Francisco Macías Nguema
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Francisco Macías Nguema (born 1 January 1924 as Mez-m Ngueme - died September 29, 1979) was the first post-colonial leader of Equatorial Guinea, from 1968 until his overthrow in 1979.
He rose to the position of mayor of Mongomo under the Spanish colonial government, and later served as a member of the territorial parliament. He was elected president in two rounds before independence in 1968. During his presidency, his country was nicknamed "the Auschwitz of Africa", and became notorious for political executions and virulent anti-Spanish radio speeches. The country's pre-independence prime minister, Bonifacio Ondó Edu, was starved and executed in prison shortly after Macías came to power. Other officials, including a former vice president, "committed suicide" while in detention.
Macías Nguema's violations of human rights during his reign caused more than a third of Equatorial Guinea's population to flee to neighboring countries. His policies, influenced by the authoritarianism of Franco's Spain, were violently anti-colonialist and anti-religious. Three important pillars of his rule were the United National Workers' Party (PUNT which he formed to replace the pre-independence parties), the Juventud en Marcha con Macías militia/youth group, and the Esangui clan of Río Muni. The country's instruments of repression (military, presidential bodyguard) were entirely controlled by Macías Nguema's relatives and clan members. The president's paranoid actions included banning use of the word "intellectual" and destroying boats (fishing was banned). He "Africanized" his name to Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong in 1976 after demanding that the same be done of the rest of the Equatoguinean population.
Macías Nguema had an extreme cult of personality, perhaps fueled by his consumption of copious amounts of bhang and iboga, and assigned himself titles such as the "Unique Miracle" and "Grand Master of Education, Science, and Culture".
In 1972, he declared himself President for Life.
On August 3, 1979, he was overthrown by his nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. He was captured, tried for genocide and executed a few weeks later. No Equatoguinean soldier participated in the execution, because Macías Nguema was and is still believed to have magical powers. The job had to be done by hired Moroccan troops.
Today, Macías Nguema is regarded as one of the most kleptocratic, corrupt and dictatorial leaders in post-colonial African history. He has been compared to Pol Pot because of the violent, unpredictable, and anti-intellectual nature of both regimes.
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| Preceded by: (Spanish Colonial Rule/Indigenous Tribal Rule) |
President of Equatorial Guinea 1968–1979 |
Succeeded by: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo |
| Presidents of Equatorial Guinea |  |
|---|---|
| Francisco Macías Nguema • Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo |
