Fernão do Pó

Fernão do Pó (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɨɾˈnɐ̃w̃ du ˈpɔ]), also Fernão Pó, Fernando Pó, Fernando Poo (15th century) was a Portuguese navigator and explorer of the West African coast. He discovered the islands in the Gulf of Guinea around 1472, one of which until the mid 1900s bore a version of his name, Fernando Pó or Fernando Poo. The island is presently named Bioko, part of Equatorial Guinea. His name had also been given to several other places in nearby Cameroon; the village of Fernando Pó, Portugal; the village of Fernando Pó, Sierra Leone; and is the original name of the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, which bore his name until the 20th century.

About him or his life little is known. He was one of the navigators working for Fernão Gomes, joining João de Santarém, Pedro Escobar, Lopo Gonçalves and Pedro de Sintra. a merchant from Lisbon who was granted a monopoly over trade in part of the Gulf of Guinea. He was awarded an aristocratic title and land by the Portuguese crown. His descendants still live in their historic home. Descendants also emigrated to Cuba and eventually the United States where they still live today. The common family name having evolved into dePoo. He was among a number of navigators who explored the Gulf of Guinea during this period on behalf of King Afonso V of Portugal.

Fernando Pó is credited with being the first European explorer to discover the southwestern coast of Africa.

See also

• Annobón
• Bight of Bonny
• Bioko Island
• Cameroon line
• Equatorial Guinea
• Fernandino
• Fernando Po
• Gulf of Guinea
• São Tomé and Príncipe

References

• Liniger-Goumaz, Max. 1979. Historical dictionary of Equatorial Guinea. Metuchen, N.J. (USA): Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810812304.
• Room, Adrian. 1994. African placenames. Jefferson, N.C. (USA): McFarland. ISBN 0899509436