<Tr> <Th> Political party </Th> <Td> Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Spouse (s) </Th> <Td> Kady Racine Sow (1930--1952; divorced) Marie - Thérèse Houphouët - Boigny (1962--1993; his death) </Td> </Tr> <P> Félix Houphouët - Boigny ((feliks ufwɛ (t) bwaɲi); 18 October 1905--7 December 1993), affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux (The Old One), was the first President of Ivory Coast (1960 to 1993), serving for more than three decades until his death . A tribal chief, he worked as a medical aide, union leader, and planter before being elected to the French Parliament . He served in several ministerial positions within the French government before leading Côte d'Ivoire following independence in 1960 . Throughout his life, he played a significant role in politics and the decolonization of Africa . </P> <P> Under Houphouët - Boigny's politically moderate leadership, Ivory Coast prospered economically . This success, uncommon in poverty - ridden West Africa, became known as the "Ivorian miracle" and was due to a combination of sound planning, the maintenance of strong ties with the West (particularly France), and development of the country's significant coffee and cocoa industries . However, the exploitation of the agricultural sector caused difficulties in 1980, after a sharp drop in the prices of coffee and cocoa . </P>

Who was the first president of ivory coast