WEMBO, NYAMA

Wembo Nyama (circa 1870-July 28, 1940) began his career as an auxiliary of the great slave-trader Ngongo Leteta. Later, he became a faithful ally of the Congo Free State, helping them to occupy his Tetela homeland, located west of the Lomami River, and even aiding the Europeans to put down a revolt of Ngongo’s former Tetela soldiers.

PHOTO CAPTION: Wembo Nyama. SOURCE: EA Library

During Ngongo Leteta’s raids into Tetela territory between Lubefu, 120 km (70 mi) east of Lusambo, and the Lomami River, Wembo Nyama was captured and deported to Nandu, Ngongo’s residence located on the Lomami River directly east of Lusambo. After acting as a servant to Ngongo Leteta for several years, Wembo Nyama was elevated to the rank of village chief.

After Ngongo Leteta’s surrender to the Congo Free State on September 19, 1892, Wembo Nyama also gave himself up to the whites. At this time, Lieutenant F. Dhanis designated Wembo Nyama to escort caravans and resupply arms and munitions to the expeditions which were traveling from Lusambo to Nyangwe, 175 km (100 mi) downstream from Kongolo, or Katanga (now Shaba) via Ngundu.

During the Congo Free State’s campaign to defeat and drive away the Swahili slave traders in eastern Congo, Wembo Nyama served to the complete satisfaction of his European superiors. Once the war against the Arabs was over, Wembo Nyama was authorised by Dhanis to settle near the State post of Ngandu. When in 1893, Capt. G. Augustin began the effective occupation of the Tetela region of the savanna, Wembo Nyama, who came from that area, became his closest collaborator. Wembo accompanied Augustin on all his operations, constantly showing initiative and energy.

Augustin and Wembo Nyama gained control over all the region contained between Lubefu and Lodja, on the Lukeni River 160 km (90 mi) north of Lusambo. As a reward for these services, Augustin placed the populations between the Lunga and Lomami rivers under the authority of Wembo Nyama, who settled near the Lotembo River, several kilometers from the present village of Wembo Nyama, 140 km (85 mi) northeast of Lusambo.

By about 1894, Wembo Nyama and Augustin had already made their influence felt in Tetela country, from Ngandu in the south to the sources of the Lukenie in the north, and from the Lomami River in the east to Lodja in the west. Their pacification expedition had lasted about seven months.

Even after the Tetela had been brought under government control, Wembo Nyama had to demonstrate his loyalty by participating in Free State military operations. In July 1895, Ngongo Leteta’s former soldiers, then serving the Free State, mutinied at Luluabourg (now Kananga). Without waiting for a government order, and as soon as he heard that the Tetela soldiers had rebelled and were returning to their homes, Wembo Nyama hastened to the Ngandu post with reinforcements. Along with the other Free State forces, he and his men took a stand on the route between Kabinda and Ngandu.

Despite the bloody defeat then inflicted on the Free State troops by the Tetela from Luluabourg, Wembo Nyama nevertheless remained loyal to the government. After the battle, he crossed the Lomami, where he rejoined the refugees, including Capt. J. de Sagers, in the village of Lusuna, near Malela about 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Nyangwe. After the group had struggled back to Nyangwe, de Sagers reported to Commander H. Lothaire that, without Wembo Nyama, neither he nor the rest of the soldiers would ever have arrived.

Commander Lothaire recognised Wembo Nyama to be a man of great loyalty who was knowledgeable about the Tetela lands. He therefore designated Wembo to serve as a guide for the expedition against the still-undefeated rebels. With Lothaire’s soldiers, Wembo Nyama confronted the Tetela mutineers, who suffered their first defeat. The post of Ngandu was immediately re-occupied and was then moved about 30 km (20 mi) further south to Tshofa, also on the Lomami River.

Wembo Nyama was again settled near the post, where he built his village. Lothaire gave him some reconditioned guns so that he could support the Europeans more effectively. In 1902, the post at Tshofa was ceded to the Commité Spécial du Katanga (C.S.K. or “Special Committee for Katanta”). Wishing to remain under the jurisdiction of the government instead of under that of the C.S.K.—a vast government and private organisation created to administer Katanga (now Shaba)—Wembo Nyama relocated his village near the newly-created state post of Lubefu.

Tired of so much relocation, Wembo Nyama asked permission to settle definitely at Ewango, the place where he was living before the Luluabourg revolt in July 1895. His request was granted, and in 1902 Wembo Nyama resettled his people at the present site of Wembo Nyama village.

On July 30, 1907, Wembo Nyama received a government medallion and was invested as chief of the Eswe, the Tetela of the savanna. This original domain was greatly reduced, however, when in 1911 and 1914 many of his subordinate chiefdoms were declared autonomous. His power was ultimately reduced to control of his village, Wembo Nyama, as in the past, remained a firm friend of the Europeans in the administration. He also supported the American Methodist missionaries who settled north of his village in 1914.

Wembo Nyama died on July 28, 1940, in the Methodist hospital that had been built in his village. He was succeeded by his son Malu Malu.

DIMANDJA LUHAKA