A casual chat with a friend about the book they were reading took an unexpected turn. They were knee-deep in a tale about power and control, and somehow, the conversation spiraled into a thought experiment: What if Francisco Macías Nguema—yes, the notorious dictator of Equatorial Guinea—were alive today, reborn as the CEO of a tech giant? As someone who spends way too much time dissecting tech ecosystems, I couldn’t help but indulge in the absurdity of the idea. What would his company look like? And more disturbingly, are some of today’s tech giants already flirting with his playbook?
The Dictator’s Legacy
Francisco Macías Nguema, the first president of Equatorial Guinea, was the stuff of nightmares. After coming to power in 1968, he rapidly turned his leadership into an authoritarian horror show. He banned opposition, erased intellectual activities (he literally banned the word “intellectual”), and demanded absolute loyalty, which eventually morphed into a bizarre cult of personality. Churches were closed, Bibles were banned, and citizens were forced to venerate him as if he were divine.
By the time his regime ended in a coup in 1979, tens of thousands of people had been killed or exiled, leaving behind a legacy of paranoia and unchecked power. Now imagine that level of megalomania translated into a Silicon Valley boardroom. Fun, right?
Enter 2023: CEO of Macías Systems Inc.
In this hypothetical scenario, Macías doesn’t take over a country—he takes over a tech conglomerate. Let’s call it Macías Systems Inc. The result? A dystopian corporation that makes today’s biggest tech monopolies look like quaint family startups. Here’s how I imagine it:
1. The Cult of Personality Becomes the Brand
Forget sleek product launches with understated CEOs in turtlenecks. At Macías Systems Inc., every launch is an extravagant rally where employees chant, “Macías—The Only Innovation We Need!” The branding? His face. Everywhere. Every app, device, and ad would remind you of the “genius” behind the company.
Loyalty clauses would require employees and customers alike to swear fealty. Switching to a competitor? Good luck. Macías would ensure it’s practically impossible, much like he erased opposing ideologies during his rule.
2. Surveillance-Driven Innovation
Building on his historical paranoia, Macías would make surveillance the backbone of his business. The flagship product, Surveill-AI™, promises users unparalleled convenience while secretly monitoring every detail of their lives. Need directions? Sure. But also…your browsing habits, private conversations, and maybe even your heart rate get logged for “quality assurance.”
Internally, employees would face round-the-clock monitoring. Cameras, AI-driven productivity trackers, and loyalty quizzes would ensure compliance. Dissenters? Spotted, flagged, and eliminated from the system.
3. Suppression of Competition
Macías wouldn’t just outcompete rivals; he’d annihilate them. Smaller startups offering alternatives would face hostile takeovers, frivolous lawsuits, or just plain sabotage. Proprietary ecosystems like MonarchOS™ would lock users into the Macías universe, making it practically impossible to escape.
It’s a corporate mirror of his infamous bans on alternative religions and ideologies. If you’re not Team Macías, you’re out of the game—literally.
4. Mandatory Loyalty Programs
In Macías’s world, loyalty isn’t optional. Citizens of Equatorial Guinea once had to publicly display allegiance to him or face dire consequences. At Macías Systems Inc., users would be funneled into the LoyaltyCard™ program. Spend enough on Macías products? You’re rewarded with discounts. Miss your quota? Access to basic features might “accidentally” vanish.
Employees, meanwhile, would endure random audits of their social media, emails, and even casual conversations. Failing to project sufficient enthusiasm for the brand might land them in the company’s version of the gulag: public shaming or outright termination.
5. A Climate of Fear and Control
Criticism? Not in Macías’s house. Negative reviews of products would mysteriously disappear from online platforms. Whistleblowers would be silenced through ironclad NDAs or crushing lawsuits. The company’s PR team would run smear campaigns against former employees who dared to speak out.
It’s eerily reminiscent of his regime, where fear was the primary tool of governance. In this corporate world, the same principle applies: control the narrative, eliminate dissent, and maintain the illusion of perfection at all costs.
Lessons from a Dystopian Vision
What started as a lighthearted conversation with my friend turned into a surprisingly relevant thought experiment. The parallels between Macías’s rule and the behavior of some modern tech companies are…uncomfortably close. From monopolistic practices to invasive data collection and ecosystems that trap users, the lines can blur more than we’d like to admit.
Macías’s story reminds us why power—unchecked and unaccountable—can corrupt absolutely. It’s a cautionary tale for both politics and business, urging us to demand transparency, accountability, and ethical practices from the institutions that shape our lives.
So, was Francisco Macías Nguema reborn as a tech CEO? It’s unlikely. But as I watch some corporations grow bigger and bolder, I can’t help but wonder: is the spirit of authoritarianism sneaking into boardrooms disguised as innovation? History has lessons for us, if we’re willing to look. Let’s hope we’re paying attention; because I, for one, am not ready to pledge allegiance to Surveill-AI™.