Who be General Brice Oligui Nguema Gabon coup leader?

After im send Gabonese President Ali Bongo comot for office, dem carry Gen Brice Oligui Nguema for streets by im triumphant troops, wey dey chant "Oligui, président! Oligui, président!".

Di 48-year-old general certainly appear to to be a man of di pipo as im soldiers hold am high for air, but to many, im be unexpected leader.

Just five years ago, pipo no to sabi am for Gabon as im don spend 10 years outside di kontri afta dem dismiss am from di inner circle of di Bongo family, who until Wednesday bin rule Gabon for almost 56 years.

As Gen Nguema return, im quietly rise to di army highest position. Here e dedicate im days to maintaining President Ali Bongo regime.

Dem born Gabon new strongman for di province of Haut-Ogooué. Di area na stronghold of di Bongo family and some even say dat Gen Nguema na Ali Bongo cousin.

Gen Nguema take afta im papa and pursue a career in di military. At a very young age, im join Gabon powerful Republican Guard unit, afta e don first train for Morocco prestigious Meknes Royal Military Academy.

Di ambitious young officer quickly attract di attention of di military top brass and im become assistant to den-president Omar Bongo, wey be Ali Bongo father.

Dem tok am say Gen Nguema dey extremely close to Omar Bongo - im serve di autocrat until death in 2009.

"Na pesin wey no dey expected [to lead Gabon] at dis time," Edwige Sorgho-Depagne, one analyst of African politics wey dey work for Amber Advisers, tell BBC Newsday programme.

"In di 2000s, im dey far from di kontri for some time... dem even almost forget am."

Wen Ali Bongo take over from im papa in 2009, dem dismiss Gen Nguema from im job. E begin wat local media bin call "exile", wia im serve almost 10 years as an attaché to di Gabonese embassies for Morocco and Senegal.

Di industrious military man reappear for Gabon political scene in 2018, wen im replace di president step-brother as di Republican Guard intelligence chief.

Afta just six months for di job, dem promote Gen Nguema to head of di Republican Guard. Im initiate reforms to make di unit more effective for dia fundamental mission: maintaining di regime.

A former close collaborator tell French news agency AFP say di general na "a man of consensus, wey no dey ever raise im voice, im dey listen to everyone and systematically seek compromise".

Shortly afta im take on di new role, Gen Nguema bin launch di "clean hands" operation, wey go tackle alleged state-led embezzlement.

However, Gen Nguema imself dey accused of hoarding public money.

In a 2020 investigation, US anti-corruption organisation OCCRP allege say Gen Nguema and di Bongo family bin purchase expensive property in di United States wit stashes of cash. Di general bin spend $1m (£790,000) on three properties.

Nguema response to di report? "I think whether in France or in di United States, private life na private life wey suppose dey respected".

Barely eight months ago, Gabon national news agency report say Gen Nguema publicly reaffirm im loyalty to Ali Bongo presidency, wey don stretch for 14 years.

But on Saturday, just hours after dem announce Ali Bongo di winner of a disputed presidential election, di military announce say e dey annul di results and take over.

Wit di president under house arrest, dem name General Brice Clothaire Oligui Nguema Gabon transitional leader.

Di general tell France Le Monde newspaper say Gabonese pipo don get enof of Ali Bongo rule, and say di president no suppose run for a third term.

"Everyone dey tok about dis but no one dey take responsibility," e tok. "So di army decide to turn di page."

Di UN, di African Union and France don condemn di coup - di eighth one wey go take place for West and Central Africa since 2020.

But be like say Gen Nguema don win over large parts of di public. Im don also succeed in uniting di army, wey bin dey divided along ethnic lines.

As a man wey dem don accuse of action and don spend most of im career in di Bongo inner circle, im fit no turn out to be di fresh start di Gabonese pipo hope say im go be.

Im name, however, go forever dey di kontri history books as di man wey "turn di page".