Marc Ona Essangui, the campaigner who shakes governments.
When Marc Ona organises a meeting, the regime in Libreville gets worried.
With much of the country's opposition in a muddle, the environmental activist is one of the few voices that irks the ruling Parti Démocratique Gabonais.
Security forces detained him in early June when he tried to organise a counter-forum to President Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba's glitzy New York Forum Africa.
With NGO Brainforest, Ona has campaigned to limit the activities of mining companies in Gabon's national parks and to promote transparency.
A slate of new mining deals and large-scale agriculture projects mean there will be plenty more work ahead.
See the full list of The 50 most influential Africans
THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICANS
The 50 most influential Africans: The Investigated & The Indicted
Not all influence is good influence, and the long arm of the law is out to get these notorious bad boys.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Saviour Kasukuwere
Saviour Kasukuwere - Post-Mugabe positioner.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Rabab El-Mahdi
Rabab El-Mahdi - Political scientist in the streets.
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The 50 most influential Africans: Franklin Cudjoe
Franklin Cudjoe - The boffins fight back.
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The 50 most influential Africans: Jason Njoku
Jason Njoku - An African flag on the internet.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Zwelinzima Vavi
Zwelinzima Vavi - Standing up to the corrupt and the powerful.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Louise Mushikiwabo
Louise Mushikiwabo - Kigali hosts a successor in the making.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Taking down the cliché's one by one.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Daniel Yohannes
Daniel Yohannes - An African voice in Washington.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Prince Kofi Amoabeng
Prince Kofi Amoabeng - The 'grey' banker.
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The 50 most influential Africans: Michel Sidibé
Michel Sidibé - Bringing an end to AIDS denial.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Bernard Njonga
Bernard Njonga - Tireless campaigner for farmers' rights who has mobilised 11,000 and given a voice to a silent majority.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Rebecca Kadaga
Rebecca Kadaga - Uganda's speaker of parliament.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: General Athman 'Bachir' Tartag
General Athman 'Bachir' Tartag - Hard man to love.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Nasir El-Rufai
Nasir El-Rufai - A critical view on the ties that divide.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Navanethem ('Navi') Pillay
Navanethem ('Navi') Pillay - Anti-apartheid veteran turned global human rights crusader.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: S. K. Macharia
S. K. Macharia - The media magnate with the popular touch.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Vincent le Guennou
Vincent le Guennou - Seeding African business.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Samir Dilou
Samir Dilou - Balancing radicals and progressives.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: The 'A' list
The heavyweights of African business, diplomacy, government and politics.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: T. B. Joshua
T. B. Joshua - Fire, brimstone, cash and the eye of a needle.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi
Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi - Queen of diamonds.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Moïse Katumbi Chapwe
Moïse Katumbi Chapwe - The people's governor.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Meriem Bensalah Chaqroun
Meriem Bensalah Chaqroun - A voice for Moroccan businesses.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Acha Leke
Acha Leke - Putting Africa on the investment map.
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The 50 most influential Africans: Fatou Bensouda
Fatou Bensouda - An African prosecutor for African crimes.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Abdirashid Duale
Abdirashid Duale - Somalia is open for business.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: El-Ghassim Wane
El-Ghassim Wane - Spokesman and behind-the-scenes negotiator.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Marc Ona Essangui
Marc Ona Essangui, the campaigner who shakes governments.
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans
Our list of influential people in Africa will certainly be disagreed with. Why is this fantastic woman not included? How could this master-of-the-universe have been forgotten? This debate is certainly...
Read moreThe 50 most influential Africans: Manuel Vicente
Manuel Vicente - From the oil fields to the corridors of power
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