Princess Hayleigh-Vitoria :
Sir,
I have listened carefully to your publication. You are, of course, free to express your criticism. However, when making allegations as serious as corruption or misappropriation of public funds, it is essential to distinguish between established facts, interpretations, and claims that still need to be proven.
I do not dispute the existence of the French proceedings or the conviction of Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. These are matters of public record. However, a conviction should not prevent us from examining the evidence on which it was based and maintaining a critical perspective.
I am also concerned about some of the images used in your publication. If they are montages, illustrations, or AI-generated images, they should be clearly identified as such. A fabricated image cannot be presented as evidence that an event actually occurred.
As Africans, we should neither blindly defend our leaders nor automatically accept as absolute truth every accusation coming from a media outlet, NGO, institution, or foreign State. We should demand evidence, examine the documents, and consider the different accounts.
Africa has suffered too often from narratives constructed on its behalf. Let us preserve our critical thinking and demand the same standards of accuracy and evidence from everyone.
Criticism is a right. Questioning is also a right. But when a person’s reputation, a country, and its institutions are at stake, accuracy and evidence should be everyone’s responsibility.
2026-09-04 12:09:43