A Few Words From El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba ...
Monday June 8, 2009
"Honestly, I wish that all Africans could behave in the same way, that is to say, as though the country belongs to everybody ... Mandela and De Klerk have just given us — both governors and opposition leaders — a lesson. Mandela chose to leave the past behind him and not exclude whites, he did not seek revenge because he was the oldest prisoner, he did not say that he would only govern with his party and friends, he reached out to everyone."
El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, president of Gabon, from a Libreville RTG Chaine National radio broadcast, 3 May 1994.
"The wind from the east is shaking the coconut trees in Africa."
El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, president of Gabon, from Peter Costa's report 'The Political Kingdom' published in Africa Report, 1 September 1994.
Comments
What an honorable observation by HE Omar Bongo! it is very evident that he admired Mandela and De Klerk for how they transformed South Africa from the Apartheid Regime to its current democracy. What South Africa is today is a far cry from What Gabon is! Bongo is one of the richest Presidents in the world and Gabon is extremely poor. this is a country that is so rich with oil! I would think that Bongo was oblivoius to what is happening in other countries but he was abrest and had to wait for death to take him out of the presidency that he has maibtained for life, yes for life.
People like him are a disgrace to the continent. Gabon is a country where the colonial matter France moved residence back to France but the authority remained and still rules till this day. What a shame. I hope the Sasso Nguessos, Biyas, Obianguemas can learn a lesson1