Olympio's Body To Be Re-Buried in Togo
Togo’s President, Faure Gnasssingbe has given a firm promise to enter into discussions with the family of the late Sylvanus Olympio, the country’s first civilian Head of State for his mortal remains to be re-interred in Togo from its resting place at Agoe town in neighbouring Republic of Benin.
“This will enable the first President of Togo to be accorded the full honours which his status deserves”, President Faure Gnassingbe said in a New Year radio and television broadcast to the nation.
The late Sylvanus Olympio was assassinated in what has largely been regarded as black Africa’s first military coup d’etat on January 13, 1963 by Togolese veterans retired from the French Legion. But his remains were buried at Agoe in neighbouring Benin, due to the wishes of the family.
As part of the search for national reconciliation and appeasement, January 13, 2010 would now be devoted essentially to a day of national prayers for peace and reflection for the success of the country’s next presidential elections due in February 2010, the Togolese President declared.
In the past, the celebration of January 13 polarised the country along two political lines.
While ruling party supporters used the occasion to commemorate the rise to power of the late President Gnassingbe Eyadema and to show their might of power through gigantic civilian and military parades, opposition supporters and those of the Union of Forces for Change UFC party, led by Gilchrist Olympio, the son of the assassinated Head of State devoted the day for church services.
“The occasion of the celebrations marking the accession of our country to international sovereignty should be the most auspicious moment to affirm once more our common commitment to live together in order to perpetuate our national unity”, President Faure said.
President Faure stressed the imperative necessity to have peaceful, non-violent and credible presidential elections.
The President’s New Year’s address to the nation has been hailed in many civilian quarters as a reconciliation gesture in the right political direction.
But so far, there has been no reaction from the opposition Union of Forces for Change party led by Gilchrist Olympio, who accuses the late General Gnassingbé Eyadema for pulling the trigger that killed his father.
Before he died, the late President Eyadema vehemently denied the allegation.