Upper Crust to Dust

Mobutu's palace                                                                                Sean Smith for the Guardian

If ever there was a country that embodied the true meaning of the word "irony," it would have to be the Democratic Republic of the Congo (http://bit.ly/1LdZtkF, http://bit.ly/1FubxxK, http://bit.ly/1AGsl3r). And if ever there was one site that exemplified all that country's tragic history and misfortune, it would have to be Gbadolite, former Congo President Mobutu Sese Seko's birthplace and home to his private paradise, now slowly sinking back into the jungle. Mobutu (aka Joseph Mobutu, aka "a voice of good sense and goodwill," according to President Ronald Reagan) was arguably one of the world's most corrupt leaders, amassing an estimated $5 billion during his 31-year rule of the Congo (which he renamed Zaire). One of the things he did with his fortune was build himself a town complete with schools, hospitals, three palaces, and a runway for the Concorde he chartered. Still, many there remember him fondly. “He was a dictator, that’s right, but he was also a builder,” says Congolese sculptor Alfred Liyolo. “He was a man of culture who wanted his home furnished by local artists. He was generous and allowed local artists to be known throughout the world and immortalised" (story, link to fascinating photos): http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/10/where-concorde-once-flew-the-story-of-president-mobutus-african-versailles