Story By: David Reagan

Staff Writer/Photographer

In this month’s edition of the Teacher Feature, I sat down with Professor Richard Lakpassa who works as an adjunct professor in the communication department.

He said specializes in teaching the video production class but also teaches a few business and professional speaking classes. This fall is his first semester to teach after spending the earlier part of his career as a film producer. The more I listened to his life story, the more I wanted to know how he went from being a celebrity in Africa to an instructor in Oklahoma.

Born in the town of Hahatoe in Togo, Africa, it is safe to say that Lakpassa has a unique background.

To attend high school, he had to leave his hometown of Hahatoe and move to the capital, Lome. After finishing high school, Lakpassa attended the Universite de Lome and graduated with a degree in French studies and a minor in communication.

When looking back at his college career in Togo, he laughs because he says that he already had all the experience he needed beforehand. Nonetheless, even though he knew he had the skills, Lakpassa said he realized that he also wanted the education. He is a prime example of someone who loves to learn.

He created and self-produced six drama productions while at the Universite de Lome. Years later, after his arrival to the U.S., he went on to earn his Masters of Fine Arts in film and documentary production at the University of North Texas.

However, Lakpassa’s career really started not in film but in radio. He hosted a popular radio show in Togo called “Do the Right Thing” for seven years.

During his public radio shows, he said he read a different book on-air each day. When he read, he did so in different personas and voices.

He spoke with excitement about this first job. “It taught me many things and opened so many new avenues for me,” Lakpassa said.

On his show, he got to pick the daily book, and as a result knows quite a bit about literature. He laughed and said, “Yes, I think I have read more than any man in Togo!”

Contrary to what you might think if you heard him speak in his video production class, Lakpassa didn’t always want to be in the film industry. He said, “I always saw myself as a part of the radio and literature culture.” Little did he know that his new career would change not only his life, but also the lives of many in his country.

Lakpassa’s transition to video actually happened because of his popularity in radio.

When he was 24, Lakpassa was hosting a wedding one day when a man attending noticed that he was a good announcer. He said the man approached him and asked Lakpassa if he wanted to host one of the most popular television shows in Togo, “La Fiesta.”

According to Lakpassa, “La Fiesta” is a very exciting 90 minute interactive, news talk show which turned out to be a hit for all ages.

Lakpassa describes himself as a “simple man” and most students at first glance might agree with this. But in some ways, this is far from the truth.

In his country, Lakpassa is something of a celebrity. He has hosted celebrities on his show, beauty pageants on live television and even the Togo Emmys live.

He describes himself as having an easy-going “Jay Leno persona” and said his show was “a mix of Mtv and John Stewart.” In the U.S., we might liken his celebrity status to that of John Stewart or Stephen Colbert.

His students find him very funny, even when being informative. According to SE student Joe Jefferson, whether Lakpassa is on television or teaching, most are drawn to his likeable communicating qualities.

He later went on to change the format of the show, work as a journalist in over 75 countries and produced the first private television show in Togo.

According to Lakpassa, all of the private television shows in Togo to this day are modeled after the format he created. In Togo they call him “the face of television.”

Despite all this, he said, “It’s not about ego. It’s about wanting to make a difference.”

After working for the news talk show, Lakpassa soon found himself being summoned to host the Togo press correspondent dinners at the “request” of the president.

According to Lakpassa, corrupt government media rules under which he found himself operating forced him to not only attend the dinners, but also required that he only say good things about the president.

But Lakpassa said one day as he was announcing a dinner, he slipped up and said, “Wow, 38 years as president. That’s a long time.” This two-sentence statement about the president became the two sentences that ordered his death sentence.

Lakpassa said that because of this statement, his life was threatened to the point that he had to flee Togo.

Now, to be sure, I am certain that Lakpassa is not the only outstanding teacher who deserves recognition, but there is much to learn about him. He says, “I am a man of passion and commitment.” What I found was a man with an inspiring story, and a teacher who started as a student foremost.

Photo by David Reagan