Phajosa Mesraṉin

"In this Ugbenung name, the family name is Phajosa"Phajosa Mesraṉin (15 December 1885 - 11 February 1964) was a Ugbenung nationalist and communist revolutionary who was the founder and leader of the People's Republic of Guenung from 1955 to 1964. He also served as the President of Guenung, the Premier of Guenung, and the General Secretary of the Ugbenung Communist Party in the same timespan.

Phajosa's legacy in Guenung is very controversial and hotly debated to this very day. Supporters say that Phajosa played an undeniable role in liberating Guenung from the British and greatly improving literacy and women's rights but denouncers criticize him as a totalitarian dictator who killed millions of Ugbenung and had an extreme cult of personality. His political theories and policies are known as Phajosaism.

Early life
Phajosa Mesraṉin was born on 15 December 1885 to a peasant family in the outskirts of Maimaivelre, British Guenung. He is of Vagbenung, Vamaimaivelre, and descent. Phajosa's family were originally rich farmers. They became poor due to the British taking their farmland in the first few months of their rule.

Career
Phajosa became influenced by the atrocities committed by the British in Guenung, becoming a nationalist and anti-imperialist. He joined Guenung's growing communist movement in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1929, Phajosa founded the Ugbenung Communist Party with several other like-minded revolutionaries, and participated in the Ugbenung War of Liberation, becoming one of the leaders of the Ugbenung independence movement. After the death of revolutionary Lai Bang in 1953, Phajosa became the leader of the Tafǔkɛ Wafaxafaxa Ugbenuŋ (TWU). He declared James Alexander Price, the Governor-General of Guenung from 1944 to 1955, the "Supreme Enemy of the Ugbenung People". The two ordered many assassination attempts against each other.

Leadership of Guenung
On 29 December 1955, Phajosa declared the People's Republic of Guenung and started purging anti-communist and/or religious leaders in the war of liberation like Kasheri Khuos̱in and Abdul Qaraji. Phajosa amassed a huge amount of power. He was simultaneously President of Guenung, Premier of Guenung, and General Secretary of the Ugbenung Communist Party.

Cult of personality
Almost immediately after the declaration of independence, Phajosa became the subject of one of the most pervasive cults of personalities in a communist state. Phajosa was frequently propagated as the "Mythical Emperor of Guenung" by the Ugbenung government. Until his death in 1964, Phajosa critically acclaimed the personality cult surrounding him, thanking the Ugbenung for supporting him. During Phajosa's rule, thousands of statues dedicated to Phajosa were erected.

Phajosa exaggerated his World War II and Ugbenung War of Liberation experience, saying that he single-handedly defeated both the Japanese and the British and restored Guenung to its former glory.

Death
Phajosa already had some health issues, like emphysema and heart problems due to his smoking and drug addiction from his days in the war. On February 11, 1964, Phajosa died of cardiovascular disease. There was a month-long mourning period and a state funeral was held on February 14. Close friend and revolutionary ally Hotep Gezarin replaced Phajosa as General Secretary, as written in his will.

Legacy
Phajosa's legacy is controversial and multi-faceted. For instance, positives of Phajosa include liberating Guenung from colonial rule and being a leading and influential figure in the Nesiondalsan Wars of Independence in the 1940s and 1950s. Within Guenung, Phajosa is praised for his values on education and equality. Literacy rates skyrocketed from 10% in 1950 to 73% in 1960. Phajosa also allowed women to serve in government and have leading positions in the Ugbenung Communist Party.