Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema died on Saturday at the age of 69, after ruling the West African country for 38 years. The armed forces of the small West African country immediately suspended the constitution and named one of his sons, Faure Essozima Gnassingbe, as head of state.   

"The president of the republic, Gnassingbe Eyadema, is no more. He died on Saturday, February 5, 2005 as he was being evacuated for emergency treatment abroad," the government said in a statement.

The Togolese people "must avoid sinking again into chaos, division and anarchy," the statement added. "The government, the armed and security forces, will ensure that order, security and peace reign throughout the national territory."

As the longest-serving leader in Africa, Eyadema has ruled the small former French west African colony since 1967, when he rose to power in a military coup.

He has governed unchallenged for more than two decades and was then elected three times in multiparty polls, the last in 2003 after amending the constitution.

Born on December 26, 1936, Eyadema served with the French army in Indochina, Algeria, Dahomey (now Benin) and Niger from 1953 to 1961. He returned home in 1962 and was appointed chief of staff of the armed forces in October 1965.

Eyadema took part in a coup in January 1963 by army men in the north, led an army coup in January 1967, and took office as the Togolese president and minister of national defense in April in the same year.

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2005)