**Important Note: This article was originally published in July 2009 ** On June 8, 2009, the one of the world’s longest serving rulers, President Omar Bongo Ondimba of the Republic of Gabon, died of intestinal cancer at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain. At the time of his death, he had ruled the central African nation of Gabon for 42 years and was accused of stealing billions of dollars belonging to his oil-rich nation.
Cons:
- loots the public treasury to the tune of several billion dollars
- nepotistic
- imperfect (but actual) succession plan
Pros:
- shares the loot across society
- makes sure even the poorest can eat
- buys off political opposition instead of shooting or imprisoning them
- listens when his people protest
- razor-sharp intelligent foreign policy
...where do I sign up?