#Gabon : It’s August 17, Gabon’s Independence Day. On the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of the country’s accession to sovereignty, Libreville, the capital, has decked itself out in its finest attire.
On the administrative buildings, the residential buildings by the sea and in front of the shops, the national flag, the green-yellow-blue, floats everywhere.
Indeed, for a week, the decor of the Gabonese capital has been looking great. And nothing is left to chance, the facelift is almost complete with the cleaning of the main arteries of the city. This large-scale toilet reminds residents that August 17 is celebrated in a few hours.
For Merveille Deborah, a student passing through the city center this morning, it takes more for her city that she wants to be bright.
“Before there was more decoration than now. There we just notice that there are flags and that it is clean. Whereas before there were also illuminated signs even in the remote districts of the city center. she regrets.
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“The city is beautiful. But we would like this to be able to continue outside of the holidays. Even on ordinary days, the city must always be clean,” adds Carl Abiaghe Ella, another student.
The proclamation of its independence, on August 17, 1960, constitutes the founding act of Gabon resulting from colonization and it is quite naturally in Libreville that the most important demonstrations took place marking this event, although many agglomerations, even small size, were keen to celebrate it. But times have changed a lot in the eyes of those who witnessed this event.
“When we were preparing for the August 17 party, we organized contests in all the neighborhoods with many prizes to be won for the children. There were socio-cultural and sporting activities. What else do I know! Currently it no longer exists. When Léon Mba proclaims independence, his slogan was Gabon first!”, underlines all nostalgic, Mathias Ayong Nnang, a septuagenarian, notable from Libreville.
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While Gabon is celebrating, in a more or less gloomy way, its independence, a controversy that has therefore crossed the generations is brought up to date. It focuses on the perception that the average Gabonese vis-à-vis the independence of his country.
For Randy Aubame, security guard, Gabon is taking charge.
“For me independence is the total liberation of a nation and a people. Gabon is an independent country, everything is fine like a developed country, without worries”, he claims.
His opinion is contradicted by Brice Nzamba, a young student
“Gabon is like on a drip. That is to say that he is not totally dependent. We are still asking for help from Europe and Western countries. Our policies are directed from the outside, even at the level of food we depend on the outside”, he regrets.
After being part of the federation of French Equatorial Africa (AÉF) from 1910 to 1958, Gabon proclaimed its independence on August 17, 1960. From the proclamation of independence, it was Léon M’Ba, the leader of the Gabonese Democratic Bloc, a single party, which rules this state overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. He became the first president of Gabon until November 28, 1967 when he died.