He studied in the Small Seminar of Pabré to became a Catholic priest, but lost his sacerdotal vocation when he met Félicité Zagré who later became his wife.
He was president from 1960 until 1966, for the Voltaic Democratic Union, and was a member of the government whilst it was still a French colony. He was forced to resign after a general strike on January 3, 1966, giving power to General Sangoulé Lamizana upon the demonstrators' demand.