From Paris to Brazzaville (part 2) Constant Nemale: the founder of 3 A Telesud

3 A Telesud was founded by a group of French-speaking black Africans who had at their head, a certain Constant Nemale. Mr Nemale is a journalist by profession. He was before becoming what he is today, the deputy editor-in-chief of a specialized sports magazine called Mondial Basket.  From editor of a sports magazine, he created along with some friends 3 A Telesud and also a marketing company called ETNIUM. He is today the founded of Africa 24, a media company that employs 90 staff from 23 nationalities. 3 A Telesud was financed by President Omar Bongo Ondimba and after his death, his daughter by name Pascaline Bongo took over the management, just like most of the wealth and investments that her late father had amassed in France. Mrs. Pascaline Bongo, who was the Directress of Cabinet of her father or the chief of staff of her father, was an influential figure in Gabonese politics, when her father Omar Bongo Ondimba was alive. The reggae loving Mrs. Pascaline Bongo has an independent way of life.  She is currently married to the former minister of Foreign affairs of Gabon, Mr. Paul Tongui.  However, she also has children with Mr. Jean Ping, former minister of foreign affairs of Gabon and also former chairperson of the African Union.

Constant Nemale used to entertain very good rapport with Pascaline Bongo, but suddenly the atmosphere changed. I don’t know what exactly happened and I also think it is not necessary to develop it here.  Nevertheless, what is necessary is to state here on that, Constant Nemale fell out with Pascaline Bongo. He left  3 A Telesud to create a successful rival of 3 A Telesud called Africa 24, this time around with the help and financial support of President Obiang Nguema Mbasongo of Equatorial Guinea. It has to be recalled that, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are both oil rich countries and sub regional rivals.  Both countries with their oil wealth want to lead the sub regional Economic and Monetary of Union of Central African States abbreviated in French as CEMAC.  And it is reported that, mindful of the existing rivalry, Constant Nemale exploited it to the maximum. He exploited the rivalries between Presidents Obiang Nguema and Omar Bongo Ondimba, in order to get the funding from the first for his new pan African television station.

Other sources also claimed that, the ownership of an island in the Atlantic Ocean called Mbanie, disputed by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea is one of the reasons why Equatorial Guinea decided to sponsor the creation of Africa 24.  Anyway, it has also been discovered that, Equatorial Guinea sponsors several other electronic and print media organizations, notably the controversial pan-africanist Television station called Afrique Media  headed by Justin Tagou and a pan African magazine called Africa 54 published by Priscilla Wolmer.  The paradox with both Gabon and Equatorial Guinea is that, they are paragons of media freedom and free speech abroad, but in both countries, there is no freedom of speech or independent media organizations. What is also worth noting is that, the success of Africa 24 has eclipsed 3 A Telesud. The once leading pan African Television has become a peripheral television station for afro-Caribbeans in France, with little or no influence in Africa. As Constant Nemale left 3 A Telesud, Pascaline Bongo brought on stage Mr. Jean Philippe Kabore of Ivorian nationality.