At the beginning of German colonization, the chieftaincy of
Vogan was assured by Assigblé Adra. The latter appointed notables in
each district under his jurisdiction, including Paul Kalipé. Kalipé
eventually became the chief and was invested by Germans in 1898. He
died on June 5, 1951 after leading his community for 53 years. His
succession caused a real problem among his sons. The French colonizers
got involved, seeking to impose a contender of their choice. The eldest
son of the deceased chief, Ferdinand Kalipé, was an advocate of the
Comité de l’unité togolaise (a political party that advocated immediate
independence for Togo). The French rejected him and chose Jacob
Akpasso Kalipé, the youngest son of Paul Kalipé and a staunch supporter
of the pro-French Parti Togolais pour le Progrès (PTP). The population,
especially the youth, who massively supported Ferdinand’s candidacy,

opposed the French choice. There were violent clashes between the two
camps, with deaths, injuries and arrests.
Keywords: chieftaincy, Vogan, settlers, conflicts, damage.