38. Political Rise
The orphaned Nguema was taken in by some wealthy Spaniards, who saw to his education at a Catholic school. He muddled his through to graduation, but was no brainiac – after completing his education, Nguema failed a civil service exam three times. However, he had political talents and got himself elected mayor of a town under the Spanish colonial administration.
When Equatorial Guinea began a transition phase to independence in the 1960s, Nguema served as a member of the territorial parliament, and when the country gained independence in 1968, he was elected president. To date, that 1968 has been the sole free election held in Equatorial Guinea: Nguema, and his family after him, have held the country in an iron grip ever since. Early in his reign, Nguema made clear what he thought about elections by executing his defeated electoral opponent.