Was Dahomey renamed
Yes, Dahomey was officially renamed the Republic of Benin in 1975. This change was made in order to break away from the country's colonial past and to reflect a new sense of national identity.
Which colonizer gave independence to the Republic of Benin and who was the prime Minister/president of the colonizer at that time
The Republic of Benin gained independence from France on August 1, 1960. At that time, the President of France was Charles de Gaulle and the Prime Minister was Michel Debré. The independence of Benin was part of a wave of decolonization movements in Africa during the mid-20th century.
Who was the Nationalist leader(s) and what was the political party(ies) called
The nationalist leader who played a key role in the independence movement of Benin was Hubert Maga. He was a founding member of the Dahomeyan Democratic Rally (Rassemblement Démocratique Dahoméen, or RDD), which was one of the major political parties in Benin during the colonial period and post-independence era. Another prominent nationalist leader was Sourou-Migan Apithy, who was also a key figure in the independence movement. Together with Justin Ahomadegbé, these leaders formed the "Three Musketeers" who advocated for independence from French colonial rule.
Who was the first prime Minister/president of the Republic of Benin?
What method was used to gain independence
The first President of the Republic of Benin was Hubert Maga, who served from 1960 to 1963. He was later overthrown in a coup. The first Prime Minister was Sourou-Migan Apithy.
The method used to gain independence from France was mainly through negotiation and diplomatic efforts. Dahomey (now Benin) achieved independence peacefully through talks between local nationalist leaders and French authorities. There were also some protests and demonstrations by the local population demanding independence, but overall, the process was relatively peaceful compared to some other African countries gaining independence from colonial powers.