I am practical and pragmatic. It is in these terms that General Bryce Oligui and Guema described himself to Gabani's employers the day after his appointment as head of the transition Wednesday, August 30, 2023. After deposing Gabani's president Ali Bongo, General Bryce Oligui and Guema was carried through the streets by his triumphant troops, who chanted Oligui President, Oligui President. The 48-year-old general certainly appears to be a man of the people. As he's held aloft by his soldiers, but to many, he's an unexpected leader. He scarcely existed in Gabani's public consciousness five years ago, having spent ten years outside the country after being expelled from the inner circle of the Bongo family, which had ruled Gabani for nearly 56 years until Wednesday. On his return, General Nanguema discretely advanced to the army's highest post. He spent his days here working to keep President Ali Bongo's government in place, born in the province of Hout Oligui. General Nanguema comes from a region that has long been a stronghold of the Bongo family. His familial connection, coupled with his military background, has fueled speculation that he is a cousin of President Ali Bongo. While the exact nature of their relationship remains a subject of debate, it is clear that General Nanguema's position within the government had strengthened the Bongo family's grip on power. During his time in the military, General Nanguema likely acquired valuable experience and established connections that have contributed to his rise to prominence. General Nanguema followed in his father's footsteps in a military career. The ambitious young officer quickly attracted the attention of the military top brass and became an assistant to then-president Omar Bongo, who was Ali Bongo's father. It is said General Nanguema was extremely close to Omar Bongo, he served the autocrat until his death in 2009. When Ali Bongo took over from his father in 2009, General Nanguema was dismissed from his job. He began what local media portrays as an exile, serving almost 10 years as an attaché to the Gabonese embassies in Morocco and Senegal. The industrious military man reappeared on Gabbons' political scene in 2018 when he replaced the president's stepbrother as the Republican Guard's intelligence chief. After just six months in the job, General Nanguema was promoted to head of the Republican Guard. He initiated reforms to make the unit more effective in its fundamental mission, maintaining the regime. A former close collaborator told French news agency AFP that the general was, a man of consensus who never raises his voice, who listens to everyone and systematically seeks compromise. Shortly after he took on the new role, General Nanguema launched the Clean Hands Operation, which set out to tackle alleged state-led embezzlement. However, General Nanguema was himself accused of hoarding public money. In a 20-20 investigation, U.S. anti-corruption organization OCCRP alleged that General Nanguema and the Bongo family had purchased expensive property in the United States with stashes of cash. The general was said to have spent $1 million on three properties. Guemma's response to the report? I think whether in France or in the United States, a private life is a private life that should be respected. Barely eight months ago, Gabbons' National News Agency reported that General Nanguema publicly reaffirmed his loyalty to Ali Bongo's presidency, which had stretched for 14 years. But on Wednesday, just hours after Ali Bongo was announced as the winner of a disputed presidential election, the military announced it was anelling the results and taking over. With the president under house arrest, General Bryce Clothier Oligui and Guemma was named Gabbons transitional leader. The UN, the African Union and France have condemned the coup the eighth to take place in Western Central Africa since 20 to 20. But General Nanguema seems to have won over large parts of the public. He's also succeeded in uniting the army, which is dividing along ethnic lines. As a man who has been accused of corruption and has spent most his career in the Bongo's inner circle, he may not turn out to be the fresh start the Gabbonies people hope he will be. He will, however, be remembered as the man who turned the page in the oil-rich country of Gabbons history.