Bohicon

Bohicon

 is a city in Benin, and a conurbation of Abomey lying 9 kilometres east of the city on the railway line from Cotonou to Parakou and on Benin’s main highway RNIE 2 which joins the RNIE 4. The commune covers an area of 139 square kilometres and as of 2012 had a population of 149,271 people.

Bohicon traders of textiles such as cushions and matresses

Mosque and Mission Jama’at Islamic Ahmadiyya in Bohicon

A speciality sold in the market is afitin (soy dawa-dawa/soy iru), which is traditionally and somewhat famously in Benin made by women in the region. It is a protein-rich fermented food widely used in West Africa as a seasoning.

Climate

Bohicon has a rather dry tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) with a lengthy though moderate wet season from March to October and a short dry season from November to February. The wet season divides into two periods: a hotter first half from March to June and a cooler, foggy second half somewhat influenced by the northern extension of the Benguela Current.

Bohicon is a city in Benin, and a conurbation of Abomey lying 9 kilometres east of the city on the railway line from Cotonou to Parakou and on Benin’s main highway RNIE 2 which joins the RNIE 4. The commune covers an area of 139 square kilometres and as of 2012 had a population of 149,271 people.

Bohicon traders of textiles such as cushions and matresses

Mosque and Mission Jama’at Islamic Ahmadiyya in Bohicon

A speciality sold in the market is afitin (soy dawa-dawa/soy iru), which is traditionally and somewhat famously in Benin made by women in the region. It is a protein-rich fermented food widely used in West Africa as a seasoning.

Climate

Bohicon has a rather dry tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) with a lengthy though moderate wet season from March to October and a short dry season from November to February. The wet season divides into two periods: a hotter first half from March to June and a cooler, foggy second half somewhat influenced by the northern extension of the Benguela Current.

hideClimate data for Bohicon (1961-1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 36.7
(98.1)
37.8
(100.0)
37.7
(99.9)
36.5
(97.7)
34.9
(94.8)
33.5
(92.3)
31.7
(89.1)
31.8
(89.2)
32.9
(91.2)
33.9
(93.0)
35.3
(95.5)
35.4
(95.7)
37.8
(100.0)
Average high °C (°F) 34.4
(93.9)
35.8
(96.4)
35.2
(95.4)
33.8
(92.8)
32.4
(90.3)
30.7
(87.3)
29.3
(84.7)
29.1
(84.4)
30.2
(86.4)
31.7
(89.1)
33.8
(92.8)
33.8
(92.8)
32.5
(90.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 28.4
(83.1)
29.7
(85.5)
29.5
(85.1)
28.7
(83.7)
27.8
(82.0)
26.4
(79.5)
25.5
(77.9)
25.3
(77.5)
26.0
(78.8)
27.0
(80.6)
28.4
(83.1)
28.1
(82.6)
27.6
(81.7)
Average low °C (°F) 22.4
(72.3)
23.6
(74.5)
23.9
(75.0)
23.6
(74.5)
23.1
(73.6)
22.2
(72.0)
21.8
(71.2)
21.5
(70.7)
21.7
(71.1)
22.2
(72.0)
22.9
(73.2)
22.4
(72.3)
22.6
(72.7)
Record low °C (°F) 19.2
(66.6)
21.0
(69.8)
21.0
(69.8)
20.9
(69.6)
20.6
(69.1)
20.2
(68.4)
20.1
(68.2)
20.3
(68.5)
20.3
(68.5)
20.3
(68.5)
20.7
(69.3)
19.0
(66.2)
19.0
(66.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 3.6
(0.14)
28.3
(1.11)
74.9
(2.95)
127.3
(5.01)
153.2
(6.03)
175.0
(6.89)
142.2
(5.60)
112.4
(4.43)
140.0
(5.51)
118.8
(4.68)
22.3
(0.88)
14.4
(0.57)
1,112.4
(43.80)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 1 2 5 9 10 12 9 8 9 9 2 1 77
Mean monthly sunshine hours 210.8 201.6 204.6 204.0 210.8 171.0 114.7 96.1 123.0 195.3 231.0 213.9 2,176.8
Mean daily sunshine hours 6.8 7.2 6.6 6.8 6.8 5.7 3.7 3.1 4.1 6.3 7.7 6.9 6.0
Source: NOAA[3]

Administration

Bohicon Railway Station

Bohicon is one of the 77 official Communes of Benin. The city is located 9 kilometres from Abomey but the commune is divided into arrondissements:

  • Bohicon 1
  • Bohicon 2
  • Sdohomé
  • Saclo
  • Passangon
  • Ouassaho
  • Lissezoun
  • Gnidjazoun
  • Avogbana
  • Agongointo

Notable landmarks

Lycée Technique de Bohicon

  • Lycée Technique de Bohicon (LYTEB)
  • Collège Monseigneur Steinmetz
  • Bohicon Railway Station
  • Parc Archeologique d’Agongointo

Entrance to the Parc Archéologique d’Agongointo

Notable people

  • Nicéphore Dieu-Donné Soglo – former President of Benin
  • Hubert Maga – Born in Parakou but studied in Bohicon.
  • Abraham Zinzindohoue – former Benin Minister of Justice
  • Ben La Desh – Musician from Rotterdam but born in Bohicon.
  • Jonas Lekpa – Famous marabout living in Bohicon.