In the forested highlands of Mayombe, beyond the great Congo River, lay the kingdom of Vungu, ruled by King Nimi a Nzima. Among his many wives was Lukeni lua Nsanza, a woman from the neighboring kingdom of Mbata. Though married to the king, the people of Vungu saw her as a foreigner. Marginalized and rejected, she found solace only in her children.
Her youngest was Nimi a Lukeni.
But Nimi a Lukeni was not only the youngest of her children, he was the youngest of all of King Nimi a Nzima’s offspring. With no hope of ever inheriting the throne of Vungu, his future seemed predetermined. And yet, his exceptional talents earned him renown: his skill with the bow in hunting won him the name Kongo, and his ability to identify minerals with a glance led others to call him Mpanga Kahunga, the master of the mines.
Despite his gifts and his charisma, tradition dictated that the youngest must always yield to the eldest. It was an unshakable law.
But Nimi a Lukeni longed to command his fate. The idea of eternal obedience was intolerable to him. Though still a prince, he refused the confines of his role.
As the years passed, through his actions and daring hunts, his legend began to grow. Quietly, he began to dream of a greater adventure, one that would take him far beyond the narrow world of Vungu.
With a handful of companions, Ndumbu a Nzinga, Mpudi a Nzinga, Mâ Nkunku, Nanga, Ngimbi, Mbenza, Mboma Ndongo, Makaba and Manianga, he set off. Guided by the thirst for conquest, they left the forest behind and journeyed to the Mwanza River (now Congo).
There, after defeating a group of bandits who extorted travelers, Nimi a Lukeni and his men claimed the area, establishing tolls along the river and its banks. His name began to spread all the way back to the royal court of Vungu.