the belonging to a community ruled by the
“Bulopwe” that is “civilized government” institu-
tionalized by the ancestors according to the will of
the creator and created for the protection and pro-
motion of the Bumuntu (human dignity).
The Luba genesis saga articulated a distinction
between two types of Luba emperors whose forms of
government were shaped by their own moral char-
acter and private behavior: Nkongolo Mwamba, the
red king, on the one hand, and Ilunga Mbidi Kiluwe,
a prince of legendary black complexion, on the other
hand. It is worth noting that the Baluba of Heartland
prefer to call themselves “Bana Ba Mbidi,” rather
than children of Nkongolo. Mbidi the “civilized
prince” is recorded as the founder of “the golden
era” of the second Luba empire.
The Luba genesis Saga emphasizes the differ-
ence between Nkongolo Mwamba the drunken
and cruel despot and Ilunga Mbidi Kiluwe the
refined and gentle prince. Nkongolo the red is a
man without manners, a man who eats in public,
gets drunk, and cannot control himself. In
contrast, Mbidi Kiluwe is a man of reservation,
obsessed with good manners; he does not eat in
public, he controls his language and his behavior,
and he keeps a distance from the vices and modus
vivendi of ordinary people. In Luba historical
memory, Nkongolo Mwamba symbolizes the
Kilopwe, the embodiment of tyranny, whereas
Mbidi Kiluwe remains the Mulopwe par excel-
lence, the admired caring and compassionate king.
Luba cosmology casts Nkongolo’s evil govern-
ment in esthetic terms. Nkongolo is said to be the
son of a hyena; he was so ugly that no one resem-
bled him before or since. His red skin symbolizes
the color of blood, and he is thus said to be
“Muntu wa Malwa,” a physical and moral mon-
strosity who brings suffering and terror into the
world—an uncivilized man who lives in an inces-
tuous relation with his own sisters.
Mbidi the black prince will introduce the “civi-
lized” practices of exogamy and “enlightened gov-
ernment” based on moral character, compassion,
and justice. He is said to be beautiful, and the people
identify with him. Mbidi functions in Luba con-
sciousness as the norm of the legitimate power of
good government, Bulopwe, which is antithetical
to Bufumu, the brutal and illegitimate power of
Nkongolo. Kalala Ilunga, Mbidi’s son, and, after
him, Ngoy’a Sanza are recorded as the paradigmatic
sage kings, whereas others are denounced as mon-
strous tyrants. In the investiture speech, the young
emperor had to learn from the noble Twite that
“Bulohwe I Bantu” (power is for the people and the
raison d’etre of a king is service to the people).Leadership
Recorded as the enlightened ruler feared by
thieves and troublemakers, Ngoy’a Sanza (1665–
1685) is celebrated for his openness to cultural
and ethnic diversity and his focus on justice and
respect for human rights. His passion for moral
ethical standards, justice, and law and order led
him to a severe penal code inflicting harsh pun-
ishment to criminals. This punishment included
the cutting off of a hand to a thief, the upper lip
to a liar, an eye or the nose to one guilty of adul-
tery, and an ear to one who does not listen and
disobeys constantly.
Although the Luba notion of Bulopwe is rooted
in the concept of divine kingship, no one in prac-
tice identified the Mulopwe (King) with the
Supreme God, Shakapanga. Power was never per-
sonal; it was exercised by a body of several
people. The Baluba understood that the power of
the King should be limited and controlled to guar-
antee the welfare of the people. Thus, the Luba
empire was governed by an oral constitution
based on the will of the ancestors (Kishila-
kya-bankambo). A powerful religious lodge, the
Bambudye, acted as an effective check on the
behavior of the King and even had the power to
execute him in case of excessive abuse of power. It
was assumed that the king must obey the mandate
of heaven by governing according to the will of
the ancestors. These ideals of genuine personhood
and good government had their foundation in the
spiritual values inculcated by Luba religion.Mutombo Nkulu-N’SenghaSee alsoBantu Philosophy; NgangaFurther Readings
Asante, M. K. (2007).The History of Africa.London:
Routledge.Baluba 99