Gnassingbé Eyadéma 2005 Deaths

Gnassingbé Eyadéma

president of Togo who came to power in a coup in 1967. The longest-reigning leader in Africa, he was considered a repressive and dictatorial leader, despite some democratic reforms in the country in recent years. The day after his death, Parliament voted to change the constitution so that Gnassingbé's son Faure could assume the presidency.