2009 saw the death of Omar Bongo, Africa's longest serving leader. Of which oil rich nation had he been President for over four decades?
Omar Bongo the longest serving non-royal rulers since 1900. Bongo was criticized for in effect having worked for himself, his family and local elites and not for Gabon and its people. For instance, French green politician Eva Joly claimed that during Bongo's long reign, despite an oil-led GDP per capita growth to one of the highest levels in Africa, Gabon built only 5 km of freeway a year and still had one of the world's highest infant mortality rates by the time of his death in 2009. After Bongo's death in June 2009, his son Ali Bongo—who had long been assigned key
Death and state funeral of Omar Bongo at least forty nations. After the service, Bongo's coffin was transported to his home village for burial on June 18. At the time of his death, Bongo had been Africa's longest serving leader. On 7 May 2009, the Gabonese Government announced that Bongo had temporarily suspended his official duties and taken time off to mourn his wife and rest in Spain. It was reported by the international media that he was seriously ill, and undergoing treatment for cancer in hospital in Barcelona, Spain. The Gabonese government maintained that he was in Spain for a few days of rest following the