Death and state funeral of Omar Bongo

Death and state funeral of Omar Bongo
Bongo in 2005
Date8 June 2009 (death)
16 June 2009 (state funeral)
LocationBarcelona, Spain (death)
Libreville, Gabon (state funeral)
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Omar Bongo
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The second President of Gabon, Omar Bongo, died in Spain on 8 June 2009, after having suffered from colorectal cancer. A month of mourning[1] and state funeral, spanning 11 to 18 June, followed.

After Bongo's death his coffin was flown from Barcelona to Libreville on 11 June. It was driven to his presidential palace beside the Atlantic Ocean and displayed until 16 June. A state funeral service was conducted on 16 June, the day that interim president Rose Francine Rogombé declared a national day of mourning. The service was attended by dignitaries from at least forty nations. After the service, Bongo's coffin was transported to his home village for burial on 18 June.

At the time of his death, Bongo had been Africa's longest serving leader.[2]

  1. ^ "Gabon qualifier postponed after Bongo death". The Guardian. London. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).