▁writing ▁career . ▁While ▁in ▁Paris ▁he ▁wrote ▁L ' A frique ▁ré vol t ée ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁and ▁A frique ▁deb out ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁editor ▁in ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁left - wing ▁newspaper ▁L ' Ét udi ant ▁No ir . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁frequ ented ▁left - wing ▁circles ▁to ▁discuss ▁political ▁affairs . ▁At ▁these ▁and ▁various ▁cultural ▁con ferences ▁across ▁Europe ▁and ▁Asia , ▁he ▁learned ▁to ▁speak ▁German , ▁English ▁and ▁Spanish , ▁besides ▁his ▁native ▁French . ▁ ▁Before ▁independence ▁was ▁obtained ▁from ▁France , ▁T é vo éd j r è ▁helped ▁found ▁the ▁pro - in dep end ence ▁organization ▁M ouv ement ▁Afr ic ain ▁de ▁Lib ération ▁N ationale ▁and ▁the ▁Ligue ▁pour ▁la ▁Prom otion ▁Africa ine , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁leading ▁the ▁Sy nd ic at ▁National ▁des ▁En sign ants ▁du ▁D ah ome y . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁T é vo éd j r è ▁participated ▁in ▁a ▁strike ▁at ▁the ▁Techn ical ▁College ▁of ▁Cot on ou . ▁The ▁demonstr ators ▁requested ▁to ▁fire ▁two ▁profess ors ▁who ▁failed ▁several ▁students ▁and ▁had ▁them ▁exp elled . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁T é vo éd j r è ▁applied ▁for ▁a ▁government ▁position . ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁job ▁of ▁administrative ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁D ah ome yan ▁Unity ▁Party ▁( P DU