5 Things to Know About Brice Oligui Nguema, Gabon's New Strongman
Libreville, Gabon - Moments after Gabon’s electoral commission announced on Wednesday, August 30, that President Ali Bongo had won a third term in office, senior military officers announced a coup and cancelled the election results.
It came after the opposition contended that the election was fraudulent. The man being touted to replace Bongo is Brice Oligui Nguema.
Source: Twitter
Who is Brice Oligui Nguema?
According to several media reports, Nguema is the commander-in-chief of the Gabonese Republican Guard. The guard is said to be the French-speaking country’s most powerful security unit.
1) Nguema: Comes from same state as Bongo
Brice Oligui Nguema hails from Haut-Ogooué, the birthplace of the Bongo family.
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Haut-Ogooué is the southeasternmost of Gabon's nine provinces. It is named after the Ogooué River. The provincial capital is Franceville.
One of its primary industries is mining, with manganese, gold, and uranium being found in the region.
2) Brice Oligui Nguema: Ali Bongo's cousin
Nguema is a cousin to Bongo.
Now, it is widely reported that he would replace the ousted president.
3) Brice Nguema: Ex-aide-de-camp to Ali's father
Nguema served as one of the aides-de-camp to former President Omar Bongo’s Republican Guard, until the former Gabonese leader’s demise in 2009.
When Omar’s son, Ali Bongo, rose to power in October 2009, Nguema was dispatched to Morocco and Senegal for diplomatic missions. A decade later, he took over as the head of the guard.
4) Brice Oligui Nguema: Former presidential supporter
General Brice Oligui is a former presidential supporter.
He is a key member of the incumbent Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI). Among them were army colonels and members of the Republican Guard.
5) Brice Oligui Nguema: Believed to be a millionaire
Besides military and diplomatic duties, Nguema was considered in Gabonese circles as an entrepreneur and also believed to be a millionaire.
He is reportedly into real estate business.
Gabonese soldiers hail coup ‘hero’
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Brice Oligui Nguema, the head of Gabon's presidential guard, was carried triumphantly by soldiers on Wednesday, August 30.
Oligui was carried aloft by several soldiers on Wednesday, hours after the coupists announced that they had deposed President Ali Bongo Ondimba, according to verified footage circulating online. Per France 24, the footage, played on a loop, showed many soldiers shouting "Oligui president".
Source: Legit.ng
