“Gabon without France is like a car with no driver. France without Gabon is like a car with no fuel...”
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Omar Bongo
Omar Bongo Ondimba was a Gabonese politician who was the second president of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009. A member of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), Bongo was promoted to key positions as a young official under Gabon's first President Léon M'ba in the 1960s, before being elected the second vice president in his own right in 1966. In 1967, after M'ba's death, he became the country…
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politics · President of Gabon from 1967 to 2009 · politician · military personnel · minister · also Omar Bongo, El Hadj Omar Bongo, El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, Omar Bongo Ondimba, Albert-Bernard Bongo, Bongo
Born 30 December 1935 · Died 8 June 2009 · Q172083
37 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 1 entry
2020· 1 entry
Earth Times: Omar Bongo’s Rise: From Politician to African Powerhouse
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2009· 2 entries
Died 2009-06-08.
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Bongo spent his last months in a major row with France over the French inquiry
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2008· 1 entry
President Nicolas Sarkozy demoted his minister in charge of looking after the ex-colonies, Jean-Marie Bockel, after the latter noted the "squandering of public funds" by some African regimes, provoking Bongo's fury
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2007· 1 entry
His former daughter-in-law, Inge Lynn Collins Bongo, the second wife of his son Ali Bongo, caused a stir when she appeared on the US music channel VH1's reality show Really Rich Real Estate
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2006· 1 entry
However, Maboundou, stopped his public criticisms of Mr
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2005· 1 entry
An investigation by the United States Senate Indian Affairs Committee into fundraising irregularities by lobbyist Jack Abramoff revealed that Abramoff had offered to arrange a meeting between U
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2003· 2 entries
He added Ondimba as a surname on 15 November 2003 in recognition of his father, Basile Ondimba, who died in 1942.
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Bongo secured a constitutional amendment removing presidential term limits and increasing the presidential term length to seven years from five
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2002· 1 entry
Set aside 10 percent of Gabon's land as national parks, pledging that they would never be logged, mined, hunted or farmed
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2001· 1 entry
Awarded honorary doctor of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (2001).
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2000· 1 entry
Put an end to a student strike by providing about US$1
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1999· 1 entry
An investigation by the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on investigations into Citibank estimated that the Gabonese President held US$130 million in the bank's personal accounts, money the Senate report said was "source
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1998· 1 entry
Similar controversy raged over his victory
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1997· 1 entry
Earned Gold Olympic Order (1997).
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1993· 2 entries
Which he won, the poll was marred by allegations of rigging, with the opposition claiming that chief rival, Father Paul Mba Abessole, was robbed of victory
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With the opposition staging violent protests, Paris hosted the talks between Bongo and the opposition, resulting in the Paris Agreement/Accords which restored calm
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1990· 1 entry
France, which has always maintained a permanent military base in Gabon as well as in some of its other ex-colonies, helped maintain Bongo in power in the face of sustained pro-democracy protests that threatened to oust h
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1988· 1 entry
The New York Times reported that "Last year, French aid to Gabon amounted to US$360 million
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1987· 1 entry
After which she went on to launch a music career under the name Patience Dabany
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1986· 1 entry
Bongo's image was boosted abroad when he received the Dag Hammarskjöld Peace Prize for efforts to resolve the Chad-Libya border conflict
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1985· 2 entries
British politician Alan Clark, while Conservative Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton, once, in a departmental meeting, allegedly referred to Africa as "Bongo Bongo Land"
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Legislative elections were held which followed past procedures; all nominations were approved by PDG, which then presented a single list of candidates
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1977· 1 entry
Career landmark: chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity (1977–1978).
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1973· 1 entry
Bongo converted to Islam and took the name El Hadj Omar Bongo while on a visit to Libya in 1973.
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1967· 2 entries
After M'ba's death, he became the country's president
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Career landmark: President of Gabon (1967–2009).
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1966· 2 entries
Career landmark: Vice President of Gabon (1966–1967).
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After what was effectively an interview and subsequent approval by de Gaulle in 1965 in Paris
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1964· 2 entries
When renegade soldiers arrested him in Libreville and kidnapped president M'ba, French paratroopers rescued the abducted president and Bongo, restoring them to power
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During the only coup attempt in 20th-century Gabon, M'ba was kidnapped and Bongo was held in a military camp in Libreville, though M'ba was restored to power two days later
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1960· 1 entry
Rapidly rising through a succession of positions under President Léon M'ba
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1959· 2 entries
They had a son, Alain-Bernard (later Ali) Bongo, who was born in 1959 and served as foreign minister from 1989 to 1992, then as minister of national defense from 1999 to 2009, and was then elected president in August 2009 to replace his father; and a daughter, Albertine Amissa Bongo.
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And served as foreign minister from 1989 to 1992, then as minister of national defense from 1999 to 2009, and was then elected president in August 2009 to replace his father; and a daughter, Albertine Amissa Bongo
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1957· 1 entry
They had a daughter, Pascaline Bongo Ondimba, born at Franceville in 1957.
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1935· 1 entry
Born 1935-12-30.
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