regardless, his attempts to secure a position in the government failed and he became a leading member of the opposition in Parliament.

As the country became embroiled in a domestic crisis, the first government was dislodged and succeeded by several different administrations. Bolikango served as Deputy Prime Minister in one of the new governments before a partial state of stability was reestablished in 1961. He mediated between warring factions in the Congo and briefly served once again as Deputy Prime Minister in 1962 before returning to the parliamentary opposition. After Joseph-Désiré Mobutu took power in 1965, Bolikango became a minister in his government. Mobutu soon dismissed him but appointed him to the political bureau of the Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution. Bolikango left the bureau in 1970. He left Parliament in 1975 and died seven years later. His grandson created the Jean Bolikango Foundation in his memory to promote social progress. The President of the Congo posthumously awarded Bolikango a medal in 2005 for his long career in public service.