Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea: Oil, Silence and Dictatorship
Equatorial Guinea is the richest country in Africa per capita — and one of the poorest. This paradox is explained in two words: oil and dictatorship. Teodoro Obiang Nguema has been in power since 1979 — the world's longest-serving dictator. His family lives in obscene luxury (private jets, Paris mansions, car collections) while the majority of the 1.6 million inhabitants lack access to clean water.
The Perfect Kleptocracy
Equatorial Guinean oil, discovered in the 1990s, transformed this small country into a rentier state. But the revenues go directly into the Obiang clan's pockets. The son, Teodorín, is known for his lavish parties and legal troubles in France. The opposition is non-existent, the press muzzled, elections are a farce. The country is an information black hole.
The Ubuntu Strength: Surviving and Staying Silent
In this context of terror, Equatorial Guineans survive. Family solidarity is the only safety net. Fang and Bubi cultures persist quietly. Spanish — making it the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa — connects the country to Latin America. But the joy of living is stifled by fear and poverty. It is perhaps the African country where Ubuntu is most damaged.
« El que no tiene madre, la siente »
He who has no mother feels it
— Proverb espagnol équato-guinéen
Equatorial Guinea reminds us that wealth without justice is theft, and that silence is not peace. One day, Equatorial Guineans will speak.