Dans sa Mission de “Réconstruire le Gabon par Tous et pour Tous”,
le Coordinateur Général du Front Uni pour le Changement Radical (FUCR)
Guy Roger Biwagou Biwagou, vous invite ā decouvrir avec lui notre jeune
compatriote Landry Lengnagu. Ce gabonais qui est en train de vendre
très bien l’image du Gabon ā travers le monde et particulièrement aux
Etats-Unis d’Amérique où il réside (Washington, DC).C’est un bel
exemple ā suivre. Découvrons-le.
NB: la version française de cette interview sera disponible dans les tous prochains jours.
Je vous remercie
Guy Roger Biwagou Biwagou
Coordinateur Général, FUCR
There is great potential for Business and Investment in Gabon - Landry Lignabou, Coordinator of Gabonese Community in USA
By Ajong Mbapndah L
The
famous ask not what your country has done for you but what you have
done for your country by the late American President John Kennedy is
now the guiding principle of actions from a dynamic generation of young
Africans.It is this philosophy which spurred the Gabonese Community in
the USA to recently organise a series of events not only on their
welfare but also to see in what way the diaspora could get more
involved in the development of the small but rich African country of
Gabon.Education,Governance,and Technology were amongst the issues
discussed during the manifestations.Landry Lignabou who serves as Chief
Excutive Officer of a business outfit known as Fry Designs Coordinated
the activities and shared his thoughts and vision with Ajong Mbapndah L
for Pan African Visions
PAV: What motivated the idea of the Journees Gabonaises in the USA?
Landry Lignabou: The
idea came from the need of an annual report that addresses the issues
central to Gabonese in the current year in the United States of
America. “Journees Gabonaises” examines Gabonese progress in education,
home ownership, entrepreneurship, health and other areas.
We
were motivated by the “State of Black America”, the “Ask Not What Your
Country Can Do for You” speech by John F. Kennedy and the constant
struggles of the Gabonese community living in the United States of
America.
PAV: May we know the achievements you registered during the events and what plans you have for the future?
Landry Lignabou: Our
most important objective was to bring the Gabonese community together
in order to address and have a discussion on issues that present inside
our community and linked to Education, and entrepreneurship, health,
Infrastructures, Technology, Risk Management, Social, Governance,
Religion, Economy and Finance. We did succeed in bringing the community
together but the “red meat” is still yet to come -We need to turn our
thoughts into actions. Besides, we are working on making this event
permanent at least Once a Year.
PAV: How big is the Gabonese community in the USA and how attached is it to Gabon?
Landry Lignabou: Our
community is comparatively small to the Cameroonian or the Congolese
community. I will say there are just about 400 Gabonese living in
United States of America today. Every Gabonese living in the United
States of America loves Gabon very much and hopes to contribute to its
development in one way or another. We are grateful to a couple of websites, associations, NGOs and a few political parties -PDG and BDP which constantly inform us and help us keeping abreast of current developments in Gabon.
PAV: What role do you see the diaspora playing in the development of Gabon and Africa?
Landry Lignabou: I
believe the Diaspora should by some means contribute to the transfer of
their knowledge of science and technology. In Gabon for example, the
country needs to create a new generation of leaders that will be able
to compete tomorrow. Gabon should invest in
early childhood education and give a better pay to the teachers.
Another way is to provide both students and teachers with the
technology required.
It
is true that some parts of Africa are better developed than others but
I still believe that the Africans living abroad should encourage their
countries to invest in Education, Science and Technology.
PAV:
Gabon as we know is not a very large country, what would you say are
the some of the reasons why the investors or the rest of the world
should be interested in your country?
Landry Lignabou: Gabon
is considered a small country compare to Cameroon or Nigeria however
Gabon is considered a big country compare to Equatorial Guinea or São
Tomé and Príncipe. I think the investors should be interested in Gabon
because the country offers a great opportunity to for business.
Although, I have to be honest with you and tell you that profit may
change from industry to industry or business to business. In every
country, success requires hard work and dedication and Gabon is not
different. I do understand that the Gabonese population is around 1.4
million and there are only four major cities (Libreville, Port-Gentil,
Moanda, and Oyem)
but you will be surprised by the amount of business that is generated
in Gabon. The reality is that Gabon has lots of natural resources
beside oil and these attract a lot of investors like French, Chinese,
Americans, Cameroonians, Nigerians, Senegalese, Lebanese, and others.
My advice to anybody interested in investing in Gabon is to do their
homework before taking any action.
PAV: Is there any relationship between the Gabonese community in the USA and other Africans based out here?
Landry Lignabou: Our
community has very good relationships with our neighbors and the
communities in which we are living in the United States. We most
definitely share the cultures with the Cameroonians, the Congolese and
Equato-Guineans
PAV:
You and your friends represent a very enterprising generation of
Africans, what do you think needs to be done by this generation for
Gabon and Africa to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of
development?
Landry Lignabou: We need to provide a great deal of help in Education, Science and Technology if we wish Africa to catch up with the rest of the world.
PAV:
Looking at the situation in Africa today, what future do you see for
the millions of talented young people who feel betrayed by the present
generation of leadership in the continent?
Landry Lignabou: I
believe the millions of talented young people hold the future of Africa
on their own hands because they can choose a different course and
develop their countries. They can choose to do things in a different
way. I am telling you that because I am part of them. I understand it
will be difficult. I am also certain it will take some leadership and
vision, sacrifices, commitment, hard work and perseverance but we can
do it.
PAV:
You live in America where Presidential elections and the candidacy of
Senator Barrack Obama as the nominee for the democratic party are
making headlines, what do you think Africa can learn from all of this?
Landry Lignabou: First,
I would like to congratulate Senator Obama on behalf of Africa and
Gabon for his achievements. Second, I would like to thank him for
opening doors to millions of future leaders not only in the United
States but also around the world. From the incredible story of Senator
Obama, Africa can learn that ordinary people can do extraordinary
things and last but not least Africa can also learn that if Africa does
not like the way things are right now she can change the trend.
PAV: Any last word?
Landry Lignabou: Thank you for considering me for the interview.
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