Dictators · Head-to-head
Gnassingbe Eyadema vs Saddam Hussein
Yes — based on their recorded years, Gnassingbe Eyadema (1935–2005) and Saddam Hussein (1937–2006) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
Gnassingbe Eyadema
A military officer who took part in the coup that killed Togo's first president before later seizing power himself and ruling for nearly four decades.
Key achievements
- Took part as a young military officer in the 1963 coup that overthrew and killed Togo's first president
- Seized power in a further coup in 1967, becoming president of Togo
- Ruled Togo continuously for nearly 38 years, one of the longest tenures of any African head of state
- Was immediately succeeded by his son Faure Gnassingbe upon his death in 2005
Fast fact
Eyadema was involved in the 1963 coup that killed Togo's first president, Sylvanus Olympio, before he himself seized power in a separate coup in 1967 and ruled until his death in 2005.
Full profile of Gnassingbe Eyadema →Saddam Hussein
An Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until his overthrow during the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Key achievements
- Served as president of Iraq from 1979 until 2003
- Led the Iraqi Ba'ath Party as a leading proponent of Ba'athist ideology
- Held power through multiple regional conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War
- Was removed from power during the 2003 United States-led invasion of Iraq
Fast fact
Saddam Hussein previously served as Iraq's vice president before becoming president in 1979.
Full profile of Saddam Hussein →Who lived first, Gnassingbe Eyadema or Saddam Hussein?
Gnassingbe Eyadema (1935–2005) lived first, before Saddam Hussein (1937–2006), based on their recorded years.
Were Gnassingbe Eyadema and Saddam Hussein contemporaries?
Yes — based on their recorded years, Gnassingbe Eyadema (1935–2005) and Saddam Hussein (1937–2006) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
What do Gnassingbe Eyadema and Saddam Hussein have in common?
Both Gnassingbe Eyadema and Saddam Hussein are grouped among our Dictators figures and lived during the Modern Era.