Jean-Hilaire Aubame

Jean-Hilaire Aubame (born 10 November 1912, died 16 August 1989) was a Gabonese politician and civil servant. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Gabon from 1961 to 1963, under President Léon M'ba. He was also leader of the Democratic and Social Union of Gabon (UDSG), one of the main political parties in Gabon during the 1960s.

Aubame was born in Libreville into a Fang family and was orphaned at a young age. He was raised by Léon M'ba’s half-brother, who later became his main political rival. Encouraged by colleagues, Aubame entered politics and became the first representative of Gabon in the National Assembly of France from 1946 to 1958.

He supported social progress and urban development in Gabon. His political rise was backed by missions and the French administration, while M'ba’s support came mainly from local settlers.

After opposing M'ba’s move toward a one-party state, Aubame became the main opposition leader. During the 1964 Gabon coup d'état, he was briefly installed as interim president for three days before French forces restored M'ba to power.

Aubame was later imprisoned and sentenced to ten years of forced labor and another ten years of exile, despite not being involved in the coup’s planning. President Omar Bongo later allowed his return to Gabon in 1972, where he served occasionally as a special adviser. He died in 1989 in Libreville.