History of the Comoros (1978–89)
The Comoros is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa. France first established colonial rule in the Comoros in 1841. Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for the Comoros to become independent in 1978. On July 6, 1975, but the Comorian parliament passed a unilateral resolution declaring independence. The deputies of Mayotte, which remained under French control, abstained. Referendums on all four of the islands excluding Mayotte showed strong support for independence. Ahmed Abdallah proclaimed the Comoros' independence on September 5, 1975 and became its first president.
Said Atthoumani
Until 23 May 1978 Atthoumani headed the short-lived provisional government by leading a politico-military directorate which took charge of the State of Comoros. Ten days after the coup, the two men who had financed the coup, former president Ahmed Abdallah (himself the victim of the 1975 coup) and former vice president Mohamed Ahmed, returned to Moroni from exile in Paris. After Atthoumani formally gave up power to them, they installed themselves as joint presidents, renaming the state as Federal and Islamic Republic of Comoros, "(République Fédérale Islamique des Comores)". Soon thereafter, Abdallah was named sole executive.