Omar Bongo: Difference between revisions

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Bongo’s first wife was Marie Josephine Kama and they had two children together, but they divorced in 1986. In 1990, Bongo married Edith Lucie Sassou Nguesso, daughter of President [[Denis Sassou Nguesso]] of the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), and together they had nine children.

After completing primary and secondary education in Brazzaville, then the capital of French Equatorial Africa, he joined the French Air Force and rose to the rank of captain. When Gabon was granted independence from France in 1960, Bongo quickly rose to political power. At the age of 28, he was placed in the Cabinet of Gabon’s first President, [[~~Leon M’Ba~~]]. That appointment led to other political roles including his becoming Vice President of Gabon at the age of 32 in March 1967. In November 1967, following the death of M’Ba, Bongo became the second President of Gabon. Bongo was Africa's fourth youngest president at the time, after [[Michel Micombero]] of Burundi and [[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] of Togo.

After completing primary and secondary education in Brazzaville, then the capital of French Equatorial Africa, he joined the French Air Force and rose to the rank of captain. When Gabon was granted independence from France in 1960, Bongo quickly rose to political power. At the age of 28, he was placed in the Cabinet of Gabon’s first President, [[Léon M'ba]]. That appointment led to other political roles including his becoming Vice President of Gabon at the age of 32 in March 1967. In November 1967, following the death of M’Ba, Bongo became the second President of Gabon. Bongo was Africa's fourth youngest president at the time, after [[Michel Micombero]] of Burundi and [[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] of Togo.

Soon afterwards Bongo designated his ''Parti Democratique Gabonais'' (PDG) as the only political party. As head of the PDG and with only token opposition he was reelected President 1975, 1979, 1986, and 1993 despite repeated assertions that the vote was rigged. In 2000, however, due to growing public opposition and international condemnation, Bongo ended the one-party state rule. Bongo survived multi-party democracy in Gabon for the last decade of his rule by incorporating opposition leaders into his regime.

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 Bongo’s first wife was Marie Josephine Kama and they had two children together, but they divorced in 1986.  In 1990, Bongo married Edith Lucie Sassou Nguesso, daughter of President [[Denis Sassou Nguesso]] of the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), and together they had nine children.
-After completing primary and secondary education in Brazzaville, then the capital of French Equatorial Africa, he joined the French Air Force and rose to the rank of captain.  When Gabon was granted independence from France in 1960, Bongo quickly rose to political power. At the age of 28, he was placed in the Cabinet of Gabon’s first President, [[Leon M’Ba]].  That appointment led to other political roles including his becoming Vice President of Gabon at the age of 32 in March 1967.  In November 1967, following the death of M’Ba, Bongo became the second President of Gabon. Bongo was Africa's fourth youngest president at the time, after [[Michel Micombero]] of Burundi and [[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] of Togo.
+After completing primary and secondary education in Brazzaville, then the capital of French Equatorial Africa, he joined the French Air Force and rose to the rank of captain.  When Gabon was granted independence from France in 1960, Bongo quickly rose to political power. At the age of 28, he was placed in the Cabinet of Gabon’s first President, [[Léon M'ba]].  That appointment led to other political roles including his becoming Vice President of Gabon at the age of 32 in March 1967.  In November 1967, following the death of M’Ba, Bongo became the second President of Gabon. Bongo was Africa's fourth youngest president at the time, after [[Michel Micombero]] of Burundi and [[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] of Togo.
 Soon afterwards Bongo designated his ''Parti Democratique Gabonais'' (PDG) as the only political party.  As head of the PDG and with only token opposition he was reelected President 1975, 1979, 1986, and 1993 despite repeated assertions that the vote was rigged.  In 2000, however, due to growing public opposition and international condemnation, Bongo ended the one-party state rule.  Bongo survived multi-party democracy in Gabon for the last decade of his rule by incorporating opposition leaders into his regime.