Photo: President Teodoro Obiang, 44 years in power… and still counting.
Behold Equatorial Guinea’s god-President Obiang, Africa’s longest-serving leader
Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Nguema Obiang, is the country’s god and Africa’s longest-serving leader, still in power after 44 years.
The proceeds of the country’s rich natural resources like crude oil are paid directly into his California family bank account.
81 years old Obiang, a former military officer in the country, deposed his uncle in a 1979 coup, and since then became “the country’s god” with “all power over men and things,” local reports say.
It is claimed that the president is “in permanent contact with God Almighty” and “can decide to kill without anyone calling him to account and without going to hell.”
Obiang has encouraged his cult of personality by ensuring that public speeches end in well-wishing for himself rather than for the nation as a whole.
Many important buildings have a presidential lodge, many towns and cities have streets commemorating Obiang’s coup against Macías, and many people wear clothes with his face printed on them.
Equitorial Guinea is Obiang’s family dynasty, his first son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, has been the vice-president since 2016.
Mangue had, prior to becoming vice president, been appointed to numerous government positions by his father, including Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
He was also “Second Vice-President”, in charge of Defense and Security, in May 2012.
The President’s younger son, Ruslan Obiang Nsue, has also held numerous posts in the country.
He was the Secretary of State in the ministry of Youth and Sports, as well as member of the supervisory board of the national airline CEIBA Intercontinental and so on.
The Obiang dynasty owns numerous properties in Spain and in Guinea.
Obiang’s first son and current Vice President is renowned globally for living an insane lavish lifestyle.
In 2019, for instance, Switzerland seized 25 cars from the him on account of money laundering and sold them for $27m.
Similarly, Brazil seized $16.5m from him in 2018, the U.S. seized $70m from him in 2011, while Holland seized his $120m yacht in 2016.
He once hired Superyacht Tatoosh for $700,000 to go on a Christmas cruise with US Rapper, Eve in 2005.
The VP once spent R10 million in one weekend in South Africa in 2006.
He has lavished money on champagne, property renovations, expensive cars like the 2004 Bentley Arnage, the 2005 Bentley Continental R and a 2005 Lamborghini Murcielago
The President’s first son also owns two houses in South Africa worth R50 million, as well as a massive mansion worth $31 million in Malibu, USA.
He also owns a 5,000 square feet (460 m2) home worth $116.7 million on Avenue Foch in Paris, France and a record label, TNO Entertainment.
In 2008, he acquired 1 of the 30 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 sports cars for €1.1 million and a Maserati MC 12 for €700,000.
The young also Obiang purchased two Bugatti Veyron, and tried to purchase a third in 2011, but both Veyrons and others 9 cars of his were seized by French police investigating a corruption case. In July 2013, the confiscated goods were sold by France.
In 2015, Mangue took over the $150 million, 295 feet super yacht Ice.
On October 18, 2016, Switzerland started investigating him after he arrived 8 times in Geneva. France asked for them to work together to nail him.
Switzerland also seized his $120 million yacht, but returned it to him after he paid $1.5 million to cover the cost of investigation in 2019.
He also owns a $38.5m private jet and $275,000 Michael Jackson glove.
The UK banned him & seized all his assets in 2021.
According to the UK Foreign Office, he has spent $500 million on luxury houses, cars and his extravagant lifestyle.
Equatorial Guinea closed its embassy in London, and dismissed the UK sanctions imposed on him as illegal in July 2021.
76.8% of Equatorial Guinea’s population lives in poverty despite only having a population of 1.7 million people and being oil rich.
