South Sudan Azande kingdom restored after 117 years

Huge crowds attended the coronation celebrations (Image: Daniel Badagbue Rimbas)

One of South Sudan’s oldest kingdoms has been restored - more than 100 years since the death of its last monarch.

King Gbudue was killed by British officers on patrol in 1905 - but on Wednesday his great-grandson was installed in his place as monarch of the Azande.

Hundreds of people turned out to see the coronation of Atoroba Peni Rikito Gbudue, his brother told the BBC from the palace in Yambiyo in Western Equatoria State.

“Throughout the night and throughout all this week there will be celebrations,” Prince Daniel Badagbue Rimbasa said.

It was an important moment in the history of the Azande people, he said.

“We need to restore our culture and promote peaceful co-existence amongst our communities.”

The prince denied that the Azande had pushed for the re-establishment of the kingdom to gain political leverage in Western Equatoria.

“It’s purely promotion of our culture and its preservation and heritage, not political.”