Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is an Equatoguine politician who has been President of Equatorial Guinea since 1979. In a military coup in August 1979, he overthrew his uncle Francisco Macías Nguema (the country’s first president). He is the second and longest-lived President of Equatorial Guinea. Teodoro is not only the longest ruler of Equatorial Guinea, but also the President of Africa, who has remained in power the longest time to date. He has ruled Equatorial Guinea for almost 4 decades – just 39 years!
Here are important facts you need to know about Teodoro Obiang:
birth and early life
Teodoro Obiang was born on June 5, 1942. He is 73 years old. He is from the Esanguii clan in Acoacán, Wele-Nzas Province in eastern Equatorial Guinea. In 1958 he was baptized into the Catholic faith. He also enrolled at Bata’s La Salle Center at the same time that he was pursuing his labor administration degree. In 1963 he was promoted to cadet in the Territorial Guard and months later to attend the Zaragoza General Military Academy. He joined the military of Equatorial Guinea and attended the military academy in Zaragoza, Spain during the colonial period.
He was able to rise to the rank of lieutenantShortly after his uncle, Macías Nguema was elected the first president of Equatorial Guinea following the country’s independence. He was actively involved in government during his uncle’s regime, holding various posts including governor of Bioko, leader of the National Guard, and head of the infamous Black Beach Jail.
take power
Teodoro’s uncle was a mean and cruel dictator who brutally oppressed his people. At a time when Macías was ordering the murders of several members of his own family – including Obiang’s brother – Obiang could take it no longer and so planned a coup that was successful but bloody. So he overthrew his uncle. He then tried Macias on several charges, including murder and genocide. He was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad on September 29, 1979.
Presidency / Dictatorship
Teodoro Obiang was elected to a seven-year, renewable presidential term. After taking office, he granted amnesty to political prisoners and ended the system of forced labor of the previous regime. After three years, in 1982, the government reverted to civilian rule, which I call nominal because it did not relieve the President of the power to rule by decree – he still exercised absolute control. The only major difference was that a less autocratic constitution was enacted. This led to the lifting of some restrictions, such as the lifting of the ban on the Catholic Church.
Obiang is a well-known African president of great political and economic strength. He presides over an African country with a whopping $30,000 per capita income (by sub-Saharan Africa standards), but most of the oil revenues are gobbled up by his family and inner circle. As a result, 70 percent of the country’s 680,000 residents live below the poverty line with little access to clean water and other basic necessities.
Although Obiang threw his uncle into others, saving his people from his brutal oppression, he himself is also a fierce dictator. He is known as the country’s “top torturer”. Most recently, Amnesty International reported that in January 2010 Nguema’s henchmen kidnapped four national exiles in Benin, held them in secret detention, tortured them and then forced them to confess to an alleged coup attempt, all before their execution in August after a kangaroo court proceedings. Most national and international observers also regard his regime as one of the most corrupt, ethnocentric, oppressive and undemocratic in the world. The most gruesome of his atrocities, albeit unfounded, is the accusation leveled against him by opponents of cannibalism:
Obiang has defied all oppositions and powers during this long reign. He has been consistently re-elected since 1979 with at least 90% of the vote. The opposition is severely hampered by the lack of a free press to express opinions. About 90% of all opposition politicians live in exile, 550 anti-Obiang activists have been unfairly imprisoned and several killed since 1979. Some time ago, state radio in Malabo dubbed Obiang the “god of the country” and claimed that he was They went on to say that the President is in constant contact with the Almighty and can decide to kill without anyone holding him accountable and without that he’s going to hell. The situation was similar in 1993 and he also referred to himself as “El Jefe” (the boss) and “Gentleman of the big island of Bioko,
Personal life
Teodoro Obiang is married to Constancia Mangue and they have an issue, a son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang, popularly called “Teodorin”. His son is known to be mischievous. Like his father, he has been accused of embezzling public funds and other unacceptable behavior. According to Forbes, the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang has a net worth of $600 million, making him one of the richest heads of state in the world. However, this is not fully justified.
Obiang is also rumored to be suffering from terminal prostate cancer. In contrast, however, it can be stated that Obiang is already in exceptionally good health at the age of 73. He does daily exercise for physical fitness.
International Recognitions
Despite the dictatorial nature of Obiang’s government, which is strongly not pro-human rights, it still has close ties with other countries such as the United States. He has never been publicly condemned on the global platform like his fellow dictators. To the annoyance of many human rights activists, President Obama invited him to Washington as a guest of honor at the 2014 African Leaders Summit.
Currently, the President conducts incessant political activities with constant official visits outside the country to strengthen good relations between Equatorial Guinea and other nations such as China, United States, Morocco, Spain, Brazil, Cuba, Argentina, etc.