Meet Brice Oligui Nguema, the military leader of Gabon.

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The military coup that overthrew president Ali Bongo Ondimba on August 30, 2023, was led by Brice Clothaire Oligui Nguema, the head of the Gabonese Republican Guard, the nation’s most potent security force.

According to a story published by aljazeera.com, Nguema, a cousin of Bongo, led the effort to reverse the election results as the focus quickly shifted from electoral results to military involvement.

According to the research, Nguema’s influence and participation in Gabon’s politics have been distinguished by an intriguing fusion of military prowess, diplomatic efforts, and business initiatives.

After the death of the elder Bongo in 2009 and the subsequent ascent to power of Ali Bongo, Nguema’s path led him on diplomatic missions to Senegal and Morocco before he took over as leader of the Republican Guard ten years later.

The Republican Guard is charged with the vital duty of maintaining presidential security. They may be identified by their characteristic green berets.

According to reports, Nguema wrote a song in which he pledged to support the president with “honor and loyalty.”

In Gabonese circles, he was apparently regarded as an entrepreneur and even a millionaire.

In 2020, The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) conducted an inquiry into Nguema’s real estate assets in the United States, where he had made large cash purchases of properties.

The report went on to say that Nguema’s most recent media comments shed light on his reasons for taking part in the coup attempt. He is reported to have voiced concern for Ali Bongo’s health following a stroke in 2018, implying that it was a contributing reason to the political unrest, in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde. He attacked the electoral process and charged that the government had violated the constitution.

Source: Ghanaweb/EWURAA