Coat of arms of the Togolese Republic | |
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Armiger | Togolese Republic |
Adopted | 14 March 1962 (standardized June 2008) |
Motto | Travail, Liberté, Patrie "Work, Liberty, Fatherland" |
The coat of arms of Togo was adopted on 14 March 1962. Since this Togolese national symbol does not follows the rules of heraldry for a traditional coat of arms, then it could be considered a national emblem instead (national emblem of Togo).
In the device, two standing red lions are to be seen, which symbolize the bravery of the people. Both lions are armed with bow and arrow, symbolizing a call for all citizens to be active in the defence of freedom of the country. Between the lions, a golden shield with the letters RT (République Togolaise) is displayed. Above it, the flag of Togo is displayed twice. On a ribbon stands Togo's motto: "Travail, Liberté, Patrie" (Work, Liberty, Homeland).[1][2]
After Togo's 1991 National Conference, multiple versions of this emblem proliferated, even within the Togolese government.[3] In June 2008, however, a Constitutional Court decision clarified which version was correct.[4]