African Country – Gabon
In this paper, I am studying an African country – Gabon. Little is known about Gabon before the colonial rule, and its name is prior to the colonial rule is not known. It was one of the French Equatorial Africa countries. The capital city of Gabon is Libreville (https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/gabon). It was founded by the French colonialists in Gabon. The name was derived from the French word for “free town.” The capital did not change its name after the colonial rule. Gabon lies on the west coast of Africa astride the equator. Its neighboring countries are Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea to the north, and the Republic of Congo to the south and east. The Atlantic Ocean borders Gabon to the west. The narrow coastal plain of Gabon is made up of alluvium and sandstone (https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/gabon). The north of the country has outcrops of sandstone, limestone, and chalk. The southern coastline of the country mostly has sandbars. Inland, the country’s relief is comprised of a series of mountains and plateaus. The highest point of Gabon is Mount Bengoue, which is 1020 meters high lies in the northeastern part of the country. The climate of Gabon is equatorial. High humidity and temperatures are experienced in the country throughout the year. Rainy seasons are experienced between October and May (https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/gabon). There is little or no rainfall between June and September. About three-quarters of the country is covered by thick equatorial rainforests.
Gabon was colonized by France. The country was occupied by France since 1885 but, France did not manage to administer it until 1903. The colonial rule involved capturing slaves and exporting them to France, where they could work in French firms. Others were forced to work in the firms established with the country for low or no pay under harsh conditions. Gabonese bearers were used to guide the French colonialists to the headwater of the river Congo. The colonial rule had effects on local political structures, social and cultural institutions, traditional religions, as well as the economy of the country. The French used direct administration to rule Gabon. There was a centralized government in Gabon before the colonial rule, but when the French colonized them, they took over and dominated the pre-colonial government (https://www.britannica.com/search?query=gabon+political+history). Although some of the African cultural activities practiced in Gabon were disregarded by the French, they at least made some of them known to the world. They also introduced schools where Gabonese people would learn the basics of numerals and alphabet. The colonial rule led to the spread of the French language in Gabon, which its citizens could take as an advantage as they could communicate their wishes. Economically, new goods were introduced to Gabon, which included household goods. Also, more jobs were created, and some Gabonese citizens learned new trade (Yates, 2019). The people who sided with the French became richer. Despite all the positive impacts of the colonial rule, there was one major negative impact; dilution of the African culture in Gabon. It was ruined due to the introduction of Christianity.
The process of independence of Gabon was catalyzed by two major events. One of the events was the Gabon territory voting to become a republic within the French Community on September 28, 1958. The other event was the adoption of a constitution and a provisional government that was headed by Mba. On August 17, 1960, Gabon gained independence. After independence, Mba was elected as the president of Gabon on February 12, 1961 (https://www.britannica.com/search?query=gabon+political+history). In contemporary society, the government of Gabon recognizes August 17 as a public holiday. Celebrations are, however, extended days before and after this day, with dancing and parades.
After independence, the presidency was introduced as the dominant political system. Mba was elected as the president, although disagreement continued between him and Aubame. In 1964, Aubame led a coup d’état that went successful. Mba was reinstated through French military intervention. In February 1967, Mba created the vice president post, and in November of that year, he died, and power was transferred to Albert Bongo, the vice president. Bongo announced the one-party system in March 1968 (Yates, 2019). Bongo was re-elected in 1973, 1979, and 1986. The politics of Gabon have changed drastically in the last 20 years (https://www.britannica.com/search?query=gabon+political+history). However, the landscape of Gabon politics is dominated by the Gabonese Democratic Party. For the period up to 2009, Albert Bongo was the president, and his son Ali Ondimba won the August 2009 presidential elections. Ali Bongo Ondimba is up to today, the president of Gabon. The last elections were held on August 31, 2016, and the ruling party retained power (Yates, 2019). Ali Bongo was re-elected as the president with the Gabonese Democratic Party. After this election, a series of activities have occurred, including the disappearing of President Ali Bongo. The media published his state of being missing (https://www.britannica.com/search?query=gabon+political+history). The contending parties, the populace, and election observers had not accepted election results, and a coup d’état was attempted in January 2019. Gabon presidential elections are conducted after seven years. The next election is scheduled for August 2023 (Yates, 2019). The United States formed a diplomatic relationship with Gabon after independence. They share a commitment to strengthen and diversify the economy of Gabon, to combat wildlife trafficking, and to expand bilateral trade.
Overall, the colonial rule is not the sole source of impact on Gabon politics. The politics of Gabon have also been influenced by African regional political developments and the international political context. It has been long since Gabon became an independent country, and much has happened, including many political reforms after the colonial rule. This proves that colonial rule only set the foundation for the politics of Gabon.
References
https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/gabon
https://www.britannica.com/search?query=gabon+political+history
Yates, D. (2019). The Dynastic Republic of Gabon. Cahiers d’études africaines, (234), 483-513.