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Léon M'ba - Wikipedia
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class="pre-content heading-holder"> <div class="page-heading"> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Léon M'ba</span></h1> <div class="tagline"></div> </div> <ul id="p-associated-pages" class="minerva__tab-container"> <li class="minerva__tab selected mw-list-item"> <a class="minerva__tab-text" href="/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" rel="" data-event-name="tabs.main">Article</a> </li> <li class="minerva__tab mw-list-item"> <a class="minerva__tab-text" href="/wiki/Talk:L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" rel="discussion" data-event-name="tabs.talk">Talk</a> </li> </ul> <nav class="page-actions-menu"> <ul id="p-views" class="page-actions-menu__list"> <li id="language-selector" class="page-actions-menu__list-item"> <a role="button" href="#p-lang" data-mw="interface" data-event-name="menu.languages" title="Language" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet 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minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>Edit</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> <!-- version 1.0.2 (change every time you update a partial) --> <div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="content"> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><script>function mfTempOpenSection(id){var block=document.getElementById("mf-section-"+id);block.className+=" open-block";block.previousSibling.className+=" open-block";}</script><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><section class="mf-section-0" id="mf-section-0"> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><p><b>Gabriel Léon M'ba</b><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Pronunciation" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation"><span title="Fang IPA transcription needed for this term.">needs IPA</span></a></i>]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (9 February 1902 – 28 November 1967)<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> was a Gabonese politician who served as both the first <a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Gabon" title="Prime Minister of Gabon">Prime Minister</a> (1959–1961) and <a href="/wiki/President_of_Gabon" title="President of Gabon">President</a> (1961–1967) of <a href="/wiki/Gabon" title="Gabon">Gabon</a>. </p><table class="infobox vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size: 100%;"><div class="fn" style="font-size:125%;">Léon M'ba</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:L%C3%A9on_M%27ba_1964.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba_1964.jpg/220px-L%C3%A9on_M%27ba_1964.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="307" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba_1964.jpg/330px-L%C3%A9on_M%27ba_1964.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba_1964.jpg/440px-L%C3%A9on_M%27ba_1964.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1228" data-file-height="1712"></a></span><div class="infobox-caption" style="line-height:normal;padding-top:0.2em;">Léon M'ba in 1964</div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">1st <a href="/wiki/President_of_Gabon" title="President of Gabon">President of Gabon</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>12 February 1961 – 28 November 1967</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Vice President</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Paul-Marie_Yembit" title="Paul-Marie Yembit">Paul-Marie Yembit</a><br><a href="/wiki/Albert-Bernard_Bongo" class="mw-redirect" title="Albert-Bernard Bongo">Albert-Bernard Bongo</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><i>Position established</i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Omar_Bongo" title="Omar Bongo">Omar Bongo</a></td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">1st <a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Gabon" title="Prime Minister of Gabon">Prime Minister of Gabon</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>27 February 1959 – 21 February 1961</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><i>Position established</i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%C3%A9biame" title="Léon Mébiame">Léon Mébiame</a> (as Prime Minister in 1975)</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">Vice President of the Government Council of <a href="/wiki/French_Gabon" class="mw-redirect" title="French Gabon">French Gabon</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>21 May 1957 – 1959</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Governor</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Louis_Sanmarco" title="Louis Sanmarco">Louis Sanmarco</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><i>Position abolished (succeeded by <a href="/wiki/Vice_President_of_Gabon" title="Vice President of Gabon">Vice President of Gabon</a>)</i></td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">Mayor of <a href="/wiki/Libreville" title="Libreville">Libreville</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>1956–1957</td><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">Member of the Territorial Assembly of <a href="/wiki/French_Gabon" class="mw-redirect" title="French Gabon">French Gabon</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>1952–1956</td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2"> </td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="color: #202122; background:lavender">Personal details</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><div style="display:inline" class="nickname">Gabriel Léon M'ba</div><br><span style="display:none">(<span class="bday">1902-02-09</span>)</span>9 February 1902<br><a href="/wiki/Libreville" title="Libreville">Libreville</a>, <a href="/wiki/French_Congo" title="French Congo">French Congo</a><br><small>(now <a href="/wiki/Gabon" title="Gabon">Gabon</a>)</small></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Died</th><td class="infobox-data">28 November 1967<span style="display:none">(1967-11-28)</span> (aged 65)<br><a href="/wiki/Paris" title="Paris">Paris</a>, France</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Nationality</th><td class="infobox-data">Gabonese</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Political party</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Comit%C3%A9_Mixte_Gabonais&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Comité Mixte Gabonais (page does not exist)">Comité Mixte Gabonais</a>, <a href="/wiki/Bloc_D%C3%A9mocratique_Gabonais" class="mw-redirect" title="Bloc Démocratique Gabonais">Bloc Démocratique Gabonais</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouse</th><td class="infobox-data">Pauline M'ba<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-below" style="border-top: 1px solid right;"><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>A member of the <a href="/wiki/Beti-Pahuin#Fang" class="mw-redirect" title="Beti-Pahuin">Fang</a> ethnic group, M'ba was born into a relatively privileged village family. After studying at a <a href="/wiki/Seminary" title="Seminary">seminary</a>, he held a number of small jobs before entering the colonial administration as a <a href="/wiki/Customs_agent" class="mw-redirect" title="Customs agent">customs agent</a>. His political activism in favor of black people worried the <a href="/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa" title="French Equatorial Africa">French administration</a>, and as a punishment for his activities, he was issued a prison sentence after committing a minor crime that normally would have resulted in a small fine. In 1924, the administration gave M'ba a second chance and selected him to head the <a href="/wiki/Canton_(administrative_division)" title="Canton (administrative division)">canton</a> in <a href="/wiki/Estuaire_Province" title="Estuaire Province">Estuaire Province</a>. After being accused of <a href="/wiki/Complicit" class="mw-redirect" title="Complicit">complicity</a> in the murder of a woman near <a href="/wiki/Libreville" title="Libreville">Libreville</a>, he was sentenced in 1931 to three years in prison and 10 years in exile. While in exile in <a href="/wiki/Oubangui-Chari" class="mw-redirect" title="Oubangui-Chari">Oubangui-Chari</a>, he published works documenting the tribal <a href="/wiki/Custom_(law)" class="mw-redirect" title="Custom (law)">customary law</a> of the Fang people. He was employed by local administrators, and received praise from his superiors for his work. He remained a <i><a href="/wiki/Persona_non_grata" title="Persona non grata">persona non grata</a></i> to Gabon until the French colonial administration finally allowed M'ba to return his native country in 1946. </p><p>After returning from exile, he began his political ascent by founding the <a href="/wiki/Gabonese_Mixed_Committee" title="Gabonese Mixed Committee">Gabonese Mixed Committee</a>. After his party broke ties with the <a href="/wiki/French_Communist_Party" title="French Communist Party">French Communist Party</a> in 1951, it was allowed to run in <a href="/wiki/French_Gabon" class="mw-redirect" title="French Gabon">French Gabon</a> elections and he was elected to the Territorial Assembly in 1952. After becoming mayor of the capital city, <a href="/wiki/Libreville" title="Libreville">Libreville</a>, in 1956, M'ba quickly rose to prominence and was appointed the vice-president of the governor's council on 21 May 1957, the highest position held by a native African in French Gabon. In 1958, he directed an initiative to include Gabon in the Franco-African community further than before. </p><p>After independence, he served as the first <a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Gabon" title="Prime Minister of Gabon">Prime Minister of Gabon</a> from 27 February 1959 until 21 February 1961. He became the first <a href="/wiki/President_of_Gabon" title="President of Gabon">President of Gabon</a> on 17 August 1960. Political nemesis <a href="/wiki/Jean-Hilaire_Aubame" title="Jean-Hilaire Aubame">Jean-Hilaire Aubame</a> briefly assumed the office of president through a <a href="/wiki/1964_Gabonese_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat" title="1964 Gabonese coup d'état">coup d'état</a> in February 1964, but order was restored days later when the French intervened. M'ba was reelected in March 1967, but died of cancer in November 1967 and was succeeded by his vice president, <a href="/wiki/Omar_Bongo" title="Omar Bongo">Albert-Bernard Bongo</a>. </p> <div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none"><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><span class="toctogglespan"><label class="toctogglelabel" for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></span></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Early_life"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Early life</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="#Under_the_colonial_administration"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Under the colonial administration</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="#Chef_de_canton"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext"><i>Chef de canton</i></span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="#Exile_in_Oubangui-Chari"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Exile in Oubangui-Chari</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="#Political_ascension"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Political ascension</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="#Return_to_Gabon_and_local_politician"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Return to Gabon and local politician</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="#Rise_to_power"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Rise to power</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8"><a href="#President_of_Gabon"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">President of Gabon</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="#Consolidation_of_power"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Consolidation of power</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="#%22Hyperpr%C3%A9sident%22_of_Gabon"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">"Hyperprésident" of Gabon</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="#1964_Gabon_coup_d'%C3%A9tat"><span class="tocnumber">4.3</span> <span class="toctext">1964 Gabon coup d'état</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="#Under_the_tutelage_of_France"><span class="tocnumber">4.4</span> <span class="toctext">Under the tutelage of France</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="#Succession_and_legacy"><span class="tocnumber">4.5</span> <span class="toctext">Succession and legacy</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14"><a href="#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-15"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(1)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Early_life">Early life</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early life" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-1 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-1"> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Fang_Christians_(c.1912).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg/220px-Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="186" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="760" data-file-height="644"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 186px;" data-mw-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg/220px-Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg" data-width="220" data-height="186" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg/330px-Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg/440px-Fang_Christians_%28c.1912%29.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Fangs in a <a href="/wiki/Mission_(Christian)" class="mw-redirect" title="Mission (Christian)">Christian mission</a>, c. 1912</figcaption></figure> <p>A member of the <a href="/wiki/Beti-Pahuin#Fang" class="mw-redirect" title="Beti-Pahuin">Fang ethnic tribe</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe24-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> M'ba was born on 9 February 1902 in <a href="/wiki/Libreville" title="Libreville">Libreville</a>, Gabon.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault215_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault215-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His father, a small business manager<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault215_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault215-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and village chief,<sup id="cite_ref-Gates1278_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Gates1278-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> once worked as the hairdresser to Franco-Italian explorer <a href="/wiki/Pierre_Savorgnan_de_Brazza" title="Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza">Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe24-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His mother, Louise Bendome, was a seamstress.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe24-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Both were educated<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault216_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault216-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and were among the first "evolved couples" in Libreville.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe25-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> M'ba's brother also played an important role in the colonial hierarchy; he was Gabon's first Roman Catholic priest.<sup id="cite_ref-Gates1278_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Gates1278-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1909, M'ba joined a seminary<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe24-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> to receive his primary education. From 1920, he was employed as a store manager, a lumberjack and trader before entering the French colonial administration as a customs agent.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe25-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Despite his good job performance, M'ba's activism in helping black Gabonians,<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe25-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> particularly for the Fangs, worried his superiors. In September 1922, M'ba wrote to Edmond Cadier, <a href="/wiki/Lieutenant-Governor" class="mw-redirect" title="Lieutenant-Governor">Lieutenant-Governor</a> of Gabon: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>"If on the one hand, the fundamental duty of educating the Fangs is consistent with Gabon's evident economic, military, and even political interests, on the other side, growing in human dignity and the increase of their material well-being do stay, Mr. Governor, the first legitimization of the French authority on them."<sup id="cite_ref-Keese144_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese144-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>His remarks upset authorities, and he suffered the consequences in December 1922, when he was sentenced to prison after having committed a minor crime of providing a colleague with falsified documents.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese144_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese144-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(2)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Under_the_colonial_administration">Under the colonial administration</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Under the colonial administration" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-2 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-2"> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Chef_de_canton"><i>Chef de canton</i></h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Chef de canton" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>In either 1924<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault216_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault216-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or 1926,<sup id="cite_ref-Keese145_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese145-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> M'ba reconciled with colonial authorities and was chosen to succeed the deceased <i>chef de canton</i> (similar to a village chief) of Libreville's Fang neighbourhood.<sup id="cite_ref-Gates1278_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Gates1278-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As the leader of a group of young Libreville intellectuals, he ignored the advice of elder Fangs and quickly gained a reputation as a strong, confident, and able-minded man.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault216_8-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault216-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He once wrote in a letter that he was "[m]issioned to enforce public order and defend the general interest" and that he did "not accept that people transgress the orders received from the authority that I represent."<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault216_8-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault216-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>M'ba did not have an idealist vision of his job; he saw it as a way to become wealthy.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese145_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese145-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> With his colleague Ambamamy, he forced labour on the residents of the canton for his personal use, to cover his large expenditures. The colonial administration was aware of the embezzlement, but they chose to overlook it.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese145_12-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese145-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, beginning in 1929, the colonial administration started to investigate his activities after they intercepted one of his letters to a Kouyaté, secretary for the <a href="/wiki/Ligue_des_droits_de_l%27homme" class="mw-redirect" title="Ligue des droits de l'homme">Ligue des droits de l'homme</a>, who was accused of being an ally of the <a href="/wiki/Comintern" class="mw-redirect" title="Comintern">Comintern</a>. Despite this suspected Communist alliance, the French authorities did not oppose M'ba's appointment as head chief of the <a href="/wiki/Estuaire_Province" title="Estuaire Province">Estuaire Province</a> by his colleagues.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese146_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese146-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In those years, M'ba, a member of the Ligue,<sup id="cite_ref-Reed293_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed293-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> distanced himself from Roman Catholicism, but did not break completely with his faith. He instead became a follower of the <a href="/wiki/Bwiti" title="Bwiti">Bwiti</a><sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe25-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> religious sect, which Fangs were particularly receptive to.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault218_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault218-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Taylor140_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Taylor140-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He believed this would help revitalise a society which he felt had been damaged by the colonial administration.<sup id="cite_ref-Reed293_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed293-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1931, the sect was accused of murdering a woman whose remains were discovered outside a market in Libreville.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault218_15-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault218-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Accused of <a href="/wiki/Complicit" class="mw-redirect" title="Complicit">complicity</a>, even though his involvement in the crime was not proven, M'ba was removed from power<sup id="cite_ref-Keese146_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese146-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and sentenced to three years in prison and ten years of exile.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe25-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Officially this was for embezzlement of tax revenues and his abusive treatment of the local labour force.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese146_13-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese146-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Exile_in_Oubangui-Chari">Exile in Oubangui-Chari</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Exile in Oubangui-Chari" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Oubangui-Chari.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Oubangui-Chari.jpg/250px-Oubangui-Chari.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="158" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="738" data-file-height="466"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 250px;height: 158px;" data-mw-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Oubangui-Chari.jpg/250px-Oubangui-Chari.jpg" data-width="250" data-height="158" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Oubangui-Chari.jpg/375px-Oubangui-Chari.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Oubangui-Chari.jpg/500px-Oubangui-Chari.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Map of Oubangui-Chari, c. 1910</figcaption></figure> <p>While exiled in the French territory of <a href="/wiki/Oubangui-Chari" class="mw-redirect" title="Oubangui-Chari">Oubangui-Chari</a>, first in the towns of <a href="/wiki/Bambari" title="Bambari">Bambari</a> and then <a href="/wiki/Bria,_Central_African_Republic" title="Bria, Central African Republic">Bria</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe26-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> he continued to exert influence among Fangs via correspondence with his compatriots in Libreville. Worried by the situation, Governor-General Antonetti ordered in 1934, at the end of his prison sentence, that M'ba be placed under surveillance.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese147_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese147-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>During his years in exile, he wrote about the customary rights of the Fang people in the "Essai de droit coutumier pahouin" (English: <span lang="en">Essay of Pahouin customary rights</span>) and published it in <i>Bulletin de la société des recherches congolaises</i> in 1938.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese148_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese148-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This work quickly became the main reference on Fang tribal <a href="/wiki/Custom_(law)" class="mw-redirect" title="Custom (law)">customary law</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By 1939, the native ex-chief remained a <i><a href="/wiki/Persona_non_grata" title="Persona non grata">persona non grata</a></i> to Gabon, as stated in the letter from the head of the Estuarie <a href="/wiki/Department_(administrative_division)" title="Department (administrative division)">Department</a>, Assier de Pompignan: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>For Léon M'Ba not only was the leader who had claimed for personal use the colony's money. He enjoyed also a considerable amount of prestige, as his congeners could see, which he got from witchcraft activities he practiced. As he was intelligent, he exploited this situation to extort the people he had to administrate also the cabal which he had formed. But on the other hand, he knew how to flatter the representatives of the authority, beguiling their vigilance and gaining their confidence. That is why he had, years before, committed all kinds of abuses without ever being otherwise worried about it.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese148_19-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese148-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>In spite of being in exile, M'ba was employed by local administrators. Placed in secondary offices and having no proper power, he was an accomplished and valuable employee. Thanks to praiseworthy reports from his superiors, he was once again seen as a reliable indigenous element on which the colonial administration could rely on.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese149_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese149-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1942, a sentence reduction was granted to him.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe26-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Following his release, he became a civil servant in <a href="/wiki/Brazzaville" title="Brazzaville">Brazzaville</a>, where his prestige increased.<sup id="cite_ref-frenchinvolvement_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-frenchinvolvement-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(3)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Political_ascension">Political ascension</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Political ascension" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-3 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-3"> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Return_to_Gabon_and_local_politician">Return to Gabon and local politician</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Return to Gabon and local politician" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>In 1946, M'ba returned to Gabon, where he was greeted exultantly by his friends.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe26-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He was not reinstated as <i>chef de canton</i>; instead, he obtained an important position as store manager for the English trading house <a href="/wiki/John_Holt_plc" title="John Holt plc">John Holt</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe26-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> That same year, he founded the <a href="/wiki/Gabonese_Mixed_Committee" title="Gabonese Mixed Committee">Gabonese Mixed Committee</a> (CMG), a political party close to the <a href="/wiki/African_Democratic_Rally" class="mw-redirect" title="African Democratic Rally">African Democratic Rally</a> (RDA), an inter-African party led by <a href="/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Houphou%C3%ABt-Boigny" title="Félix Houphouët-Boigny">Félix Houphouët-Boigny</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Taylor140_16-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Taylor140-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The party's main objective was to obtain autonomy for its member states and oppose the <a href="/wiki/Senegal" title="Senegal">Senegalese</a> leader <a href="/wiki/L%C3%A9opold_S%C3%A9dar_Senghor" title="Léopold Sédar Senghor">Léopold Sédar Senghor</a>'s idea of federalism.<sup id="cite_ref-Taylor140_16-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Taylor140-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Playing on his past as a former exile, and through the network of Bwiti followers, M'ba managed to rally support from the Fang and Myènè peoples.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault222_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault222-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His goal was to win indigenous administrative and judicial posts.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Based on his success in Libreville, M'ba aspired, at one point, to become the head of the region, an idea which many notable Fangs supported during the Pahouin congress at Mitzic in February 1947.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese151_28-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese151-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, the colonial authorities refused to give him the position. Due to his relations with the RDA, which was linked to the <a href="/wiki/French_Communist_Party" title="French Communist Party">French Communist Party</a>, M'Ba was seen as a communist and propagandist in the colony; for the authorities, these suspicions had been confirmed when M'ba was involved in the 1949 RDA congress in <a href="/wiki/Abidjan" title="Abidjan">Abidjan</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese153_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese153-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1951, the CMG decided to break its ties with the Communists, siding with the moderate position favored by Houphouët-Boigny while he did the same.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> At the same time M'ba, while maintaining his "rebellious" image to the electorate, became close with the French administration.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, the administration was already supporting his main opponent, Congressman <a href="/wiki/Jean-Hilaire_Aubame" title="Jean-Hilaire Aubame">Jean-Hilaire Aubame</a>, who was M'ba's protégé and his half-brother's foster son.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault222_26-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault222-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the <a href="/wiki/French_legislative_election,_1951_(Gabon%E2%80%93Moyen_Congo)" class="mw-redirect" title="French legislative election, 1951 (Gabon–Moyen Congo)">legislative elections</a> of 17 June 1951, Aubame was easily re-elected, as M'ba only received 3,257 votes, just 11% of the electorate.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault224_32-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault224-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the <a href="/wiki/1952_Gabonese_Territorial_Assembly_election" title="1952 Gabonese Territorial Assembly election">territorial elections</a> of March 1952, Aubame's <a href="/wiki/Gabonese_Democratic_and_Social_Union" title="Gabonese Democratic and Social Union">Gabonese Democratic and Social Union</a> (UDSG) won 14 of the 24 contested seats, against two for the CMG; however, the CMG received 57% of the votes cast in Libreville.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault224_32-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault224-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Rise_to_power">Rise to power</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Rise to power" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Gabon_(1959%E2%80%931960).svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg/220px-Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="750"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 165px;" data-mw-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg/220px-Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg.png" data-width="220" data-height="165" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg/330px-Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg/440px-Flag_of_Gabon_%281959%E2%80%931960%29.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Flag of the Autonomous Republic of Gabon (1959–1960)</figcaption></figure> <p>Initially rejected by the Territorial Assembly, M'ba allied himself with French representatives in the assembly.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault224_32-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault224-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, using his charismatic traits and his reputation as a "man of the people", he managed to win a seat there in 1952.<sup id="cite_ref-Yates103_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Yates103-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>He left the CMG to join the <a href="/wiki/Gabonese_Democratic_Bloc" class="mw-redirect" title="Gabonese Democratic Bloc">Gabonese Democratic Bloc</a> (BDG) led by <a href="/wiki/Paul_Gondjout" title="Paul Gondjout">Paul Gondjout</a> in 1954,<sup id="cite_ref-Yates103_33-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Yates103-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> whom M'ba intended to overthrow.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gondjout, the secretary of the BDG, appointed M'ba secretary-general and formed a long term alliance against Aubame.<sup id="cite_ref-Reed295_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed295-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the legislative elections of 2 January 1956, M'ba received 36% of the votes versus 47% for Aubame.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Though not elected, M'ba became the leader of the indigenous territory, and some of the UDSG began to ally themselves with him.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese159_37-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese159-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the municipal elections of 1956, M'ba received support from the French logging industry, especially <a href="/w/index.php?title=Roland_Bru&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Roland Bru (page does not exist)">Roland Bru</a>, and was elected mayor of Libreville<sup id="cite_ref-Yates103_33-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Yates103-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> with 65.5% of the vote. On 23 November he was appointed the first mayor of the capital.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This has been cited as the BDG's first significant victory over the UDSG.<sup id="cite_ref-Reed295_35-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed295-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the French practice of holding multiple posts known as <i>cumul des positions</i>, M'ba served as both mayor and deputy.<sup id="cite_ref-Yates103_33-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Yates103-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the territorial elections of March 1957, his reputation as a "forester's man" worked against him;<sup id="cite_ref-Yates103_33-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Yates103-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the BDG finished second again, winning 16 of the 40 contested seats, against 18 for the UDSG.<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Bru and other French foresters bribed several UDSG deputies to switch their political party to the BDG. M'ba's party won 21 seats against 19 for Aubame's party after a recount. However, in the absence of an absolute majority, both parties were obliged to submit on 21 May 1957, a list of individuals that both agreed were suitable for election into the government.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault262_40-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault262-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> That same day, M'ba was appointed vice president of the government council under the French governor.<sup id="cite_ref-Taylor140_16-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Taylor140-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Soon, divisions grew within the government, and Aubame resigned from his position and filed a motion of censure against the government. The motion was rejected by a 21–19 vote.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault263_41-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault263-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> With M'ba's victory, many elected UDSG members joined the parliamentary majority, giving the party a majority with 29 of the 40 legislative seats. Well installed in the government, he slowly began to reinforce his power.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>After voting in favor of the <a href="/wiki/French_Community" title="French Community">Franco-African Community</a>, similar to the <a href="/wiki/British_Commonwealth" class="mw-redirect" title="British Commonwealth">British Commonwealth</a>, in the <a href="/wiki/1958_French_constitutional_referendum" title="1958 French constitutional referendum">constitutional referendum</a> of 28 September 1958,<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault294_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault294-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gabon became pseudo-politically independent.<sup id="cite_ref-frenchinvolvement_23-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-frenchinvolvement-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> French journalist <a href="/wiki/Pierre_P%C3%A9an" title="Pierre Péan">Pierre Péan</a> asserted that M'ba secretly tried to prevent Gabonese independence; instead, he lobbied for it to become an overseas territory of France.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In December 1958, the Assembly voted to establish the legislature, and then <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/promulgate" class="extiw" title="wikt:promulgate">promulgated</a> the constitution of the Republic of Gabon on 19 February 1959.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault294_43-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault294-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 27 February, M'ba was appointed <a href="/wiki/List_of_heads_of_government_of_Gabon" class="mw-redirect" title="List of heads of government of Gabon">Prime Minister</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe29_45-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe29-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After M'ba openly declared for the departmentalization of Gabon in November 1959,<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Jacques_Foccart" title="Jacques Foccart">Jacques Foccart</a>, <a href="/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle" title="Charles de Gaulle">Charles de Gaulle</a>'s spin doctor for African policy, told him that this solution was unthinkable.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> M'ba then decided to adopt a new flag by affixing the design of the national tree, the <a href="/wiki/Aucoumea_klaineana" title="Aucoumea klaineana">Angouma</a>, over the French flag. Again, Foccart, as a loyal Frenchman, refused.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>From July 1958, a third political force tried to establish itself in Gabon: the Parti d'Union Nationale Gabonais (<a href="/wiki/Gabonese_National_Unity_Party" title="Gabonese National Unity Party">PUNGA</a>), led by <a href="/w/index.php?title=Ren%C3%A9-Paul_Sousatte&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="René-Paul Sousatte (page does not exist)">René-Paul Sousatte</a> and Jean-Jacques Boucavel, created attempting to unite the southern Gabonese against the established BDG and UDSG. It was also supported by former UDSG members, "radical" students, and trade unionists.<sup id="cite_ref-Reed295_35-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed295-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Though it voted against the constitutional referendum,<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault269_48-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault269-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> PUNGA organised several events geared toward gaining independence and the holding of more parliamentary elections, which were also supported by the UDSG.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault294_43-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault294-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In March 1960, after independence had already been obtained, M'ba cracked down on PUNGA, claiming its goal had already been reached. He filed an <a href="/wiki/Arrest_warrant" title="Arrest warrant">arrest warrant</a> for Sousatte for conspiring against him and searched the houses of UDSG members, who he accused of complicity. Intimidated, three deputies of the UDSG joined the majority.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault296_49-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault296-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(4)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="President_of_Gabon">President of Gabon</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: President of Gabon" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-4 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-4"> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Consolidation_of_power">Consolidation of power</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Consolidation of power" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>On 19 June 1960, legislative elections were organised through the <i><a href="/wiki/Scrutin_de_liste" class="mw-redirect" title="Scrutin de liste">scrutin de liste</a></i> voting system, a form of <a href="/wiki/Plurality-at-large_voting" class="mw-redirect" title="Plurality-at-large voting">bloc voting</a> in which each party offers a list of candidates who the population vote for; the list that obtains a majority of votes is declared the winner and obtains all the contested seats. Through the redistricting of district and constituency boundaries, the BDG arbitrarily received 244 seats, while the UDSG received 77.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault297_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault297-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the month before full political independence of Gabon was achieved on 13 August, M'ba signed 15 cooperation agreements with France, pertaining to national defense, technical cooperation, economic support, access to materials, and national stability.<sup id="cite_ref-frenchinvolvement_23-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-frenchinvolvement-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 17 August, independence was proclaimed. However, the Prime Minister realistically declared on 12 August, "We must not waste our chances by imagining that with independence, we now own a powerful fetish that will fulfill our wishes. In believing that with independence everything becomes easy and possible, there is a danger of descending into anarchy, disorder, poverty, famine."<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>M'ba aspired to establish a democratic regime, which, in his view, was necessary for the development and attraction of investments in Gabon. He attempted to reconcile the imperatives of democracy and the necessity for a strong and coherent government.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe35_53-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe35-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Yet in practice, the regime showed a fundamental weakness in attaining M'ba's goal in which he, who had by this time become known as "the old man",<sup id="cite_ref-leaderindependence_54-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-leaderindependence-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or "the boss", would have a high degree of authority. A <a href="/wiki/Cult_of_personality" title="Cult of personality">cult of personality</a> developed steadily around M'ba; songs were sung in his praise and stamps and loincloths were printed with his effigy.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe29_45-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe29-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His photograph was displayed in stores and hotels across Gabon, in government buildings hung next to that of de Gaulle.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In November 1960, a crisis broke out within the majority party. After deciding to <a href="/wiki/Cabinet_shuffle" class="mw-redirect" title="Cabinet shuffle">reshuffle the cabinet</a> without consulting Parliament, the president of the National Assembly, Paul Gondjout, a previous ally of M'ba's, filed a <a href="/wiki/Motion_of_no_confidence" title="Motion of no confidence">motion of censure</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault300_56-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault300-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gondjout supposedly hoped to benefit from a balance of power modified to his own advantage, and specifically sought the establishment of a strong parliament and a prime minister with <a href="/wiki/Executive_(government)" title="Executive (government)">executive power</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese162_57-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese162-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> M'ba, who did not share these ideas, reacted repressively. On 16 November, under the pretext of a conspiracy, he declared a <a href="/wiki/State_of_emergency" title="State of emergency">state of emergency</a>, ordering the internment of eight BDG opponents and the dissolution of the National Assembly the day after.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault300_56-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault300-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Electors were asked to vote again on 12 February 1961.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe41_58-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe41-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gondjout was sentenced to two years in prison. Sousatte, who also opposed the constitution, was also sentenced to the same amount of jail time.<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Upon their releases, M'ba appointed Gondjout president of the economic council and Sousatte Minister of Agriculture, both mostly symbolic posts.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id='"Hyperprésident"_of_Gabon'><span id=".22Hyperpr.C3.A9sident.22_of_Gabon"></span>"Hyperprésident" of Gabon</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=10" title='Edit section: "Hyperprésident" of Gabon' class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>On 4 December, M'ba was elected to replace Gondjout as Secretary General of the BDG.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault301_61-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault301-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He turned to the opposition to strengthen his position.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe41_58-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe41-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> With Aubame, he formed a number of sufficiently balanced political unions to appeal to the electorate.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe44_62-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe44-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 12 February, they won 99.75% of the vote.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe42_63-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe42-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The same day, M'ba was elected President of Gabon, being the only candidate.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe44_62-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe44-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In thanks for his help, M'ba appointed Aubame as <a href="/wiki/Foreign_minister" class="mw-redirect" title="Foreign minister">foreign minister</a> to replace <a href="/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Gustave_Anguil%C3%A9" title="André Gustave Anguilé">André Gustave Anguilé</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe42_63-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe42-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 21 February 1961, a new constitution was unanimously adopted,<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe44_62-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe44-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> providing for a "hyperpresidential" regime.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe46_64-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe46-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> M'ba now had full executive powers: he could appoint ministers whose functions and responsibilities were decided by him; he could dissolve the National Assembly by choice or prolong its term beyond the normal five years; he could declare a state of emergency when he believed the need arose, though for this amendment he would have to consult the people via a referendum. This was, in fact, very similar to the constitution adopted in favor of <a href="/wiki/Fulbert_Youlou" title="Fulbert Youlou">Fulbert Youlou</a> at roughly the same time.<sup id="cite_ref-RM123_65-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-RM123-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A report from the French secret service summarized the situation as follows: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>He regarded himself as a truly democratic leader; nothing irritated him more than being called a dictator. Still, he wasn't happy until he had the constitution rewritten to give him virtually all power and transforming the parliament into high-priced scenery that could be bypassed as needed.<sup id="cite_ref-Keese162_57-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keese162-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>The new constitution and the National Union (a political union they founded) suspended the quarrels between M'ba and Aubame from 1961 to 1963. Despite this, political unrest grew within the population,<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and many students held demonstrations on the frequent dissolutions of the National Assembly and the general political attitude in the country.<sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The president did not hesitate to enforce the law himself; with a <a href="/wiki/Sjambok" title="Sjambok">chicotte</a>, he whipped citizens who did not show respect for him, including passersby who "forgot" to salute him.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In addition, in February 1961, he decreed the internment of approximately 20 people for these demonstrations.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault301_61-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault301-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 9 February 1963, the President pardoned those arrested during the political crisis of November 1960.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe54_69-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe54-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 19 February, he broke his ties with Aubame; all UDSG representatives were dismissed, with the exception of M'ba supporter Francis Meye.<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In an attempt to oust Aubame from his legislative seat, M'ba appointed him President of the Supreme Court on 25 February.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe54_69-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe54-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thereafter, M'ba claimed that Aubame had resigned from the National Assembly, citing incompatibility with parliamentary functions. Aubame resolved the problem by resigning from his post on the Supreme Court, complicating matters for M'ba.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe55_71-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe55-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Faced with reports of tension between the government and the National Assembly, even though 70% of it were BDG members, the Gabonese president dissolved the legislature on 21 January 1964<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe59_72-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe59-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as an "economy measure".<sup id="cite_ref-time_73-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-time-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The electoral conditions were announced as such: The election 67 districts were reduced to 47. M'ba disqualified Aubame by announcing anyone who held a post recently was banned. Any party would have to submit 47 candidates who had to pay US$160 or none at all. Thus, over US$7,500 would be deposited without considering campaign expenses. M'ba's idea was that no party other than his would have the money to enter candidates.<sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In response to this, the opposition announced its refusal to participate in elections that they did not consider fair.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe59_72-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe59-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1964_Gabon_coup_d'état"><span id="1964_Gabon_coup_d.27.C3.A9tat"></span>1964 Gabon coup d'état</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: 1964 Gabon coup d'état" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/1964_Gabon_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat" class="mw-redirect" title="1964 Gabon coup d'état">1964 Gabon coup d'état</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Afrique_32.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Afrique_32.JPG/220px-Afrique_32.JPG" decoding="async" width="220" height="329" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="940" data-file-height="1404"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 329px;" data-mw-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Afrique_32.JPG/220px-Afrique_32.JPG" data-width="220" data-height="329" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Afrique_32.JPG/330px-Afrique_32.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Afrique_32.JPG/440px-Afrique_32.JPG 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Gabonese and French military officers</figcaption></figure> <p>From the night of 17 February to the early morning of 18 February 1964, 150 Gabonese military personnel, headed by Lieutenant Jacques Mombo and Valére Essone, arrested President of the National Assembly <a href="/wiki/Louis_Bigmann" title="Louis Bigmann">Louis Bigmann</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> French commanders Claude Haulin and Major Royer,<sup id="cite_ref-resumesoffice_76-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-resumesoffice-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On Radio Libreville, the military announced to the Gabonese people that a <a href="/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat" title="Coup d'état">coup d'état</a> had taken place, and that they required technical assistance and told the French not interfere in this matter. M'ba was instructed to broadcast a speech acknowledging his defeat.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe62_77-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe62-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "The D-Day is here, the injustices are beyond measure, these people are patient, but their patience has limits", he said. "It came to a boil."<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe62_77-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe62-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>During these events, no gunshots were fired. The people did not react strongly, which according to the military, was a sign of approval.<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A provisional government was formed, and the presidency was offered to Aubame. The government was composed of civilian politicians from both the UDSG and BDG, such as Paul Gondjout.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe64_80-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe64-80"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>80<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The plotters were content to ensure security for civilians. The small Gabonese army did not intervene in the coup; composed mostly of French officers, they remained in their barracks.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Second Lieutenant Ndo Edou gave instructions to transfer M'ba to <a href="/wiki/Ndjol%C3%A9" title="Ndjolé">Ndjolé</a>, Aubame's electoral stronghold. However, due to heavy rain, the deposed president and his captors took shelter in an unknown village. The next morning they decided to take him over the easier road to <a href="/wiki/Lambar%C3%A9n%C3%A9" title="Lambaréné">Lambaréné</a>. Several hours later, they returned to Libreville.<sup id="cite_ref-DD134_81-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DD134-81"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>81<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The new head of government quickly contacted French ambassador Paul Cousseran, to assure him that the property of foreign nationals was protected and to ask him to prevent any French military intervention.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe19_82-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe19-82"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>82<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>But in Paris, de Gaulle decided otherwise.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> M'ba was one of the most loyal allies to France in Africa. While visiting France in 1961, M'ba said: "All Gabonese have two fatherlands: France and Gabon."<sup id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-83"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>83<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe23_84-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe23-84"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>84<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Moreover, under his regime, Europeans enjoyed particularly friendly treatment.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe23_84-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe23-84"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>84<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The French authorities therefore decided, in accordance with signed Franco-Gabon agreements, to restore the legitimate government.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Intervention could not commence without a formal request to the Head of State of Gabon. Since M'ba was otherwise occupied, the French contacted the Vice President of Gabon, <a href="/wiki/Paul_Marie_Yembit" class="mw-redirect" title="Paul Marie Yembit">Paul Marie Yembit</a>, who had not been arrested.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe19_82-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe19-82"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>82<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, he remained unaccounted for; therefore, they decided to compose a predated letter that Yembit would later sign, confirming their intervention.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Less than 24 hours later, French troops stationed in <a href="/wiki/Dakar" title="Dakar">Dakar</a> and <a href="/wiki/Brazzaville" title="Brazzaville">Brazzaville</a> landed in Libreville and restored M'ba back into power.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault19_85-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault19-85"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>85<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-86" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-86"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>86<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Over the course of the operation, one French soldier was killed, while 15 to 25 died on the Gabonese side.<sup id="cite_ref-Bernault19_85-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bernault19-85"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>85<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Under_the_tutelage_of_France">Under the tutelage of France</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Under the tutelage of France" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>After he was reinstated into power, M'ba refused to consider the coup was directed against him and his regime.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe100_87-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe100-87"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>87<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He believed it was a conspiracy against the state. Soon, however, anti-government demonstrations sprang up, with slogans such as "<i>Léon M'ba, président des Français!</i>" (English: <span lang="en">"Léon M'ba, president of the French"</span>) or ones that called for the end of the "dictatorship".<sup id="cite_ref-88" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-88"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>88<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> They showed solidarity after Aubame was charged on 23 March for his alleged involvement in the coup d'état.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe100_87-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe100-87"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>87<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Despite the fact that he did not participate in the planning of the coup, Aubame was sentenced at his trial to 10 years of hard labor and 10 years of exile.<sup id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-89"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>89<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Despite these events, legislative elections, which were planned before the coup, were held in April 1964. The major opposition parties were deprived of their leaders, who were prevented from participating in the elections due to their involvement in the coup.<sup id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-90"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>90<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The UDSG disappeared from the political scene, and the opposition consisted of parties that lacked national focus and maintained only regional or pro-democracy platforms. The opposition still won 46% of the votes and 16 of 47 seats, while the BDG received 54% of the vote and 31 seats in the assembly.<sup id="cite_ref-Biteghe96_91-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biteghe96-91"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>91<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>His French friends constantly surrounded him, protecting or providing him with counsel. A presidential guard was created by <a href="/wiki/Bob_Maloubier" title="Bob Maloubier">Bob Maloubier</a>, a former French secret agent, and co-financed by French oil groups.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The oil groups, active in the country since 1957, had strengthened their interests in 1962 after the discovery of offshore oil deposits.<sup id="cite_ref-guillaumat_92-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-guillaumat-92"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>92<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gabon quickly became a major oil supplier for France. They carried such influence in Gabon that following the February 1964 coup, the decision to seek military intervention was taken by the CEO of Union Générale des Pétroles (UGP; now known as <a href="/wiki/Elf_Aquitaine" title="Elf Aquitaine">Elf Aquitaine</a>), <a href="/wiki/Pierre_Guillaumat" title="Pierre Guillaumat">Pierre Guillaumat</a>, Foccart, and other French businessmen and leaders.<sup id="cite_ref-guillaumat_92-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-guillaumat-92"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>92<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-93" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-93"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>93<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Later on, another UGP executive, Guy Ponsaillé, was appointed as political adviser to the president and became M'ba's representative in discussions with French companies. However, the Gabonese president was afraid of internal strife or assassination, so he remained secluded inside his heavily defended presidential palace. Ponsaillé helped M'ba obtain support from political moderates and accompanied him in his visits around the country in order to restore his reputation among the Gabonese people.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>French ambassador Cousseran and American ambassador Charles F. Darlington, suspected of sympathizing with Aubame, left shortly after the coup.<sup id="cite_ref-94" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-94"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>94<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The new French ambassador François Simon de Quirielle, a "traditional diplomat", was determined not to interfere in the internal affairs of Gabon.<sup id="cite_ref-foccart_95-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-foccart-95"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>95<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After a few months of misunderstandings with de Quirielle, M'ba contacted Foccart to tell him that he could no longer work with the Ambassador. Foccart recounted the events in his memoirs, <i>Foccart Speaks</i>: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Do you realise, exploded the Gabonese President, I'm receiving de Quirielle to summarize the situation with him. I'm asking him his thoughts about this or that [Gabonese] minister, about this or that in the agenda [in Gabon's political interior]. And guess what his answer was? Mister President, I'm really sorry, but the duties I hold forbid me from intervening in the affairs of your country.<sup id="cite_ref-foccart_95-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-foccart-95"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>95<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-96" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-96"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>96<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>As a result of this incident, Foccart appointed a "colonialist", Maurice Delauney, as the new French Ambassador to Gabon.<sup id="cite_ref-foccart_95-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-foccart-95"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>95<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Succession_and_legacy">Succession and legacy</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Succession and legacy" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>From 1965, the French began looking for a successor for M'ba, who was aging and sick.<sup id="cite_ref-97" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-97"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>97<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> They found the perfect candidate in <a href="/wiki/Albert_Bernard_Bongo" class="mw-redirect" title="Albert Bernard Bongo">Albert Bernard Bongo</a> (later known as Alhaji Omar Bongo Ondimba), a young leader in the President's cabinet.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Bongo was personally "tested" by General de Gaulle in 1965, during a visit to the <a href="/wiki/%C3%89lys%C3%A9e_Palace" title="Élysée Palace">Élysée Palace</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-98" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-98"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>98<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Confirmed as M'ba's successor, Bongo was appointed on 24 September 1965 as Presidential Representative and placed in charge of defence and coordination.<sup id="cite_ref-rvx_47-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In August 1966, M'ba was admitted to the Hôpital Charles Bernard, a hospital in Paris.<sup id="cite_ref-Reed299_99-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed299-99"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>99<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Despite his inability to govern, the president clung to his power. Only after a long insistence by Foccart did M'ba agree to appoint Bongo as Vice President in replacement of Yembit, announcing his decision through a radio and television message recorded in his room on 14 November 1966.<sup id="cite_ref-100" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-100"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>100<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A constitutional reform in February 1967 legitimized Bongo as M'ba's successor.<sup id="cite_ref-Reed299_99-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed299-99"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>99<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The preparations for the succession were finalized by the early legislative and presidential elections held on 19 March 1967. Since no one dared to stand on the opposition ticket, M'ba was reelected with 99.9% of the vote, while the BDG won all seats in the Assembly.<sup id="cite_ref-Biarnes174_101-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Biarnes174-101"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>101<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 28 November 1967, just days after he took his presidential oath at the Gabonese embassy, M'ba died of cancer in Paris, where he had been treated since August of that year. He was survived by his wife, Pauline M'ba, and 11 children.<sup id="cite_ref-leaderindependence_54-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-leaderindependence-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The day after M'ba's death, Bongo constitutionally succeeded him as President of Gabon.<sup id="cite_ref-Reed299_99-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reed299-99"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>99<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gabon's main airport, the <a href="/wiki/Libreville_International_Airport" class="mw-redirect" title="Libreville International Airport">Leon M'ba International Airport</a>, was later named for him. </p><p>Forty years after his death, the Léon M'ba Memorial was built in Libreville to honor his memory. President Bongo laid the cornerstone for the Memorial on 9 February 2007, and it was inaugurated by Bongo on 27 November 2007.<sup id="cite_ref-Mosa_102-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Mosa-102"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>102<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In February 2008, it was opened to the public.<sup id="cite_ref-Afrik_103-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Afrik-103"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>103<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In addition to serving as a mausoleum for M'ba,<sup id="cite_ref-Mosa_102-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Mosa-102"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>102<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the Memorial is a cultural center.<sup id="cite_ref-Afrik_103-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Afrik-103"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>103<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(5)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Notes" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-5 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-5"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In his book, <i>African Betrayal</i>, <a href="/wiki/Charles_Darlington" title="Charles Darlington">Charles Darlington</a> mentions that M'ba had several wives, under the traditional Gabonese practice of <a href="/wiki/Polygamy" title="Polygamy">polygamy</a>. Other than Pauline, their names are unknown.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDarlingtonDarlington1968">Darlington & Darlington 1968</a>, p. 13</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">His surname is also written as M'Ba and Mba.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1967/11/29/page/50/article/leon-mba-president-of-gabon-dies">"Leon M'Ba, President of Gabon, Dies"</a>, <i>Chicago Tribune</i>, 29 November 1967, p2-6</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe24-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe24_5-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 24.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault215-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault215_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault215_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 215.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Gates1278-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Gates1278_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Gates1278_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Gates1278_7-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFAppiahGates1999">Appiah & Gates 1999</a>, p. 1278.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault216-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault216_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault216_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault216_8-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault216_8-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 216.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe25-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe25_9-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 25.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese144-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Keese144_10-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Keese144_10-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 144.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Si d'un côté le devoir fondamental d'instruire les Pahouins concorde par su[r]croît avec les intérêts économiques, militaires et même politiques les plus évidents du Gabon, de l'autre côté leur accroissement en dignité humaine et l'augmentation de leur bien-être matériel, demeurent, Monsieur le Gouverneur, la légitimation première de l'autorité française sur eux.</i></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese145-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Keese145_12-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Keese145_12-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Keese145_12-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 145.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese146-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Keese146_13-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Keese146_13-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Keese146_13-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 146.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Reed293-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Reed293_14-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reed293_14-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFReed1987">Reed 1987</a>, p. 293</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault218-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault218_15-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault218_15-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 218.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Taylor140-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Taylor140_16-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Taylor140_16-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Taylor140_16-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Taylor140_16-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFTaylor1967">Taylor 1967</a>, p. 140.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe26-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe26_17-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 26.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese147-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Keese147_18-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 147.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese148-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Keese148_19-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Keese148_19-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 148.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 217.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">C'est que Léon M'Ba n'était pas seulement le chef qui s'était approprié pour des besoins personnels les deniers de la colonie. Il jouissait aussi aux yeux de ses congénères d'un prestige considérable qu'il tirait des pratiques de sorcellerie auxquelles il s'adonnait. Comme il était intelligent, il exploitait cette situation pour rançonner les gens qu'il avait charge d'administrer et qui le redoutaient ainsi que la camarilla dont il s'était entouré. Mais il savait, par contre, amadouer les représentants de l'autorité, endormir leur vigilance et capter leur confiance. C'est ce qui explique qu'il ait, des années devant, commis toutes sortes d'exactions sans jamais être autrement inquiété.</i></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese149-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Keese149_22-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 149.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-frenchinvolvement-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-frenchinvolvement_23-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-frenchinvolvement_23-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-frenchinvolvement_23-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFPederson2000" class="citation cs2">Pederson, Nicholas (May 2000), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070902133400/http://www.acdis.uiuc.edu/Research/Ops/Pederson/html/contents/sect5.html"><i>French Involvement in Gabon</i></a>, <a href="/wiki/University_of_Illinois_at_Urbana-Champaign" class="mw-redirect" title="University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign">University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign</a>, archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.acdis.uiuc.edu/research/OPs/Pederson/html/contents/sect5.html">the original</a> on 2 September 2007<span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">9 August</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=French+Involvement+in+Gabon&rft.pub=University+of+Illinois+at+Urbana-Champaign&rft.date=2000-05&rft.aulast=Pederson&rft.aufirst=Nicholas&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acdis.uiuc.edu%2Fresearch%2FOPs%2FPederson%2Fhtml%2Fcontents%2Fsect5.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRich2004" class="citation cs2">Rich, Jeremy (2004), "Troubles at the Office: Clerks, State Authority, and Social Conflict in Gabon, 1920-45", <i>Canadian Journal of African Studies</i>, <b>38</b> (1), Canadian Association of African Studies: <span class="nowrap">58–</span>87, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.2307%2F4107268">10.2307/4107268</a>, <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4107268">4107268</a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/108738271">108738271</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Canadian+Journal+of+African+Studies&rft.atitle=Troubles+at+the+Office%3A+Clerks%2C+State+Authority%2C+and+Social+Conflict+in+Gabon%2C+1920-45&rft.volume=38&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E58-%3C%2Fspan%3E87&rft.date=2004&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F108738271&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F4107268%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.2307%2F4107268&rft.aulast=Rich&rft.aufirst=Jeremy&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 220.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault222-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault222_26-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault222_26-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 222.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 150.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese151-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Keese151_28-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 151.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese153-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Keese153_29-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 153.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFReed1987">Reed 1987</a>, p. 294</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-31">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 223.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault224-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault224_32-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault224_32-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault224_32-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 224.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Yates103-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Yates103_33-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Yates103_33-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Yates103_33-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Yates103_33-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Yates103_33-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFYates1996">Yates 1996</a>, p. 103.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 28.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Reed295-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Reed295_35-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reed295_35-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reed295_35-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFReed1987">Reed 1987</a>, p. 295.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-36">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 227.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese159-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Keese159_37-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 159.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-38">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 228.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 261.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault262-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Bernault262_40-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 262.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault263-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Bernault263_41-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 263.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 293.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault294-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault294_43-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault294_43-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault294_43-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 294.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFP%C3%A9an1983">Péan 1983</a>, pp. 40–42</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe29-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe29_45-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe29_45-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 29.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 161.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-rvx-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rvx_47-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><span class="languageicon">(in French)</span> Pesnot, Patrick (producer) & Billoud, Michel (director) (10 March 2007), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.today/20070620065034/http://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/em/rendezvousavecx/index.php?id=52892">1964, le putsch raté contre Léon M'Ba président du Gabon</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/France_Inter" title="France Inter">France Inter</a></i>. Retrieved on 7 September 2008.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault269-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Bernault269_48-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 269.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault296-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Bernault296_49-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 296.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault297-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Bernault297_50-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 297.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-51">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 33.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-52">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Ne gaspillons pas notre chance en imaginant qu'avec l'indépendance, nous détenons désormais un fétiche tout puissant qui va combler tous nos vœux. En croyant qu'avec l'indépendance tout est possible et facile, on risque de sombrer dans l'anarchie, le désordre, la misère, la famine.</i></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe35-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe35_53-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 35.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-leaderindependence-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-leaderindependence_54-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-leaderindependence_54-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation cs2"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1967/11/29/archives/leon-mba-president-of-gabon-since-independence-dies-at-65-de-gaulle.html">"Léon M'ba, President of Gabon Since Independence, Dies at 65"</a>, <i><a 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href="#cite_ref-Bernault300_56-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault300_56-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 300.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keese162-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Keese162_57-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Keese162_57-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKeese2004">Keese 2004</a>, p. 162.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe41-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe41_58-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe41_58-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 41.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-59">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFYates1996">Yates 1996</a>, p. 105</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-60"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-60">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFYates1996">Yates 1996</a>, p. 106</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault301-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault301_61-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault301_61-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 301.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe44-62"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe44_62-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe44_62-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe44_62-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 44.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe42-63"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe42_63-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe42_63-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 42.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe46-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe46_64-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 46</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-RM123-65"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-RM123_65-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMatthews1966">Matthews 1966</a>, p. 123</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-66"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-66">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Se voulant et se croyant sincèrement démocrate, au point qu'aucune accusation ne l'irrite davantage que celle d'être un dictateur, il n'en a pas moins eu de cesse qu'il n'ait fait voter une constitution lui accordant pratiquement tous les pouvoirs et réduisant le parlement au rôle d'un décor coûteux que l'on escamote même en cas de besoin.</i></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-67"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-67">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 52</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-68"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-68">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 49</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe54-69"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe54_69-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe54_69-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 54.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-70"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-70">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 53.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe55-71"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe55_71-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 55.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe59-72"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe59_72-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe59_72-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 59.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-time-73"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-time_73-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation cs2"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071201091005/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,873821,00.html">"De Gaulle to the Rescue"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Time_(magazine)" title="Time (magazine)">Time</a></i>, 28 February 1964, archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,873821,00.html">the original</a> on 1 December 2007<span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">6 August</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Time&rft.atitle=De+Gaulle+to+the+Rescue&rft.date=1964-02-28&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.time.com%2Ftime%2Fmagazine%2Farticle%2F0%2C9171%2C873821%2C00.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-74"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-74">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDarlingtonDarlington1968">Darlington & Darlington 1968</a>, pp. 123–124.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-75"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-75">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGiniger1964" class="citation cs2">Giniger, Henry (20 February 1964), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/20/archives/gabon-insurgents-yield-as-france-rushes-in-troops-paris-aids.html">"Gabon Insurgents Yield as France Rushes in Troops"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 September</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+New+York+Times&rft.atitle=Gabon+Insurgents+Yield+as+France+Rushes+in+Troops&rft.date=1964-02-20&rft.aulast=Giniger&rft.aufirst=Henry&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F1964%2F02%2F20%2Farchives%2Fgabon-insurgents-yield-as-france-rushes-in-troops-paris-aids.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-resumesoffice-76"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-resumesoffice_76-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGarrison1964" class="citation cs2">Garrison, Lloyd (21 February 1964), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/21/archives/gabon-president-resumes-office-mba-restored-by-french-vows-total.html">"Gabon President Resumes Office: Mba, Restored by French, Vows 'Total Punishment' for All Who Aided Coup"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a></i>, p. 1<span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">8 September</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+New+York+Times&rft.atitle=Gabon+President+Resumes+Office%3A+Mba%2C+Restored+by+French%2C+Vows+%27Total+Punishment%27+for+All+Who+Aided+Coup&rft.pages=1&rft.date=1964-02-21&rft.aulast=Garrison&rft.aufirst=Lloyd&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F1964%2F02%2F21%2Farchives%2Fgabon-president-resumes-office-mba-restored-by-french-vows-total.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe62-77"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe62_77-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe62_77-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 62.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-78"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-78">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"Le jour J est arrivé, les injustices ont dépassé la mesure, ce peuple est patient, mais sa patience a des limites... il est arrivé à bout."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-79"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-79">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 63.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe64-80"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe64_80-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 64.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-DD134-81"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-DD134_81-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDarlingtonDarlington1968">Darlington & Darlington 1968</a>, p. 134</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe19-82"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe19_82-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe19_82-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 19.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-83"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-83">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"Tout Gabonais a deux patries : la France et le Gabon."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe23-84"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe23_84-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe23_84-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 23.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bernault19-85"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault19_85-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bernault19_85-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBernault1996">Bernault 1996</a>, p. 19.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-86"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-86">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGrundy1968" class="citation cs2">Grundy, Kenneth W. (October 1968), "On Machiavelli and the Mercenaries", <i>The Journal of Modern African Studies</i>, <b>6</b> (3): <span class="nowrap">295–</span>310, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0022278X00017420">10.1017/S0022278X00017420</a>, <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/159300">159300</a>, <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:154814661">154814661</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Journal+of+Modern+African+Studies&rft.atitle=On+Machiavelli+and+the+Mercenaries&rft.volume=6&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E295-%3C%2Fspan%3E310&rft.date=1968-10&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A154814661%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F159300%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1017%2FS0022278X00017420&rft.aulast=Grundy&rft.aufirst=Kenneth+W.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe100-87"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe100_87-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe100_87-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 100.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-88"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-88">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 92.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-89"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-89">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 104.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-90"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-90">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 94.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biteghe96-91"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Biteghe96_91-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 96.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-guillaumat-92"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-guillaumat_92-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-guillaumat_92-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGaston-Breton2006" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Gaston-Breton, Tristan (9 August 2006), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archives.lesechos.fr/archives/2006/LesEchos/19726-47-ECH.htm">"Pierre Guillaumat, Elf et la " Françafrique "<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Les_%C3%89chos_(France)" class="mw-redirect" title="Les Échos (France)">Les Échos</a></i> (in French)<span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 August</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Les+%C3%89chos&rft.atitle=Pierre+Guillaumat%2C+Elf+et+la+%22+Fran%C3%A7afrique+%22&rft.date=2006-08-09&rft.aulast=Gaston-Breton&rft.aufirst=Tristan&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Farchives.lesechos.fr%2Farchives%2F2006%2FLesEchos%2F19726-47-ECH.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-93"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-93">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFYates1996">Yates 1996</a>, p. 112.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-94"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-94">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiteghe1990">Biteghe 1990</a>, p. 71.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-foccart-95"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-foccart_95-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-foccart_95-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-foccart_95-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFFoccartGaillard1995">Foccart & Gaillard 1995</a>, p. 277.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-96"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-96">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Vous vous rendez compte, explose le président gabonais, je reçois de Quirielle pour faire un tour d'horizon avec lui. Je lui demande ce qu'il pense de tel ministre [gabonais], de telle question qui est à l'ordre du jour [de la politique intérieure du Gabon]. Devinez ce qu'il me réplique! Monsieur le président, je suis désolé, les fonctions que j'occupe m'interdisent d'intervenir comme vous me le demandez dans les affaires de votre pays.</i></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-97"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-97">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFFoccart1997">Foccart 1997</a>, p. 58.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-98"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-98">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFYahmed2001" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Yahmed, Béchir Ben (17 July 2001), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.jeuneafrique.com/jeune_afrique/article_jeune_afrique.asp?art_cle=LIN17073bongoemmiul0">"Bongo par lui-même"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Jeune_Afrique" title="Jeune Afrique">Jeune Afrique</a></i> (in French)<span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">4 August</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Jeune+Afrique&rft.atitle=Bongo+par+lui-m%C3%AAme&rft.date=2001-07-17&rft.aulast=Yahmed&rft.aufirst=B%C3%A9chir+Ben&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeuneafrique.com%2Fjeune_afrique%2Farticle_jeune_afrique.asp%3Fart_cle%3DLIN17073bongoemmiul0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Reed299-99"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Reed299_99-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reed299_99-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reed299_99-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFReed1987">Reed 1987</a>, p. 299</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-100"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-100">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiarnes2007">Biarnes 2007</a>, p. 173.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Biarnes174-101"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Biarnes174_101-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBiarnes2007">Biarnes 2007</a>, p. 174.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Mosa-102"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Mosa_102-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Mosa_102-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mosa-concept.com/realisations.html">"REALISATIONS: Mémorial Léon Mba"</a>, <i>Mosa Concept News</i> (in French), 2007<span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">14 September</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Mosa+Concept+News&rft.atitle=REALISATIONS%3A+M%C3%A9morial+L%C3%A9on+Mba&rft.date=2007&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mosa-concept.com%2Frealisations.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span><sup class="noprint Inline-Template"><span style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot"><span title=" Dead link tagged December 2017">permanent dead link</span></a></i><span style="visibility:hidden; color:transparent; padding-left:2px"></span>]</span></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Afrik-103"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Afrik_103-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Afrik_103-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBatassi2009" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Batassi, Pierre Eric Mbog (13 September 2009), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.afrik.com/article15153.html">"Gabon: Mémorial Léon Mba, un devoir de mémoire réussi"</a>, <i>Afrik.com</i> (in French)<span class="reference-accessdate">, retrieved <span class="nowrap">14 September</span> 2008</span></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Afrik.com&rft.atitle=Gabon%3A+M%C3%A9morial+L%C3%A9on+Mba%2C+un+devoir+de+m%C3%A9moire+r%C3%A9ussi&rft.date=2009-09-13&rft.aulast=Batassi&rft.aufirst=Pierre+Eric+Mbog&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afrik.com%2Farticle15153.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> </ol></div> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(6)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: References" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-6 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-6"> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAppiahGates1999" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/Kwame_Anthony_Appiah" title="Kwame Anthony Appiah">Appiah, Kwame Anthony</a>; 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(1999), <i><a href="/wiki/Encyclopedia_Africana" title="Encyclopedia Africana">Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience</a></i>, <a href="/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York</a>: <a href="/wiki/Basic_Books" title="Basic Books">Basic Books</a>, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-465-00071-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-465-00071-1"><bdi>0-465-00071-1</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/41649745">41649745</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Africana%3A+The+Encyclopedia+of+the+African+and+African+American+Experience&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Basic+Books&rft.date=1999&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F41649745&rft.isbn=0-465-00071-1&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBernault1996" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Bernault, Florence (1996), <i>Démocraties ambiguës en Afrique centrale: Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, 1940–1965</i> (in French), Paris: Karthala, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2-86537-636-2" title="Special:BookSources/2-86537-636-2"><bdi>2-86537-636-2</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/36142247">36142247</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=D%C3%A9mocraties+ambigu%C3%ABs+en+Afrique+centrale%3A+Congo-Brazzaville%2C+Gabon%2C+1940%26ndash%3B1965&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=Karthala&rft.date=1996&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F36142247&rft.isbn=2-86537-636-2&rft.aulast=Bernault&rft.aufirst=Florence&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBiarnes2007" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Biarnes, Pierre (2007), <i>Si tu vois le margouillat: souvenirs d'Afrique</i> (in French), Paris: Harmattan, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-2-296-03320-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-2-296-03320-7"><bdi>978-2-296-03320-7</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/159956045">159956045</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Si+tu+vois+le+margouillat%3A+souvenirs+d%27Afrique&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=Harmattan&rft.date=2007&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F159956045&rft.isbn=978-2-296-03320-7&rft.aulast=Biarnes&rft.aufirst=Pierre&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBiteghe1990" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Biteghe, Moïse N'Solé (1990), <i>Echec aux militaires au Gabon en 1964</i> (in French), Paris: Chaka, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2-907768-06-9" title="Special:BookSources/2-907768-06-9"><bdi>2-907768-06-9</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/29518659">29518659</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Echec+aux+militaires+au+Gabon+en+1964&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=Chaka&rft.date=1990&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F29518659&rft.isbn=2-907768-06-9&rft.aulast=Biteghe&rft.aufirst=Mo%C3%AFse+N%27Sol%C3%A9&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDarlingtonDarlington1968" class="citation book cs1">Darlington, Charles F.; Darlington, Alice B. (1968). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=mGohAAAAMAAJ"><i>African Betrayal</i></a>. D. McKay Company.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=African+Betrayal&rft.pub=D.+McKay+Company&rft.date=1968&rft.aulast=Darlington&rft.aufirst=Charles+F.&rft.au=Darlington%2C+Alice+B.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DmGohAAAAMAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEtoughe1990" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Etoughe, Dominique (1990), <i>Justice indigène et essor du droit coutumier au Gabon: La contribution de Léon M'ba, 1924–1938</i> (in French), Paris: L'Harmattan, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2-296-04404-2" title="Special:BookSources/2-296-04404-2"><bdi>2-296-04404-2</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/182917488">182917488</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Justice+indig%C3%A8ne+et+essor+du+droit+coutumier+au+Gabon%3A+La+contribution+de+L%C3%A9on+M%27ba%2C+1924%26ndash%3B1938&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=L%27Harmattan&rft.date=1990&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F182917488&rft.isbn=2-296-04404-2&rft.aulast=Etoughe&rft.aufirst=Dominique&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFoccartGaillard1995" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a href="/wiki/Jacques_Foccart" title="Jacques Foccart">Foccart, Jacques</a>; Gaillard, Philippe (1995), <i>Foccart parle: Entretiens avec Philippe Gaillard</i> (in French), vol. 1, Paris: <a href="/wiki/Fayard" title="Fayard">Fayard</a>–<a href="/wiki/Jeune_Afrique" title="Jeune Afrique">Jeune Afrique</a>, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2-213-59419-8" title="Special:BookSources/2-213-59419-8"><bdi>2-213-59419-8</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/32421474">32421474</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Foccart+parle%3A+Entretiens+avec+Philippe+Gaillard&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=Fayard%26ndash%3BJeune+Afrique&rft.date=1995&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F32421474&rft.isbn=2-213-59419-8&rft.aulast=Foccart&rft.aufirst=Jacques&rft.au=Gaillard%2C+Philippe&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFoccart1997" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a href="/wiki/Jacques_Foccart" title="Jacques Foccart">Foccart, Jacques</a> (1997), <i>Journal de l'Élysée: Tous les soirs avec de Gaulle (1965–1967)</i> (in French), vol. 1, Paris: <a href="/wiki/Fayard" title="Fayard">Fayard</a>–<a href="/wiki/Jeune_Afrique" title="Jeune Afrique">Jeune Afrique</a>, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2-213-59565-8" title="Special:BookSources/2-213-59565-8"><bdi>2-213-59565-8</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/37871981">37871981</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Journal+de+l%27%C3%89lys%C3%A9e%3A+Tous+les+soirs+avec+de+Gaulle+%281965%E2%80%931967%29&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=Fayard%26ndash%3BJeune+Afrique&rft.date=1997&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F37871981&rft.isbn=2-213-59565-8&rft.aulast=Foccart&rft.aufirst=Jacques&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKeese2004" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Keese, Alexander (2004), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_REVUE=AFHI&ID_NUMPUBLIE=AFHI_002&ID_ARTICLE=AFHI_002_0141">"L'évolution du leader indigène aux yeux des administrateurs français: Léon M'Ba et le changement des modalités de participation au pouvoir local au Gabon, 1922–1967"</a>, <i>Afrique & Histoire</i> (in French), <b>2</b> (1): <span class="nowrap">141–</span>170, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.3917%2Fafhi.002.0141">10.3917/afhi.002.0141</a>, <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1764-1977">1764-1977</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Afrique+%26+Histoire&rft.atitle=L%27%C3%A9volution+du+leader+indig%C3%A8ne+aux+yeux+des+administrateurs+fran%C3%A7ais%3A+L%C3%A9on+M%27Ba+et+le+changement+des+modalit%C3%A9s+de+participation+au+pouvoir+local+au+Gabon%2C+1922%26ndash%3B1967&rft.volume=2&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E141-%3C%2Fspan%3E170&rft.date=2004&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.3917%2Fafhi.002.0141&rft.issn=1764-1977&rft.aulast=Keese&rft.aufirst=Alexander&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cairn.info%2Farticle.php%3FID_REVUE%3DAFHI%26ID_NUMPUBLIE%3DAFHI_002%26ID_ARTICLE%3DAFHI_002_0141&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMatthews1966" class="citation cs2">Matthews, Ronald (1966), <i>African Powder Keg: Revolt and Dissent in Six Emergent Nations</i>, London: <a href="/wiki/The_Bodley_Head" title="The Bodley Head">The Bodley Head</a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/246401461">246401461</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=African+Powder+Keg%3A+Revolt+and+Dissent+in+Six+Emergent+Nations&rft.place=London&rft.pub=The+Bodley+Head&rft.date=1966&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F246401461&rft.aulast=Matthews&rft.aufirst=Ronald&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPéan1983" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a href="/wiki/Pierre_P%C3%A9an" title="Pierre Péan">Péan, Pierre</a> (1983), <i>Affaires africaines</i> (in French), Paris: Fayard, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/2-213-01324-1" title="Special:BookSources/2-213-01324-1"><bdi>2-213-01324-1</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/10363948">10363948</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Affaires+africaines&rft.place=Paris&rft.pub=Fayard&rft.date=1983&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F10363948&rft.isbn=2-213-01324-1&rft.aulast=P%C3%A9an&rft.aufirst=Pierre&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFReed1987" class="citation cs2">Reed, Michael C. (June 1987), "Gabon: A Neo-Colonial Enclave of Enduring French Interest", <i><a href="/wiki/The_Journal_of_Modern_African_Studies" class="mw-redirect" title="The Journal of Modern African Studies">The Journal of Modern African Studies</a></i>, <b>25</b> (2), <a href="/wiki/Cambridge_University_Press" title="Cambridge University Press">Cambridge University Press</a>: <span class="nowrap">283–</span>320, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0022278X00000392">10.1017/S0022278X00000392</a>, <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/161015">161015</a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/77874468">77874468</a>, <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:153880808">153880808</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Journal+of+Modern+African+Studies&rft.atitle=Gabon%3A+A+Neo-Colonial+Enclave+of+Enduring+French+Interest&rft.volume=25&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E283-%3C%2Fspan%3E320&rft.date=1987-06&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F77874468&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A153880808%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F161015%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1017%2FS0022278X00000392&rft.aulast=Reed&rft.aufirst=Michael+C.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTaylor1967" class="citation cs2">Taylor, Sidney, ed. (1967), <i>The New Africans: A Guide to the Contemporary History of Emergent Africa and Its Leaders</i>, New York: <a href="/wiki/G._P._Putnam%27s_Sons" title="G. P. Putnam's Sons">G. P. Putnam's Sons</a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/413862">413862</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+New+Africans%3A+A+Guide+to+the+Contemporary+History+of+Emergent+Africa+and+Its+Leaders&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=G.+P.+Putnam%27s+Sons&rft.date=1967&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F413862&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFYates1996" class="citation cs2">Yates, Douglas A. (1996), <i>The Rentier State in Africa: Oil Rent Dependency and Neocolonialism in the Republic of Gabon</i>, <a href="/wiki/Trenton,_New_Jersey" title="Trenton, New Jersey">Trenton, New Jersey</a>: Africa World Press, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-86543-521-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-86543-521-9"><bdi>0-86543-521-9</bdi></a>, <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/34543635">34543635</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Rentier+State+in+Africa%3A+Oil+Rent+Dependency+and+Neocolonialism+in+the+Republic+of+Gabon&rft.place=Trenton%2C+New+Jersey&rft.pub=Africa+World+Press&rft.date=1996&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F34543635&rft.isbn=0-86543-521-9&rft.aulast=Yates&rft.aufirst=Douglas+A.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AL%C3%A9on+M%27ba" class="Z3988"></span>.</li></ul> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 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data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Léon M'ba">Léon M'ba</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <table class="wikitable succession-box noprint" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:small;clear:both;"> <tbody><tr style="text-align:center;"> <td style="width:30%;" rowspan="1">Preceded by<div style="font-weight: bold"><i>office established</i></div> </td> <td style="width: 40%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1"><b> <a href="/wiki/President_of_Gabon" title="President of Gabon">President of Gabon</a> </b><br>1960–1967 </td> <td style="width: 30%; text-align: center;" rowspan="1">Succeeded by<div style="font-weight: bold"><a href="/wiki/Omar_Bongo_Ondimba" class="mw-redirect" title="Omar Bongo Ondimba">Omar Bongo Ondimba</a></div> </td></tr> 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Rendering was triggered because: page-edit --> </section></div> <!-- MobileFormatter took 0.021 seconds --><!--esi <esi:include src="/esitest-fa8a495983347898/content" /> --><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=mobile&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Léon_M%27ba&oldid=1276228427">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Léon_M%27ba&oldid=1276228427</a>"</div></div> </div> <div class="post-content" id="page-secondary-actions"> </div> </main> <footer class="mw-footer minerva-footer" role="contentinfo"> <a class="last-modified-bar" href="/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_M%27ba&action=history"> <div class="post-content last-modified-bar__content"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon-size-medium minerva-icon--modified-history"></span> <span class="last-modified-bar__text modified-enhancement" data-user-name="GiantSnowman" data-user-gender="male" data-timestamp="1739812565"> <span>Last edited on 17 February 2025, at 17:16</span> </span> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon-size-small minerva-icon--expand"></span> </div> </a> <div class="post-content footer-content"> <div id='mw-data-after-content'> <div class="read-more-container"></div> </div> <div id="p-lang"> <h4>Languages</h4> <section> <ul id="p-variants" class="minerva-languages"></ul> <ul class="minerva-languages"><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86_%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%A7" title="ليون إمبا – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="ليون إمبا" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be mw-list-item"><a href="https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%9C%D0%B1%D0%B0" title="Леон Мба – Belarusian" lang="be" hreflang="be" data-title="Леон Мба" data-language-autonym="Беларуская" data-language-local-name="Belarusian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%9C%D0%B1%D0%B0" title="Леон Мба – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Леон Мба" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-br mw-list-item"><a href="https://br.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Breton" lang="br" hreflang="br" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Brezhoneg" data-language-local-name="Breton" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Brezhoneg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tum mw-list-item"><a href="https://tum.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Tumbuka" lang="tum" hreflang="tum" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="ChiTumbuka" data-language-local-name="Tumbuka" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ChiTumbuka</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%E2%80%99ba" title="Léon M’ba – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Léon M’ba" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9B%CE%AD%CE%BF%CE%BD_%CE%9C%CF%80%CE%B1" title="Λέον Μπα – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Λέον Μπα" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%84%D8%A6%D9%88%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%A7" title="لئون امبا – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="لئون امبا" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr badge-Q17437796 badge-featuredarticle mw-list-item" title="featured article badge"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_Mba" title="Léon Mba – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Léon Mba" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%A0%88%EC%98%B9_%EC%9D%8C%EB%B0%94" title="레옹 음바 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="레옹 음바" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%E2%80%99ba" title="Léon M’ba – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Léon M’ba" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-io mw-list-item"><a href="https://io.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27Ba" title="Léon M'Ba – Ido" lang="io" hreflang="io" data-title="Léon M'Ba" data-language-autonym="Ido" data-language-local-name="Ido" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ido</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_M%27ba" title="Leon M'ba – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Leon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9F_%D7%9E%27%D7%91%D7%94" title="לאון מ'בה – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="לאון מ'בה" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C_%E1%83%9B%E1%83%91%E1%83%90" title="ლეონ მბა – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="ლეონ მბა" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-la mw-list-item"><a href="https://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_M%E2%80%99ba" title="Leo M’ba – Latin" lang="la" hreflang="la" data-title="Leo M’ba" data-language-autonym="Latina" data-language-local-name="Latin" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Latina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabri%C3%ABl_L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Gabriël Léon M'ba – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Gabriël Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AC%E3%82%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%A0%E3%83%90" title="レオン・ムバ – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="レオン・ムバ" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%E2%80%99ba" title="Léon M’ba – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Léon M’ba" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nn mw-list-item"><a href="https://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Norwegian Nynorsk" lang="nn" hreflang="nn" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Norsk nynorsk" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Nynorsk" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk nynorsk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%E2%80%99ba" title="Léon M’ba – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Léon M’ba" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_Mba" title="Léon Mba – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Léon Mba" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B1%D0%B0,_%D0%9B%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BD" title="Мба, Леон – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Мба, Леон" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%9C%E2%80%99%D0%B1%D0%B0" title="Леон М’ба – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Леон М’ба" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%E2%80%99ba" title="Léon M’ba – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Léon M’ba" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tg mw-list-item"><a href="https://tg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B5%D1%83%D0%BD_%D0%9C%D0%B1%D0%B0" title="Леун Мба – Tajik" lang="tg" hreflang="tg" data-title="Леун Мба" data-language-autonym="Тоҷикӣ" data-language-local-name="Tajik" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Тоҷикӣ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BD_%D0%9C%D0%B1%D0%B0" title="Леон Мба – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Леон Мба" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-yo mw-list-item"><a href="https://yo.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_M%27ba" title="Léon M'ba – Yoruba" lang="yo" hreflang="yo" data-title="Léon M'ba" data-language-autonym="Yorùbá" data-language-local-name="Yoruba" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Yorùbá</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8E%B1%E6%98%82%C2%B7%E5%A7%86%E5%B7%B4" title="莱昂·姆巴 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="莱昂·姆巴" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li></ul> </section> </div> <div class="minerva-footer-logo"><img src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" alt="Wikipedia" width="120" 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