Sylvanus Olympio

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Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio (September 1902 - 13 January 1963) was a Togolese political figure.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Preceded by: Nicolas Grunitzky	Prime Minister of Togo 1958–1961	Succeeded by: Joseph Kokou Koffigoh
Preceded by: (none)	President of Togo 1960–1963	Succeeded by: Emmanuel Bodjollé

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