Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio (September 1902 - 13 January 1963) was a Togolese political figure. 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... A politician is an individual involved in politics, sometimes this may include political scientists. ...

He served as the Prime Minister of Togo from 1958 to 1961. He then served as the first President of Togo between 1961 and 1963 where he became the first president and prime minister of Togo for his first year in office, obtaining the seats in an election that barred Nicolas Grunitzky's party. List of Heads of Government of Togo (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Political Affiliations CFN – Coordination of New Forces CPP – Patriotic Pan-African Convergence CUT – Committee of Togolese Unity PTP – Togolese Progress Party RPT – Rally of the Togolese People UTD &#8211... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... This page contains a list of presidents of Togo. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Nicolas Grunitzky (1913-1969) was the second president of Togo. ...

During his presidency, Olympio pursued a pro-Western foreign policy. At one point, he visited the United States and had a friendly meeting with President John F. Kennedy. Togo maintained friendly relations with most of its neighbors, but relations with neighboring Ghana and its leader Kwame Nkrumah were consistently poor. Each state supported the other's dissidents. John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917–November 22, 1963), often referred to as John F Kennedy, JFK, or Jack Kennedy, was the 35th President of the United States. ... Kwame Nkrumah with Martin Luther King, Jr. ...

Olympio was assassinated in a military coup d'état on January 13th. after having been followed through the streets of Lomé by a band of former French soldiers who demanded payment and inclusion in his new army. The coup, considered the first African coup d'état, sent shock waves through Africa. Jack Ruby murdered the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ... A coup d’État (pronounced ), or simply coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government through unconstitutional means by a part of the state establishment — mostly replacing just the high-level figures. ...

The leader of the coup, Col. Gnassingbé Eyadéma, who later assumed the presidency in 1967 and held it until his death in 2005, claimed to have personally fired the shot which killed Olympio. He was shot after the U.S. embassy refused to open its gates to let him in, as he sought refuge there fleeing from the band of ex-soldiers from the French army led by Gnassingbé Eyadéma. (Please Take Note: This description of Olympio's assassination is not even remotely correct or factual. Olympio was killed in the middle of the night. He hid from the ex-French army Togolese mercenary soldiers in a car located in the United States Embassy car fleet garage. The US ambassador and the US deputy chief of mission (who is alive today to tell the true tale) found Olympio there and tried to save him. Olympio told them to leave the garage. He told them it was too dangerous. We had no marine guards or even any armed security in those far more peaceful times. It was very touch and go as to whether the soldiers would shoot my father as well. This was one of the worst and most devastating experiences of my father's life in all his years in the US Foreign Service. My father deeply admired and even loved Olympio. Throughout the remainder of my growing up, a very large black framed photo portrait of President Olympio always hung in the hall of our house.) Gnassingbé Eyadéma - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gnassingbé Eyadéma - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

His son, Gilchrist Olympio, is currently the most prominent opposition leader in Togo. Gilchrist Olympio in 2005. ...

He was succeeded by Emmanuel Bodjollé, head of an "Insurrection Committee" that ruled for only two days after which Nicolas Grunitzky was put in charge. Emmanuel Bodjollé (born 1928) served as Chairman of the Insurrection Committee in Togo from 13 January 1963 to 15 January 1963 following the overthrow of President Sylvanus Olympios government. ... Nicolas Grunitzky (1913-1969) was the second president of Togo. ...

Heads of state of Togo
Sylvanus Olympio • Emmanuel Bodjollé • Nicolas Grunitzky • Kléber Dadjo • Gnassingbé Eyadéma • Faure Gnassingbé • Bonfoh Abbass • Faure Gnassingbé