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Flag of Togo on a flagpole. Photo by Pete Unseth- Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Most Famous People from Togo

Togo, a West African country, is one of the world’s smallest, with a width of less than 115 kilometers. It is also one of the most visited tourist attraction in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Togo, with a population of roughly 10 million people, is bounded to the west by Ghana, to the east by Benin and to the north by Burkina Faso. Lome, the country’s economic and cultural center, is located in the south, near the Gulf of Guinea.

1.Emmanuel Adebayor

Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor was born on February 26, 1984. He is a Togolese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Semassi of the Togolese Championnat National.

He played for English teams such as Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, as well as Metz in France, Monaco in Monaco, Real Madrid in Spain, Istanbul BaÅŸakÅŸehir and Kayserispor in Turkey, and Club Olimpia in Paraguay in the past.

While at Arsenal, he was named African Footballer of the Year in 2008 and in his later football career, he eventually became the most recognizable signing in Paraguayan football and the best earning player in the national history when he joined Olimpia Asunción in 2020.

Adebayor played for Togo in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the country’s first and only performance in the World Cup. Adebayor was one of the players participating when the Togo team’s bus was shot at on the way to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola in January 2010, after which he retired from national club duty.

He returned to the Togo team in 2013 for the African Cup of Nations in South Africa, where he assisted them reach the quarter-finals. With 32 goals, he is Togo’s all-time top goal-scorer.

2.Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio

Sylvanus Olympio. Photo by Ludwig Wegmann- Wikimedia commons

On September 6, 1902, Sylvanus Épiphanio Olympio was born. From 1958 until his assassination in 1963, he was a Togolese politician who served as Prime Minister and then President of Togo.

He was descended from the powerful Olympio family, which included his uncle Octaviano Olympio, one of Togo’s most wealthiest men in the early 1900s.

After graduating from the London School of Economics, he started working for Unilever as the general manager of the company’s African operations. Following World War II, Olympio became a significant figure in Togo’s independence movement and his party won the 1958 election, making him Prime Minister of the country.

When Togo gained independence, he won the 1961 presidential election, making him the country’s first president. He was assassinated during the Togolese revolution of 1963.

3.Gnassingbe Eyadema

Togo, just like other African countries, has experienced political unrest. Following independence from France in 1960, the first president, Sylvanus Epiphanio Olympio, was deposed in a military coup d’etat in 1967 by the country’s longest-serving president, Gnassingbe Eyadema. Eyadema remained in power until his death in 2005, ruling for 38 years.

His son, Faure Gnassingbe, took over the presidency and has been in charge ever since. Togo has a diverse number of languages however, French is the most spoken language.  Farming is an important factor to the country’s sluggish economic growth.

4.Faure Gnassingbé

President of Togo Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadéma signs a book of condolence in memory of HRH Queen Elizabeth II at Lancaster House on September 18, 2022. Photo by Rory Arnold- Wikimedia commons

President Faure Gnassingbé has worked to promote national reunification and a peaceful state of politics in Togo since taking office. He has set up an ongoing dialogue with the the whole political class, promoting democratic open mindedness and inclusivity in the public affairs management process.

Due to his courageous regulations, the Togolese economy has experienced perceptible development and has reached an active phase of globalisation. President Faure Gnassingbe’s primary concern is now to enhance the population’s life quality, with a specific focus on desperate individuals.

President Gnassingbe holds a Master of Management degree from Â鶹APP-Dauphine University as well as an MBA from George Washington University. He has implemented a number of proactive steps to enhance Togo’s economic outlook and encourage investors to endorse expansion and development.

On the Community level, President Faure Gnassingbe is currently monitoring the Ecowas response to the Ebola virus disease after chairing the West African Economic and Monetary Union.

5.Tabi Bonney

Tabi Bonney is the son of Itadi Bonney, a well-known afro-funk musician. The Togo-born rapper, who now resides in Washington, D.C., rose to prominence in the Washington metro area with his radio singles “The Pocket” and “Doin It,” both of which featured Raheem DeVaughn.

Bonney Runway was founded by Bonney, who had a love of fashion. He has collaborated with a number of A-list celebrities, such as Wale.

6.Peniel Kokou Mlapa

Peniel Mlapa, 1860 munich, training. Photo by Ampfinger- Wikimedia commons

Peniel Kokou Mlapa was born on the 20th of February, 1991. He is a Togolese footballer who plays for Ittihad Kalba as a striker.

Mlapa emigrated to Germany as a child from Lomé, Togo. He began his youth career with FC Ismaning before moving to TSV 1860 Munich in 1999. On September 12, 2008, he made his first appearance for 1860’s U19 team against 1.

FC Heidenheim. During the 2008-09 season, he made two substitute debuts for 1860’s reserve side, both of which were wins however, he stayed a regular for the U19s.

Mlapa made his first appearance for the German under-19s as a 90th-minute substitute against Luxembourg on October 7, 2009. He was called up to play for Togo in their final world cup qualifier a few weeks later however, he turned it down and advanced to the German under-21 squad.

In March 2016, he finally accepted a call-up to the Togo national team for the 2017 AFCON qualifiers against Tunisia. He made his Togolese national team appearance on June 1, 2017, in a 3-0 loss to Nigeria.

7.King Mensah

King Mensah, Togo’s most well known singer, he is responsible for dubbing “The Golden Voice of Togo.”

Mensah is a mainstay on the streets of Â鶹APP, promoting his albums and touring with his lovely soft voice. His poetic themes are religious in nature, with optimistic guidance for the orphaned, victimised and mistreated.

8.Razak Boukari

Abdoul-Razak Boukari was born on April 25, 1987. He is a professional footballer from Togo who plays as a winger.

He went on to play top-flight football in France for Lens and Rennes before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2012. In 2016, he transferred to Châteauroux, where he will remain until 2022.

9.Adzo Rebecca Kpossi 

Adzo Rebecca Kpossi was born on the 25th of January, 1999. She is a Togolese swimmer who specializes in butterfly and freestyle and represented her country at the London Olympics in 2012.

Kpossi made her international appearance at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships, where she contested in both the 50-meter butterfly and the 50-meter freestyle. In the 50 metre butterfly, she completed last in her heat in 55.17 seconds, nearly 25 seconds slower than the heat winner.

Her time was the slowest of the 51 athletes. Kpossi swam a time of 44.60 seconds in her heat of the 50 metre freestyle and did not advance to the semi-finals.

10.Moustapha Salifou

Moustapha Salifou was born on the 1st of June, 1983. He is a retired Togolese professional footballer who primarily played as a midfielder. He was a member of Togo’s national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

He spent four years at English Premier League team, Aston Villa before moving on to lower levels of the German, French and Swiss league systems.