Choosing what to watch night after night the flicking through the endless

searching is a nightmare we want to help you on our brand new podcast off the

telly we share what we've been watching

Cladie Aide.

Load to games, loads of fun, loads of screaming.

Lovely. Off the telly with me Joanna Paige.

And me, Natalie Cassidy, so your evenings can be a little less

searching and a lot more auction listen on BBC sounds. Hello, you're listening to the Witness History Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Ashley Byrne and today I'm taking you back to 1979 and a series of protests by school children and

university students which would eventually lead to the downfall of one of

Africa's most notorious dictators, Emperor Jean Bédelle Bacassa. I've been speaking to Andre Nelke de Roggo who took part in the events in the

Central African Republic.

Bocassus Empire was despotic,

and what we wish for was the introduction of democracy

so that the people could legitimately appoint their rulers.

John Badele Boccasa had taken power in the Central African Republic in a coup in 1966.

He proclaimed himself president for life and later even crowned himself

Emperor in a lavish ceremony costing tens of millions of dollars. During his time

in power he gained a reputation as a savage and bloodthirsty ruler and there were rumors of summary executions and even cannibalism.

I can still remember when Boccasa came to power. I was nine or ten years old. The idea was

for him to hand power back to the people and he did not. His rule lasted 14 years.

In January 1979 protests began across the country against Bacassa's plans to introduce a mandatory and for many

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