45 anniversary of Leon Mba

 1st President of Gabon

In office 12 February 1961 – 27 November 1967
Preceded by	None (position first established)
Succeeded by	Omar Bongo
Prime Minister of Gabon
In office 21 May 1957 – 21 February 1961
Preceded by	None (position first established)
Succeeded by	None (position abolished)
Personal details
Born	9 February 1902 Libreville, Gabon
Died	27 November 1967 (aged 65) Paris, France
Nationality	Gabonese
Political party	Comité Mixte Gabonais, Bloc Démocratique Gabonais
Spouse(s)	Pauline M'ba
Religion	Roman Catholic

A member of the Fang ethnic tribe, M'ba was born on 9 February 1902 in Libreville, Gabon. His father, a small business manager and village chief, once worked as the hairdresser to Franco-Italian explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza. His mother, Louise Bendome, was a seamstress. Both were educated and were among the first "evolved couples" in Libreville. M'ba's brother also played an important role in the colonial hierarchy; he was Gabon's first Roman Catholic priest.
In 1909, M'ba joined a seminary to receive his primary education. From 1920, he was employed as a store manager, a lumberjack and trader before entering the French colonial administration as a customs agent. Despite his good job performance, M'ba's activism in helping black Gabonians, particularly for the Fangs, worried his superiors. In September 1922, M'ba wrote to Edmond Cadier, Lieutenant-Governor of Gabon:

"If on the one hand, the fundamental duty of educating the Fangs is consistent with Gabon's evident economic, military, and even political interests, on the other side, growing in human dignity and the increase of their material well-being do stay, Mr. Governor, the first legitimization of the French authority on them."

Source: wikipedia