Encyclopedia

Olympio, Sylvanus

Olympio, Sylvanus (silvän'us ōlimpē'u) [key], 1902–63, African political leader, president of Togo from 1961 to 1963. He was active in trade before entering politics and helped bring about Togo's independence from France. Before Togo became a republic in 1960, he was premier and minister of finance and justice. He was assassinated in a coup in 1963 by a group of ex-soldiers.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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