DESTINATION TOGO

Facts at a Glance

Environment

Central Togo is the location of the country's major national park, the Forêt de Fazao; the Parc National de la Kéran is farther north, near Kara. The hills around Kpalimé are excellent for growing coffee, while those around Atakpamé serve better for their views.

Some of the animals you might see (though their numbers are few) are hippo, giraffe, waterbuck, duiker, oribi, buffalo, bush pig, wart hog, hyena, vervet, baboon and, if you're lucky, perhaps an elephant or lion. Bird species include stork, crane and marabou. Togo's not exactly rich with protected areas, and the years have not been kind to its animal population.

From December to January, the dusty, dry harmattan wind blows down from the deserts to the north. Togo's rainy season lasts from April to July, though short periods of rain are common in October and November. The country's hottest period is mid-February through mid-April.

History

Denmark staked a claim on Togo in the 18th century, but in 1884, Germany signed a deal with a local king, Mlapa, and 'Togoland' became a German colony. The Germans brought scientific cultivation to the country's main export crops (cacao, coffee and cotton) and developed its infrastructure to the highest level in Africa. The Togolese, however, didn't appreciate some of Germany's tighter reins on their lives, and when WWI broke out, they welcomed British forces with open arms. Encircled by British and French colonies, the Germans blew up their expensive radio station and surrendered - the Allies' first victory in the war. Togo was split between the British and the French by League of Nations mandates after the war.

During the colonial period, the Mina grew in political and economic influence by virtue of their coastal position and long association with Europeans. The Ewé, by contrast, were divided with the dissection of Togoland, and political groups on both sides began to agitate for reunification. Hopes for unity were dashed when British Togoland voted to be incorporated into Ghana, then on the brink of independence. When the French side declared its independence in April 1960, that half of the country became known as Togo.

In 1963, Togo became the first country on the continent to experience a military coup following independence (Africa's averaged over two a year since then, plus many more unsuccessful attempts). All it took was a few shots to kill President Sylvanus Olympio as he sought refuge at the US embassy. Olympio's brother-in-law, Nicolas Grunitzky, returned from exile and was put in charge, but he too was deposed in January 1967 by Lt Colonel (now General) Etienne Eyadéma.

Eyadéma set out to unify the country, insisting on one trade union confederation and one political party. After nearly losing his life in a plane crash that he (at least publicly) chalked up to an assassination attempt by foreign 'imperialists,' Eyadéma nationalised the country's foreign-owned phosphate mines and ordered all Togolese with European first names to replace them with African ones. The decree included his own name, which he changed to Gnassingbé Eyadéma. It was, however, only a perfunctory strike against colonialism: Togo remained heavily dependent on the West.

From the late 1960s to 1980, Togo experienced a booming economy, built largely on its phosphates reserves, and Eyadéma tried to mould the country into a traveller's and investor's paradise. His plans proved overly ambitious, and when the recession of the early 1980s hit and phosphates prices plummeted, Togo's economy fell into ruin. The government - a victim of its own methods - was plagued by numerous coup attempts. True to form, Eyadéma himself fired many of the shots that killed 13 attackers in a 1986 coup.

In the early 1990s, the international community began putting pressure on Eyadéma to come out in favour of a multiparty democratic system, a notion he resisted with a few waves of his trademark iron fist. Pro-democracy forces, who were mainly southerners (especially Mina and Ewé), staged riots and strikes in protest of his authoritarian rule. Eyadéma met them with armed troops, killing scores of protesters in several clashes. The people of France and Togo were furious, and under their backlash Eyadéma gave in. He was summarily stripped of all powers and made president in name only. An interim prime minister was elected to take over command, but not four months later his residence was shelled with heavy artillery by Eyadéma's army. Their hardball tactics continued into 1993.

Terror strikes against the independent press and political assassination attempts became commonplace, while the promised 'transition' to democracy came to a standstill. The opposition continued to call general strikes, leading to further violence by the army and the exodus of hundreds of thousands of southerners to Ghana and Benin. Using intimidation tactics and clever political machinations that disqualified one opposition party and caused another to refuse to participate, Eyadéma won the 1993 presidential elections with more than 96% of the vote. In the years following, opposition parties have lost most of their steam and Eyadéma's control has become almost as firm as before the crisis began.

In August 1996, Prime Minister Edem Kodjo resigned, and the planning minister, Kwassi Klutse, was appointed prime minister. Eyadéma won another five-year term in June 1998 with 52% of vote. Today, the country's human rights record is appalling enough that most Western governments have maintained their distance without having to decide whether Togo warrants being called partially democratic.

Economic Profile

Culture

With about 40 ethnic groups and around 4 million people, Togo has one of the more heterogeneous populations in Africa. The two largest groups are the Ewé, who are concentrated in the south and comprised of many smaller groups (Anlo, Adja, Peda, Plah, Guin, etc), and the Kabyé, who are concentrated in the north and central parts of Togo and are known as skillful terrace farmers. Though French is the country's official language, about half of its people speak or understand Ewé, and the second most widely spoken African language is Kabyé.

Culturally, the various ethnic groups are quite distinct on a number of issues. The Ewé consider the birth of twins a great blessing and offer kola nuts and water to figurines thought to embody the twin spirit - you may see these figurines for sale in marketplaces. The same reverence, however, is not universal; the Bassari consider the birth of twins to be a grave misfortune and used to kill one or both of them. The same contrast between groups is seen with eating habits: in the south the Ewé eat cat and consider anyone who eats dog a barbarian, while in the north the Kabyé eat dog but not cat.

The food in Togo is among the best in West Africa, and there are lots of places to try it, especially in Lomé. Nearly everything is served in a sauce called, handily enough, sauce, and most dishes are accompanied by a starchy substance such as rice, pâte (made with millet, corn, plantains, manioc or yams), ablo (made with corn and sugar), monplé (made with fermented corn) or foufou (don't ask). One of the more common meals is rice with peanut sauce, known as riz sauce arachide. Each district also has its culinary specialities. Along the coast, lamounou déssi or sauce de poisson (fresh fish sauce) is most popular, but other sauces include aglan (crab), gboma (spinach), tomate (tomato), aubergine (eggplant) and épinard (spinach). Other Togolese dishes include abobo (snails cooked like a brochette), egbo pinon (smoked goat), koklo mémé (grilled chicken with chilli sauce) and koliko (fried yams), which you'll see everywhere on the streets. Palm wine and tchakpallo (fermented millet) are the brews of choice in the south and north, respectively.

Events

Public Holidays
1 January - New Year's Day
13 January - Liberation Day
24 January - Day of Victory
March or April - Easter holidays, Ras as-Sana, Tabaski
27 April - Independence Day
1 May - Labour Day
May or June - Ascention, Whit Monday
June or July - Eid al-Moulid
21 June
15 August - Assumption
1 November - All Saints' Day
25 December - Christmas
December or January - Eid al-Fitr

Facts for the Traveller

Money & Costs

Relative costs:

• Budget meal: US$.50-3
• Moderate restaurant meal: US$3-10
• Top-end restaurant meal: US$10 and upwards

• Budget room: US$3-10
• Moderate hotel: US$10-20
• Top-end hotel: US$20 and upwards

Budget-crunching travellers should be able to get by on no more than US$10 a night, though doubling that would chase away many of the inherent worries of dive-hopping. Up the ante to US$50 per day, and you won't have a worry in the world.

Banks are your best bet for changing money, though the black market is bustling near Lomé's Ghanaian border.

When to Go

Attractions

Lomé

On the Place de l'Independence stands a gilded bronze statue of the man behind the muscle, President Eyadéma, and another of his mother; both were removed during the civil disturbances of 1991. The Palais des Congrès was previously the headquarters of Eyadéma's party. Behind the Palais, the National Museum houses a collection of historical artefacts, pottery and woodcarvings.

For a livelier tour, the Grand Marché in the town centre is a three-storey hive of buying and selling. Inside, you'll find everything from modern manufactured goods to traditional African foods, arts and textiles. For batiks, wooden sculptures and leather work, the best place to look is the quiet Village Artisanal, where you can ogle the artists at work. There are also artisan stalls near the Hôtel du Golfe, but be prepared to fend off the touts if you drop by.

The Marché des Féticheurs, 8km (5mi) west of the centre, has a somewhat spookier collection, including potions, dried animal organs and other items used in traditional medicine. It's become something of a tourist trap, but it's still worth a look.

Togoville

Today, the only attractions are the chief's house, the church and the Artisanal, an art co-operative consisting of several buildings with artisans working in each. Most of the men are wood carvers, whose pieces are neither cheap nor of high quality, so you'll probably be let down. The nearby church has some beautiful stained-glass windows and pictures of the gruesome deaths of famous African martyrs.

The last point of interest is the Maison Royal, where the local chief lives, holds court and parks his shiny gold Mercedes. Mlapa V Moyennant will show you around his compound, including a 'museum' of photos of his grandfather and his throne, though a gift in return will be expected.

The bilharzia-free waters of Lake Togo are good for sailing, sailboarding and water-skiing, and you might be able to talk some local fishermen into taking you along on their daily fishing excursion.

Aného

At night, Aného is at its best, with a variety of food vendors and musicians filling the air with scents and sounds. It makes for great beer-sipping and people-watching.

Aného, lies 2km (1mi) west of the Benin border. Four kilometres (2mi) north of Aného, the village of Glidji is the site of one of the country's major oddities, the Guin Festival, held the second week of September (see Events, above).

Off the Beaten Track

Fazao-Malfacassa National Park

Adjoining Fazao is the Malfacassa Zone de Chassse, an excellent area for hiking. From the mountain tops, you can see the countryside roll away for kilometres, and there's a better chance of seeing elephants, especially during the dry season. Two things to watch out for: hungry lions and hunters in the dry season. In the rainy season you won't get shot, but slogging through the muddy forests can be a challenge to your patience. Fazao-Malfacassa lies some 330km (205mi) north of Lomé, a seven hour trip by bus.

Kara

North-west of Kara by 25km (15mi), the village of Sarakawa doesn't much warrant a special visit, but if you're passing through, stop to check out the statue of President Eyadéma pointing to the spot where his plane went down in 1974. The inscription - and his expression - say, 'They almost killed me here.'

Try not to miss the Mont Kabyé region, roughly 15km (10mi) north-east of Kara as the crow flies. The area's one of Togo's most scenic spots, and beyond that there are several villages where traditional crafts are still practiced - look into Landa and Kétao for their craft markets, Farendé for its metalwork and Pagouda for its music. Kara and environs are roughly eight hours' drive from Lomé.

Kéran National Park

Park officials will probably insist you take a guide during your drive through, and even still you are forbidden to stop your vehicle, speed or take pictures of the international highway cutting through the park (like you'd want to). In the past, rangers were known for giving steep fines frequently and arbitrarily. Taking more than 92 minutes to complete your 'tour' could be seen as evidence that you stopped along the way, while taking more than 92 minutes might mean you were speeding! Fortunately, they're not so ticket-happy now as they were in days past.

Unless you're very lucky, you won't see many animals. If you happen to come during a brushfire, you may catch site of an antelope or two and maybe a couple of monkeys bounding out of its path. If your karma's really shining, look for elephant, giraffe, hippo and various birds such as storks, cranes and marabous. Lions are extremely scarce if not nonexistent.

Valley of the Tamberma

A typical Tamberma compound, called a tata, consists of a series of towers connected by a thick wall with only one doorway to the outside. In days past, the castle-like nature of the structures helped ward off invasions by neighbouring tribes and, in the late 19th century, Germans. Inside, there's a huge elevated terrace of clay-covered logs where the inhabitants cook, dry their millet and corn and spend most of their leisure time. They use the cone-topped towers for storing grains and other rooms for sleeping, bathing and, during the rainy season, cooking; animals are kept downstairs, also protected from the rain. Built of clay, wood and straw, the structures stay fairly cool all day long, unlike the modern cement dwellings in less traditional villages.

Many Tamberma, who are usually scantily clad, get irritated at tourists gawking at them, but if you keep this in mind and play your cards right, you may be invited into one of their compounds. You'll find the interior very dark, with just enough light to find your way around. Look for fetish animal skulls on the walls and ceilings and a tiny altar for sacrificing small animals.

Activities

Hiking and camping are possible throughout the country, though oddly enough not always in the national parks. Check with the rangers before you set out. The flattish woodland savannah of La Fosse aux Lions makes for some lovely hiking excursions in the far northern reaches of the country, just south of Dapaong.

Getting There & Away

Both Accra (Ghana) and Cotonou (Benin) are about three hours by car from Lomé on asphalt roads. Bush taxis operate between them daily.

Minibuses ply the coastal route between Lomé and Cotonou (Benin) throughout the day, but it's usually cheaper to take a share-taxi from Lomé to the border and another from there to Ouidah or Cotonou. Daily minibuses to Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) take about 36 hours and depart from Agbalepedo station, about 10km (6mi) north of central Lomé. Frequent police checkpoints can make this trip a nightmare, so it's saner (and slightly cheaper) to take the trip in stages. The Burkina Faso border closes at 6:30pm. The most popular route to Ghana is via Aflao on the coastal road. From central Lomé, it's just a few kilometres to the border, and 200km (125mi) from there to Accra. There are no border fees to be paid, though Togolese guards may try to convince you otherwise. You can also cross to Ghana from Kpalimé, Badou, Kara and Sansanné-Mango, although the routes are rougher and less frequently plied.

Getting Around

The country has three railway lines, but only one - Lomé to Blitta via Atakpamé- is operating. It leaves Lomé three times a week in the morning and arrives in Blitta some 12 hours later, making the return trip the next morning. Food can be purchased at stations along the way.

Though cars are available for rent in Togo, the going rates are astronomical; you're usually better off hiring a cab for your trip. Most major roads are sealed and in decent shape, but outside of these highways you'll need a 4WD. The roadway between Atakpamé and Kara on the main north-south axis is in particularly poor condition. Intercity travel is best restricted to daylight hours, as highway crimes are not uncommon. Driving in Togo is on the right.

Togo has an extensive network of minibuses, and most of them are in fairly reasonable condition. Fares, on the other hand, are very reasonable (about US$1 per hour), though there's a surcharge for luggage. Be prepared to do some hard bargaining to keep it down; US$.50 per piece is about right.

Travelling by bicycle is an excellent way to explore Togo and greatly reduces your time spent at police checkpoints. Although most secondary roads are unpaved, they're generally in passable condition except during the rainy season. Bikes are available for rent in larger towns and tourist areas.

Recommended Reading

• The Historical Dictionary of Togo by Samuel Decalo is a hefty compendium of the country's history, culture, politics and development.
• If you can get your hands on a copy, Allan Wolsey Cardinall's Tales Told in Togoland contains a cornucopia of African myths and legends.
• Would-be literary anthropologists will want to pick up Ewé Comic Heroes: Trickster Tales in Togo by Zinta Konrad, which includes the Ewé and English versions of 30 traditional stories.
• George Packer's experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo in the early 1980s are richly chronicled in The Village of Waiting.
• An African in Greenland is the most famous book by Togo's most famous author, Tété-Michel Kpomassie, giving the author's outlook on Arctic life.
• The Birds of Togo: An Annotated Check-List by Robert A Cheke and J Frank Walsh will aid birdwatchers in their flighty pursuits.

• West Africa
• Africa on a shoestring

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