MALANGA

Malanga (circa 1880-1965), served as chief of the Bodjinga division of the Lobo (Balobo) ethnic group, living just north of Makanza (formerly Nouvelle-Anvers) about 180 km (100 mi) upstream from Mbandaka on the Congo River.

The colonial take-over of the Lobo region was directed from Nouvelle-Anvers, although the actual conquest was left in the hands of officers at Bonkula post, founded around 1904. In 1908, as European occupation intensified, the Lobo people were divided into chiefdoms. The Bodjinga were included in the East Balobo chiefdom governed by the notable Matantoko, an older and somewhat listless man.

Malanga, who was only a simple capita (sub-chief) from Bondoko village, came to the attention of the whites as a man capable of running the entire chiefdom. Soon, Malanga became Matantoko’s chief assistant and assumed many responsibilities. In a report dated September 30, 1913, the Belgian head of the Bomana post, 90 km (50 mi), north of Mankanza, recommended that Malanga replace the old chief. Consequently, when, in May 1914, the chiefdoms of East Balobo, West Balobo, Bunkula, and Monoki na Taba were transferred to the territory of Moyenne Giri (Middle Giri), Malanga was invested as chief of the East Balobo.

The first days of Malanga’s rule were marked by strong opposition to him, which the Europeans, however, managed to suppress. Nyamongwalanga, head of an important branch of the Bodjinga people, also claimed rights as chief and refused to yield to Malanga. As punishment, Nyamongwalanga lost his position as a sub-chief.

The whites appreciated Malanga more for his power than for his moral qualities. Thus, in the report of the inquiry regarding his chiefdom, Malanga was accused of selling women and children and of interfering in the judicial process for his own gain. In 1922, J. Hainaux, administrator of the Nouvelle-Anvers territory, labelled Malanga “a tyrant who exploits his subjects. Malanga’s ability to profit by manipulating the courts was demonstrated by the fact that in 1921, he had 54 wives, a gain of 51 wives from the year 1913, when he was still a capital.

Once the region of the Balobo came under missionary influence, some wives of polygamous notables, including those of Malanga, fled to the mission at Nouvelle-Anvers, where they married monogamous Christians. Chief Malanga, like Motengo of Monia and Edjumbu of Bokala, entered into open conflict with the state agents and the missionaries by demanding to be reimbursed for the dowries he had supposedly paid to obtain the women. Malanga’s claims were exaggerated for, at a time when dowries rarely exceeded 300 francs, he asked a Christian husband for compensation of 2,333 francs.

Malanga’s main function was overseeing the corvée (forced labor) imposed by the colonial regime. This work included upkeep of the river channels and management of the Nouvelle-Anvers-Bonkula-Monia dike. The people were also required to cultivate vast banana plantations to provision Nouvelle-Anvers, Lusengo, and Mobeka, the river’s commercial centres. In this region, rich in palm groves, the men were also asked to furnish palm oil and palm nuts and to search for copal. A Portuguese merchant, Gomes Constantino, settled in Bondoko, the principal town of Malanga’s chiefdom, to buy these diverse products. This allowed the inhabitants to obtain the cash they needed to pay taxes.

Belgian authorities both praised and mistrusted Malanga. On the one hand, their administrative reports reveal a high regard for his ability, through the use of force, menaces, promises, lies, or praise, to impose his will, and the will of the colonial regime, on his people. On the other hand, the Belgians knew very well that Malanga’s only goal was increasing his own power and that he had no real loyalty to the government.

Although the colonial officials knew Malanga used them to bolster his own authority among the Lobo people, they also realised he was an effective leader. Thus, in 1923, when the territorial administrator responsible for all the Lobo wanted to restructure the disorganised Bonkula chiefdom – the Bonkula like the Bodjinga were a Lobo sub-division-he proposed placing Bonkula under Malanga. Also, in 1926 when the Belgians began thinking of grouping all Lobo people into a single chiefdom, Malanga was a strong candidate for the office of chief. He was opposed by two other hopefuls: chief Eburida (or Ebondo) of the Libiri (or Libele) and Malanga’s old rival Nyamongwalanga.

Because of administrative restructuring, the creation of a Lobo chiefdom was delayed until 1939, when the Belgians finally set up a Balobo sector (a sector being a larger unit than a chiefdom). Malanga was judged to be the most capable candidate by far, and thus was invested as chief over the entire sector. His capital was established at Bokene village, among the Bokane division of the Lobo.

Although Malanga continued to administer effectively, his population declined. Sleeping sickness, and constant migration towards the Congo (now the Zaire) River, were the principal causes. Also, during World War II, the requirements for manpower to harvest rubber, copal, and palm nuts reduced the number of Lobo people living under Malanga’s control.

In fact, in 1949, the colonial authorities considered relocating the entire Balobo population to settle them along the river at Makanza, Lusengo, and Mobeka. While many young people agreed to emigrate, the older people opposed the obligatory abandonment of their lands. Malanga continued to administer his sector until 1953, when Balobo was joined by two sectors on the Giri River: those of the Libinza and the Baloi. The new unit was named the Ngiri sector.

Malanga, now old, retired, leaving his post to the young Ebamba Maurice, chief of the Libinza sector. Then, in 1957, the Balobo people were attached to the sector of Nouvelle-Anvers (now Makanza zone). Malanga, however, continued to enjoy great prestige until he died in 1965.

Malanga served the colonisers for 40 years. Because of his dynamism and his many accomplishments, he must be considered as one of the greatest chiefs of the Ngiri area.

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