Editing David Dacko (section)

==Early life and education==
Dacko was born in the village of [[Bouchia]], near [[Mbaïki]] in the [[Lobaye]] region (which was then a part of the [[French Equatorial Africa]]n territory of [[Ubangi-Shari]]), to Joseph Iniabodé and Marie Okolania. His parents belonged to the same ethnic group.{{sfn|Akyeampong|Niven|2012|pp=149–150}} A [[Mbaka people|M'Baka]] (Ngbaka), he was a distant cousin of future rival [[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]].{{sfn|Titley|1997|p=15}} Soon after Dacko's birth, his family moved to [[Boda, Lobaye|Boda]], where his father worked in a store belonging to a European coffee planter in Bonini named Tancret. In 1937, his father converted to Catholicism, after which he decided to stay married to one wife and sent the others away, including his mother. In 1938, he was sent to live with his uncle, Jêrome Gaza in Mbaïki.{{sfn|Akyeampong|Niven|2012|pp=149–150}} He began primary school in Mbaiki,{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} where his father worked as a plantation's night watchman.{{sfn|Titley|1997|p=15}} He continued his primary education in [[Bambari]]{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} before being admitted to the Ecole normale of Mouyoundzi in Moyen Congo. Studying for a career in teaching, he became schoolmaster of a large primary school in the capital, [[Bangui]]{{sfn|Titley|1997|p=16}} in 1951.

Dacko took part in an experimental educational program promoted by the French colonial administration. Dacko was named principal of Kouanga College in 1955 and became a supporter of independence leader [[Barthélémy Boganda]], who was from the same [[M'Baka people|Ngbaka]] ethnic group as Dacko.