Political Odyssey Of Chief Madu Ndigba-( a belief in totems by an African Leader) An Allegory.

CHAPTER VI
TOTEM OF MOBUTU SESESEKO

The veteran politician Mazi Ekwe also recounted the colonial situation that Joseph Mobutu inherited, of which he claimed he set out to revolutionize through his dictatorial rule , as inspired by his belief in the totem. As far as the Congo is concerned, the colonial situation in the country could be traced to the Belgians under King Leopold 11 of Belgium in 1885 as that territory was carved to him in the Berlin Conference of the partition of Africa. By 1883, the Belgians were already exploiting the resources of the territory like other colonial masters in Africa. The Belgians also felt that one of the ways of penetrating this area was the use of religion.

Belgian missionaries, mostly catholics made initial incursion. The primary challenge of the early missionaries was to bring Christianity into the door steps of both the poor and the rich. It must be borne in mind that they were coming into an area, which was largely populated by uneducated tribes men and women. The introduction of Christianity was meant to pacify these people so that the atmosphere would be conducive for trade, commerce and exploitation of mineral are carried out without hindrance. While introducing Christianity, the Belgian Missionaries discovered that there was already in existence, native religion or paganism which was practiced in many forms. The river Congo itself, being one of the longest river in Africa traversed the entire length and breath of the country, such that the Congolese, not only adored, revered the massive river but also the resources of the river. Thus they as it were had recourse to one Supreme Being known as ‘Mungu, Nzambi and Nzakomba. There was also established mystic system promoted by ngagas or fetish priests. Though the coming or introduction of Christianity was bound to conflict with the traditional religion yet, it was this fetish and mystic system-warfare protection which they did not want to abandon. By the time that Mobutu came to political limelight in the Congo, the missionaries could not make any marked revolution in the way of wiping out these practices.

These prevailing scene described above became a fertile ground for the ideas of Mobutu to thrive. His dictatorial ideas thus thrived in the then Congo. His dictatorial power was known to have been associated with his totem, ‘Leopard’. At birth Mobutu was known as Joseph Desire Mobutu. As a humble young Congolese, and a journalist of two years, he enlisted in the then Congolese National Army and rose to the rank of a colonel and promoted Lt. General by president Joseph Kasavubu. He fought in the civil war that engulfed Congo in the 60’s. He was agood mobilizer, orator, and survivor of various assassination attempts. He wielded so much influence among the military that he overthrew president Joseph Kasavubu

As soon as he established control, it was this influence that enabled him to prevail on the military leadership to promote him to full General and Field Marshal. One would remember his slogan, “Nous preferons etre pauvre et libre, au lieu etre riche sous la bond de colonialist” . Meaning, we would prefer to be poor and free than to be rich under colonial bondage. With this slogan which radio Congo diffused 24/7, the masses were captivated. He gradually transformed himself by stage managed manipulation from military ruler to Mobutu Seseseko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga: meaning “ the All powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, will go from conquest to conquest leaving fire in his wake as well as a great warrior who does not fear any one, but would live for ever”. Congolese folklore recalls that as a youth, while in the forest, he came across a leopard. As he had only an arrow, he attacked and killed the leopard. According to local belief, it was feared that he would die, but contrary to expectation, he lived. The classical belief among his community was that since he did not die, the leopard would transform his life. This was also a turning point in his religious life as a catholic brought up in the religious milieu which I have just described. This development was bound to clash with totem mystical system.