Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to The Togolese Republic (République Togolaise in French; hereafter referred to as Togo; TOH-goh; country #103), where we were able to experience the capital city of Lomé (loh-MAY), as well as the namesake village of Togoville. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip. Please note that there are references to Voo Doo, which is widely practiced in this region. This should be considered neither an endorsement of nor for nor against the practice/culture associated with Voo Doo.
Togo is a country in northwestern Africa, and is bordered by Ghana to the west (it is less than 30 minutes from Lomé to the Ghana border), Benin to the east (it is about 15 minutes from the airport in Lomé to the Benin border), Burkina Faso to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Lomé is the capital of Togo, which has a population of just over nine million people, with more people living in the north of the country than in the south.
Togo was colonized by the Germans in the 1840s with the arrival of German missionaries. Subsequent treaties (in the late 1890s) resulted in the British and the French also occupying portions of Togo, though Lomé continued to be the capital. At the beginning of World War I, the British and French forced the surrender of the Germans, after which the British ruled the west and the French ruled the east. The portion that was controlled by the British joined the Gold Coast with Togoland and became Ghana, gaining independence in 1957. The portion that was French became French Togoland and was part of the French Union, and ultimately became independent as Togo in 1960. Because of the British influence, Ghanaians speak English, while the Togolese speak French, as do all of the other Francophone countries in northwest Africa (e.g., Benin, Côte d’Ivoire [koht dih-VWAH], Burkina Faso). That said, each of these countries has local languages with multiple dialects, one language of which is Ewe (ev-ay), which is a common language between Togo and Benin and the eastern part of Ghana. It’s the equivalent of American English vs. British English. If you can speak this language, you can likely communicate with individuals in these areas.
Togo is a very poor, developing country, but is popular with its neighbors because of its markets. People come from Benin to buy and sell food and other items. Togo is also known for its cacao beans, from which they make coffee. They are known for making the best quality of coffee in the region (Benin is known for having the most quantity of coffee produced in the region).
In Togo, 47% of inhabitants practice Christianity, 37% practice Islam, and a large majority of individuals practice Voo Doo. We were told in Togoville that Voo Doo is a way of life, and is not rooted in traditional “religion.” In fact, a majority of inhabitants in Togo and Benin practice Voo Doo along with their traditional religion, as they believe that “Our religion is in our culture.”
We were told at a local Fetish Market (which is what they call the market where you can go to get items from the Voo Doo priest) that, if you have problems, you go to see the Voo Doo priest for a consultation, and he will tell you what to do. They use white magic to fight bad magic, and focus only on good. Despite how it has been portrayed in popular culture, they do not put curses on people; however, there are people who come to the market to get items that non-priests tell them to get to cast spells and impart negative powers, a practice that is frowned upon by the priests.
Togoville is the “Mother of Togo” – no other country stems from a village. They (like many regions within Africa) were part of a kingdom and continues to have a king. Togoville was first established by the Portuguese, who brought Roman Catholicism, followed by Germans, who brought Protestantism. However, the king did not accept the religion, and while there are saints in Africa, the lack of the king’s acceptance of Catholicism resulted in the Notre Dame Cathedral (below) not being part of The Vatican.
(It was made from wood, and subsequently covered by cement to protect it because people often wanted to touch it)
In Togoville, 80% of the inhabitants actively practice Voo Doo in addition to other religions (primarily Catholicism or Protestantism). In 1840, a local woman who practiced an ancestral religion saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary over the lake that separates Togoville from the rest of Togo. As a result, Pope John Paul II came to visit the area to bless both the Roman Catholics and those practicing Voo Doo, to bring both religions to live in harmony (which they were mostly already doing).
In the photo above, a young man is sitting in front of old man – it reflects teaching of discipline, and shows that you are learning for the next generation, including a respect for old and young.
Togo is a fascinating country, with an interesting history and multilayered culture. It is a place that we enjoyed visiting, and one that we would recommend others coming to visit. Until next time, take care and be well…