Death of Sylvanus Olympio (President): January 13
The Assassination of Sylvanus Olympio: Prelude to Togo’s Political Struggle On January 13, 1963, Sylvanus Olympio, the first President of Togo, was assassinated by a group of soldiers led by Sergeant Etienne Gnassingbe Eyadema, who then went on to seize power for himself. This event sparked a long and tumultuous political struggle in the West…