On the roots of African poverty

I found these two lines from an article about a recent election in Gabon very thought-provoking.

"Gabon is sub-Saharan Africa's fourth biggest oil producer and Africa's second biggest wood exporter, although most of its 1.4 million people live in poverty.

August's election was called after the death of Omar Bongo, one of the world's richest men, who had ruled the nation for four decades."

Now Omar's son will be calling the shots in Gabon. This reminds me of how 400 men who own Russia now keep pumping money out of the country, keeping the majority of its 150 million eking out a barely decent living.