Emmanuel Bodjollé facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emmanuel Bodjollé
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Bodjollé in 1985
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| Acting President of Togo | |
| In office 13 January 1963 – 15 January 1963 |
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| Preceded by | Sylvanus Olympio |
| Succeeded by | Nicolas Grunitzky |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1928 (age 96–97) |
| Occupation | Soldier |
| Known for | Chairman of the nine-member Insurrection Committee that overthrew the government of Togolese President Sylvanus Olympio |
Emmanuel Bodjollé (born 1928) is a former military officer from Togo. He was the leader of a special group called the Insurrection Committee. This group took control of the government from President Sylvanus Olympio on January 13, 1963.
Contents
Emmanuel Bodjollé: A Brief Leader
Emmanuel Bodjollé was born in 1928. He played a very important role in Togo's history, even though his time as a leader was very short. He was a soldier who helped change the leadership of the country.
Early Life and Military Career
Bodjollé had been a master-sergeant in the French army. A master-sergeant is a high rank for a non-commissioned officer, someone who leads soldiers but isn't an officer with a college degree. After serving in the French army, he was among about 300 soldiers who returned to Togo. However, they were not made part of the Togolese army. This situation made many of these former soldiers unhappy.
The 1963 Coup in Togo
Because they were not included in the new army, Bodjollé and about thirty other former non-commissioned officers planned to take action. They formed a group and arrested the ministers (government officials) who worked for President Sylvanus Olympio. This event is known as a coup or coup d'état, which is when a small group suddenly takes control of a government, often by force.
During these events, President Olympio lost his life near the US embassy. Another soldier, Etienne Eyadéma (who later became known as Gnassingbé Eyadéma and would become president himself), was involved.
After the Coup
After the coup, Emmanuel Bodjollé's group put Nicolas Grunitzky in charge as the new leader of Togo. Bodjollé's time as the head of the Insurrection Committee was very brief, lasting only two days, from January 13 to January 15, 1963.
