The Azande community in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State on Wednesday crowned Atoroba Peni Rikito Gbudue as king of the Azande, more than a century after the demise of King Gbudue.
King Rikito is the great-grandson of King Gbudue who was dethroned and killed by British colonial powers in 1905. Rikito has been the paramount chief of Yambio for over 20 years.
His coronation took place at the Yambio Freedom Square as the Azande community far and wide celebrated Gbudue Day in honor of their slain king.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, the new king’s brother Badagbu Daniel Rimbasa said the inauguration of the king marks the restoration and preservation of the Azande culture and norms.
“The inauguration and the coronation of the new king was amazing for the greater Azande community because people have shown a lot of happiness across the country and in the diaspora,” Rimbasa said. “This inauguration is important to the Azande people because the culture of the Azande community is now diminishing due to the globalization and now we need to preserve our culture, to preserve our norms and to promote the culture as well as build the social peace coexistence among our people and to provide service to our people.”
Rimbasa further revealed that the King will not participate in any political activities but will focus on the cultural development of the people.
“The king is not going to be political at all. He will not participate as a politician. The king will be a traditional leader who will be very neutral and will maintain peaceful coexistence among the people, he will be advocating for peace and mediating between the communities,” he added.
Rimbasa said the king will closely work with the local government and will be responsible for the appointment of paramount chiefs.
The occasion was graced by senior government officials including the speaker of the national parliament Jemma Nunu Kumba, presidential affairs minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin and Emmanuel Adil, the governor of Central Equatoria state, and thousands of members of the Azande community.
The Azande are a Bantu group with about five dialects spoken throughout Western Equatoria.