Change - Borders, Politics, National Identity

The creation of Togo’s borders were done by Germany. Beginning in 1884, Germany controlled a stretch of land along the coast and gradually extended its control inland. They did not conform to existing cultural boundaries when they created the boundaries for Togo. They divided people groups and nations [1] . They split the Ewe, Adja, Ouatchi, Fon, and other groups  between the Gold Coast, Togo, and Dahomey which is now known as Benin. The Germans named their new colony “Togo” after the village that they made their original treaty with in 1884. [2]

 "Togo Extruded on the World Map With..." Togo Extruded On The World Map With Administrative Borders. Solid Colors Used. Stock Footage Video 8305519. Accessed June 28, 2016. http://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-8305519-stock-footage-togo-extruded-on-the-world-map-with-administrative-borders-solid-colors-used.html. 

Treaties with France were made in 1897 while treaties with the British were made in 1904 allowing for German expansion. After WWI, Britain and France took complete control of Togo and it was split between the east and the west with Britain taking the west and France taking the east. The French portion became independent in 1960 and became known as the Republic of Togo. The British portion became the independent state of Ghana in 1957.  [3]

The Volta river was used as a natural boundary along the Gold Coast, which is now known as Ghana but negotiations with the French and British led to the area north of Lome to remain part of the Gold Coast. This area is commonly referred to as the “Volta Triangle.”  [2] Another boundary is the coast along the Gulf of Guinea. The boundary with Benin was agreed upon by France and Germany in 1897 but was not fully marked which has caused tension between the two nations recently. [4]  

 "Module Twenty Four, Activity One." Exploring Africa. Accessed June 28, 2016. http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/curriculum/unit-five/module-twenty-four/module-twenty-four-activity-one/. 

 "Murray & Candace's Adventures." : Trekking across Togo... Accessed June 28, 2016. http://mercyshipadventure.blogspot.com/2010/05/trekking-across-togo.html. 

The Togolese have conformed to the boundaries in political sense by establishing a government and maintaining control of their borders. They are a people that largely still live in small villages and communities though, so their lives are not greatly affected by being Togolese. They have a much more local minded focus and recognize more minor authority figures than many nations. [2]

Sources:

1. "History." Togo Country Review (July 2011): 6-8. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 27, 2016).

2. "Togo - History." History. Accessed June 27, 2016. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Togo-HISTORY.html.

3. "Togoland." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (April 2016): 1. Literary Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed June 28, 2016).

4. Shelley, Fred M. Nation Shapes: The Story behind the World's Borders. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2013. 265.

Missions

Information on missions in Togo is somewhat difficult to find because it is not well documented but there have been active missionaries for many years in the region and missionaries are currently working and active.

Missionary work began in 1847 when German missionaries arrived to minister to the Ewe people in the area that would soon be known as Togo. This first group of missionaries was a catholic group that sent nearly 100 missionaries before Germany colonized Togo. A few years later, missionaries with the John Wesley Methodist Tradition went to the region and began ministering to the people of Togo as well as the Catholic missionaries. They focused more on education for both children and adults. [1]

Photo provided by my sister, Ashley Siler

Muslim missionaries also have a presence in Togo. These missionaries established themselves in the mid 1800s and remain primarily in the northern parts of Togo. They have also focused on education and have built many schools that run by Arab teachers. Some groups of Togolese were forced into Islam following the their conquer by other groups but the missionaries were not responsible for this forceful tactic.[2]

Missionaries in Togo have a unique opportunity due to Togo’s direct need for humanitarian support. Hôpital Baptiste Biblique or Karolyn Kempton Memorial Christian Hospital is a hospital established in Togo by missionaries to meet the physical needs of the Togolese. [3] While meeting the physical needs of the Togolese, the missionaries are able to help meet their spiritual needs as well and present them the gospel. One particular challenge is the voodoo religion that is traditionally practiced by the tribal people. They tend to be hesitant to receive outside aid out of fear that it will conflict with the spirits. The solution to their problem might be as simple as needing an antibiotic but if they are not willing to receive the cure they will not get better. [2]

Protestant missionaries have been working to establish churches with the hopes that they would raise disciples to go plant more churches. Specifically, ABWE has established a BIble Institute, a BIble Translation and Literacy Program and a Women’s Ministry. There is still much work to be done in Togo but the Holy Spirit is working there.[4]


The following is my sister's video for deputation as she prepares to head to Togo. It provides more information on missions in Togo:
Ashley Siler: Missions in Togo Promo



Sources:
1. "L'Eglise Orthodoxe Du Togo." LEglise Orthodoxe Du Togo. Accessed June 12, 2016. http://egliseorthodoxe-togo.com/en/le-togo/.
2. Some groups of Togolese were forced into Islam following the their conquer by other groups but the missionaries were not responsible for this forceful tactic.
3. "Hôpital Baptiste Biblique." ABWE Togo South Team. 2015. Accessed June 15, 2016. https://abwetogosouth.org/ministries/hbb/.

4. "Discipleship Ministries." ABWE Togo South Team. 2015. Accessed June 15, 2016. https://abwetogosouth.org/ministries/discipleship-ministries/.

First Contact

The inhabitant’s living in what would soon be known as Togo, first began interacting with outsiders in 1847. These outsiders were German missionaries that arrived in Togo to work with the Ewe people. Traders saw an opportunity and followed the missionaries and went to Togo as well. Soon, Otto von Bismarck realized the advantages that Togo offered and sent a representative to persuade the chiefs to fly a German flag which they did in 1885. The Germans were able to build a town at Lome and began to build infrastructure by way of railroad tracks and roads using forced labor just before World War I.[1] As WWI began, the Togo people let the British and the French in to fight the Germans and the Germans had to quickly surrender which they did on August 26, 1914. [2]

 "Togo under the German Flag." WDL RSS. Accessed June 12, 2016. https://www.wdl.org/en/item/684/. 

The first missionaries that contacted the Ewe people were catholic according to sources. They were establishing a connection with the people, learning the language and translating it in order to create a written Bible. The next wave of missionaries was John Wesley’s Methodist Mission. Once Togo became a German colony, the missionary work was entirely catholic once again. [3]

Life under German rule was hard for the Togolese. They endured a lot of forced labor and heavy taxation. The German’s controlled all trade and manufacturing of goods. The German government approved some chiefs but they only handled civil issues as all criminal matters were handled by the Germans themselves. They had very limited, if any access to healthcare and education opportunities for children were very limited at best. One benefit to the German rule was the infrastructure that was built although that came at the price of forced labor.[2]

"HISTORY OF TOGO." HISTORY OF TOGO. Accessed June 12, 2016. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad42.

The first interactions the Togolese had with Europeans were good and beneficial but after that they were harmful and they began to grow questionable of outsiders. Since then they have gained their independence and are interacting in the global economy and with the world as a valuable nation.  

Sources:

1. "HISTORY OF TOGO." HISTORY OF TOGO. Accessed June 12, 2016. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad42.
2. "Togo: German Colonial Rule." World History. Accessed June 12, 2016. http://www.worldhistory.biz/sundries/38694-togo-german-colonial-rule.html.
3. "L'Eglise Orthodoxe Du Togo." LEglise Orthodoxe Du Togo. Accessed June 12, 2016. http://egliseorthodoxe-togo.com/en/le-togo/.

Natural Resources and Trade

Togo is a relatively small strip of land and as a result does not have a surplus of natural resources like many of its fellow African countries but that does not stop it from contributing in the global economy and global trade. According to the Economic Complexity Index, Togo is the 137th largest export economy and the 95th most complex. Togo still maintains a trade deficit despite its resources.

 "Small Speculators Bet Big on Gold as Price Remains Range-Bound." Energy and Gold Ltd. 2016. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://energyandgold.com/2016/04/27/small-speculators-bet-big-on-gold-as-price-remains-in-trading-range/. 

Togo’s top export is gold which accounted for 540 million dollars of Togo’s exports in 2014 which is the most recent data provided by the ECI. Gold accounted for 27 percent of Togo’s exports in 2014 but they also export refined petroleum, calcium phosphates and cement.1

The value of the gold in Togo has increased and decreased consistently with the global market which has remained relatively steady over time. There have been peaks and valleys but gold has traditionally been viewed as a desirable commodity by many cultures for many years. Gold was used a symbol of power and prestige in the ancient world. It was often used as jewelry and shrines for gods. Eventually, gold began to be used as currency and now is often used as a standard when comparing currencies of varying countries to one another.2

The value of refined petroleum has increased significantly over time. With the increase in products that use petroleum, it has become a very desirable and needed resource.3 Because of this increase in need, Togo has benefited from the increase in export of refined petroleum.

Trade through West Africa would typically be done through major hubs such as Timbuktu and Gao. This trade would be done through caravan and then would disperse through the rest of the African tribes and nations.4 These caravans typically used camels as their main mode of transportation and sometimes had up to 10,000 camels at a time.5

 "Trade in Ancient West Africa." -History for Kids-mrdowling.com. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://www.mrdowling.com/609-trade.html. 

Sources:
1. "Togo." OEC. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/tgo.
2.  "Gold in Antiquity." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://www.ancient.eu/gold/.
3.  "U.S. Refiner Petroleum Product Prices." U.S. Refiner Petroleum Product Prices. Accessed June 08, 2016. https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_refoth_dcu_nus_m.htm. 
4. "Trade in Ancient West Africa." -History for Kids-mrdowling.com. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://www.mrdowling.com/609-trade.html.
5.  "Ancient Africa." For Kids: Trade Routes. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://www.ducksters.com/history/africa/trade_routes_of_ancient_africa.php.

Religion

The nation of Togo has no official religion. Religion in Togo still largely remains true to its ancient voodoo beliefs. A majority (51%) practice this ancestor worship while 20% profess to be Muslims and 19% profess to be Christians. Voodoo is the belief that spirits and demons exist even if one cannot see them with the naked eye. They attempt to appease these spirits and will perform many rituals and ceremonies to keep them away to keep them happy.

Christianity was introduced to Togo as a result of the anti-slavery movement in 1830 with the establishment of the German Catholic Mission station. Roman Catholic is still the dominant denomination of Christianity in Togo. Over half of the population in Togo is under the age of 19 so the ministry in Togo is largely directed at youth. Many missionaries lead youth oriented programs and camps.

Islam is spreading in Togo. Tribes first came in contact with Islam from the salt and gold trade routes that came through the local area in the 1700s. The Muslims try to live peacefully with members of other faiths and have done so successfully in Togo thus far. Muslims are well accepted in society despite their minority status and serve in leadership roles in government. It is also not unheard of a leader converting to the faith while in office. They have several schools established and they place a high value on education.

Even those who practice religions other than the traditional Voodoo can often be seen incorporating aspects of Voodoo into their new religion. This can be difficult for Christian missionaries, for example, to help the Togolese to understand that they need to place their full and complete faith in Jesus and not in their sacrifices to spirits. Christian missionaries say that conversion is slow but the grounds are ripe and the Holy Spirit is moving in the nation of Togo and it is an exciting time to be a part of the changes that are taking place there.

Sources:

http://www.fbnc.net/togo/religion.html

http://www.factrover.com/people/Togo_people.html

http://www.operationworld.org/togo

https://joshuaproject.net/countries/TO