Independence Monument, Lomé

The Independence Monument stands in Lomé, the capital of Togo in West Africa. It was built to celebrate the country's independence from France, which came on 27 April 1960.

The monument shows a white bust of a woman holding up a cooking pot. Behind her is the outline of a figure with raised arms, as if breaking the chains that held people together. Inscriptions on the sides thank the people of Togo for their faith and sacrifice. It stands near the Palais des congrès, which also houses the Togo National Museum. The monument is a place where people remember the day Togo became a nation of its own.

What does it show?

The main image is a white bust of a woman lifting a cooking pot. Behind her stands a silhouette of a person with arms raised, a symbol of breaking free from chains.

The in-app card describes the woman as standing in the curved opening between two tall pierced pylons. Wikipedia does not describe the shape that way, so the globe model may simplify the monument.

Words on the monument

One inscription, in French, says that because of the faith and sacrifice of the people of Togo, the Togolese nation was born. Another side carries the national motto, Work, Liberty, Homeland, and a line about the proclamation of independence on 27 April 1960.

Paul Ahyi, a well-known Togolese artist who also designed the national flag, contributed to the monument. It stands close to the Togo National Museum, so visitors can see both in one visit.

On the globe

The model shows the monument built for Togo's 1960 independence, with the figure standing between two tall pillars. Compare the pillars and the figure with the picture on the card.