AFRICAN PRESIDENT KILLED AT GATE OF US EMBASSY IN LOME
Lome, Togo (JFK+50) In the early morning hours of January 13, 1963, President Sylvanus Olympio* of the west African nation of Togo, was assassinated just outside the gate of the United States Embassy here in Lome.**
The body of Mr. Olympio was found by the American ambassador, Leon B. Poullada who said "the body, riddled by...bullets, was found crumpled only three feet from the embassy gate." The president was seeking refuge at the embassy.
Etienne Eyadema claimed to have fired the shot that killed Olympio and he went on to claim power for himself in 1967. Eyadema held on to that power until 2005.
This assassination is described as the first coup d'etat in the French and British African colonies that won independence in the 1950s and 1960s.
*Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio (1902-1963) served as Prime Minister and President of Togo (1958-1963). SEO graduated from the London School of Economics & worked for the independence of Togo. He became president of the West African nation in 1961.
JFK & Sylvanus Olympio^
March 20, 1962
Photo by Abbie Rowe
JFK Library Image
^President Olympio is presenting President Kennedy a set of Togolese stamps honoring American astronauts.
