In 1949 the SMEP had in Gabon “eight stations under the Equator” with some 20 missionaries (pastors, teachers, doctors, and nurses) from France, Switzerland, and Italy. In the same year five former Gabonese schoolteachers returned from the Theological School of Ndoungué (Cameroon). They became the first indigenous pastors of Gabon. As early as 1951 efforts toward autonomy and independence were felt within the MPF. Gabon became a republic in 1960. Under the expert leadership of the then President of the SMEP, Rev. Marc Boegner, the mission church was declared independent in June 1961 in Port-Gentil, under the name “Eglise évangélique du Gabon” (EEG).
The church was soon to become the scene of a powerplay among its leaders. In 1967 the first signs of dissent emerged and gradually hampered church life. At the Synod in 1971, Rev. Sima Ndong challenged the outgoing head of EEG, Nang Essono, but lost the election. A clear division occurred within the EEG which, according to observers, “had been provoked neither by theological nor by ecclesiological issues, but because of an incompatibility between persons.” For a few years the two church communities existed side by side, using the same building in a given town for worship, listening to pastors who had studied together at the same theological schools but now obeying two different “church leaderships.” In 1972 the dissident pastors were taken off the pastoral enrollment list by the “official” EEG.
Numerous attempts to settle the dispute were undertaken by different outside partners. For the next twenty years the Communauté Evangélique d’Action Apostolique (CEVAA) was to play a leading role in sending numerous delegations to Gabon and initiating many meetings in an effort to mediate between a growing number of parties in conflict. The CEVAA is a joint venture of churches and missions in Europe, Africa, Madagascar, and the Pacific. In 1976 it invited to Yaoundé (Cameroon) all the parties involved for a reconciliation meeting. But the committments made there by all present were not implemented in the following years.The CEVAA finally suspended EEG from membership from 1984 till 1990; a single Synodal Council was elected in 1989, and, for the first time in twenty years, the EEG met again as a whole.
Unfortunately, tensions soon rose again. Endless disputes between leaders about synodal election procedures, quarrels within local congr, ending in some instances with shootings, deteriorated the situation again. This time the EEG was split into several groups called “Baraka,” “Foyer,” “Gros Bouquet.” Once more the CEVAA intervened and in 1996 sent one of its vicepresidents, Rev. Harry Henry, as a resident mediator between the groups. A sign of hope came as the groups jointly agreed to cover his living costs. After 1989 the Synod met several times, but until 1997 on no occasion were its decisions considered valid by all factions. Finally, in the summer of 1997, “Baraka” and “Gros Bouquet” met as a synod and elected a joint leadership to form the National Council of the EEG headed by its new president, Rev. Jean Noël Ogouliguendé. The third group did not participate.
The latest reliable figures about this church are those of June 1990. The church is present in five out of the nine provinces of Gabon.
 

The church sent us a supplementary text in June 2005:
La réunification vient d’être effective grâce au courage de ses pasteurs et à la puissance de Dieu. C’est un miracle qui vient de se concrétiser à la Paroisse protestante de Gros Bouquet. Après les multiples efforts de la CEVAA pour la consolidation de l’Unité, du Président de la République en 1989, de la CETA en 1992, Dieu vient de travailler en montrant sa puissance. Ce qui est impossible aux hommes est possible à Dieu. Ce sont les mécontentements du retrait de la Constitution de 1999 adopté par le synode d’Ovan qui entrevoyait la prise’ de pouvoir de la Région Synodale du Ntem, qui vienne de rentrer : fini l’Autonomie. D’autres sont des mécontents de l’Ogooué-Estuaire, qui se sont accrochés à la CEVAA pour des intérêts égoïstes dont les laïcs sont les meneurs, viennent de mettre fin à la dissidence. La tendance qui ne n’avait pas accepter la réunification de 1997 conduites par Basile NGUEMA ALLOGHO, vient de rentrer dans la grande famille. Toutes ces tendances et sensibilités viennent de mettre fin à la division par une grande rencontre qui a eu lieu à la Paroisse de Gros Bouquet en Avril 2005 dernier. Ceci n’a eu le concours d’aucun organisme inter ecclésiastique quelconque, ni de l’apport politique, mais des pasteurs gabonais eux-mêmes dans leur volonté à mettre fin à leurs sempiternel problème de division. L’Eglise Evangélique du Gabon est réunifié, c’est un défi surmonté, mais le plus grand travail commence… reconstruire sur les décombres et les ruines, colmater les brèches, rattraper le retard et consolider cette réunification. C’est aussi le cri de cœur que nous vous lançons de vous joindre à nous pour rebâtir.

L’Eglise Evangélique du Gabon est actuellement présente dans les 9 provinces administrative du Gabon. Elle est présente à Tchibanga, Ndendé, Mouila, Koula Moutou, Lastoursville, Moanda, Franceville, Boumango. Elle a envoyé des pasteur Missionnaires qui sont soutenus directement par la direction de l’Eglise. D’important Projets sont en cours de réalisation notamment la construction des édifices de cultes, les écoles et les Collèges à Mouila, Koula Moutou et Franceville. La Construction du Collège de Port gentil est en Cours.
 

Further partners and memberships:
Presbyterian Church of Korea
Conférence Episcopale du Gabon (Eglise Catholique)
Conseil Supérieur des Affaires Islamiques du Gabon (CSAIG)
Eglise de l'Alliance Chrétienne et Missionaire du Gabon
CEFAA
CETA (Conférence des Eglises de Toute l'Afrique)
COFCEAC
Alliance Biblique du Gabon
AIPA (Action Interreligieuse pour la Paix en Afrique Gabon)

Schools:
L'EEG dispose d'une direction nationale privé protestant avec 24% des élèves scolarisé dans le Primaire au Gabon, 7 Collèges jusqu'en terminale, une Ecole Normale protestante des instituteurs avec niveau Bac.

Further theological tranining facilities:
Ecole Biblique de Makokou

Missionary institution:
Société Internationale de Linguistique et Wyucliffe Togo (alphabetisation, translation, promotion of local languages)
Alliance Biblique Universelle

Une publication régulière est en projet.

Further languages:
Myéné and Ikota as official languages and used during services, Nzébi only as official language.
 

 
Anzahl: 4

• French
• Fang

• Fang
• French

Internationale Verbindungen

• World Council of Churches