# List of rulers of the Duala

The rulers of the Duala are the headmen, chiefs, paramount chiefs, and kings of the Duala people of Cameroon. The earliest Duala rulers known, according to Duala's oral history, were Mbongo and his son Mbedi. From Mbedi's home at Pīti, northeast of the modern city of Douala, his sons migrated southward. Ewale a Mbedi settled on the Wouri River at the Bight of Bonny (modern Douala) and became the eponymous founder of the Duala people.
Over time, the Duala split into various lineages. The earliest was the Priso sublineage, which established independence from the Bell lineage in the late 18th century. The Akwa lineage followed suit sometime in the early 19th century. Each of these families established a population centre along the banks of the Wouri. By the 19th century, Douala was thus divided into several of these residential areas, referred to as towns.
Beginning as early as the 18th century with Doo a Makongo, European traders started referring to the Duala rulers as chiefs and kings (kine in Duala). A dichotomy emerged under which the rulers of Akwa and Bell were kings, while the leaders of smaller lineages were chiefs or princes. These rulers were given Europeanised names, such as King George or King Akwa. Beginning with the colonial era, German, French, and British colonial governments designated various Duala rulers as paramount chiefs. During this era, Duala rulers were often deposed and exiled for any perceived infraction against the colonial government. Traditions of royalty have since ceased in some of these lineages, although in modern times, the royal line of some lineages has been reconstituted after an interregnum.

## Early rulers

| Reign | Common name | Duala name | Title(s) | Remarks |
| unknown | | Mbengo/Mbongo | ? | |
| unknown | | Mbedi a Mbongo | ? | Lived at Pīti, the ancestral home of the Duala and other Sawa ethnic groups. |
| unknown | | Ewale a Mbedi | ? | Eponymous ancestor of the Duala (Dwala). Moved from Piti to Douala. May have had contact with European traders. |
| Early 17th century | Monneba | Mulabe/Mulobe a Ewale | ? | Flourished c. 1630. Mentioned in Dutch sources. His name is the only known for the first 150 years of European contact with the Duala. Father of Mase and Ngie below. |

## Bonanjo/Bonadoo/Bell lineage

| Reign | Common name | Duala name | Title(s) | Remarks |
| unknown | | Mase a Mulabe | ? | |
| unknown | | Njo a Mase | ? | |
| unknown | | Makongo/Mukonga a Njo | ? | |
| Late 18th century | Joss or George | Doo a Makongo/Mukonga | Senior chief, King | Flourished 1788–90. Was the senior chief of his time. |
| Early 19th century | Bell | Bele a Doo | King | Eponymous ruler of the Bell lineage. Born c. 1750. Adopted by Joss after seizing his mother. Birth father was a Mungo. Chosen as father's successor after Joss expelled for violent behaviour. Founded Bonaberi, which is named for him. |
| 19th century | Bell | Bebe a Bele | King | |
| ?–1858 | Bell | Lobe a Bebe | King | Young in 1842. Died 1858. |
| c. 1858–1897 | Ndumbe Lobe Bell | Ndumbe a Lobe | King, Paramount Chief | The famous King Bell who signed the 1884 German-Duala Treaty. |
| c. 1897–? | Manga Ndumbe Bell | Manga a Ndumbe | King, Paramount Chief | |
| 1908–1914 | Rudolf Duala Manga Bell | Duala Manga | King, Paramount Chief | Executed in 1914. |
| ?–1966 | Alexandre Douala Manga Bell | Alexander Ndumbe | King | Died 1966. |
| 1950?–present | Lobe Bell | Bell | King, Paramount Chief | |

### Bonapriso/Joss sublineage

| Reign | Common name | Duala name | Title(s) | Remarks |
| Late 18th century | Preshaw, Preese, or Peter | Priso a Doo | Chief | Eldest son of Joss, brother of Bell I. Seems to have lost his inheritance due to violent behaviour with European traders. Eventually came to dominate the town Bonapriso. He may have been known as Peter. Legend states he died at Bimbia. |
| | | Doo a Priso | Chief | |
| Late 19th century | | Elame a Doo | Chief | Signatory to the 1884 German-Duala Treaty. |

### Bonaberi/Hickory sublineage

| Reign | Common name | Duala name | Title(s) | Remarks |
| unknown | | Mbape a Bele | Chief | Son of Bell I. |
| Late 19th century | Lock Priso | Kum a Mbape | Prince, Chief | Signatory to the 1884 German-Duala Treaty. |

## Bonambela/Akwa lineage

This list omits several rulers who served but briefly and who were succeeded by brothers rather than sons.
| Reign | Common name | Duala name | Title(s) | Remarks |
| unknown | | Ngie/Mbela/Mbele a Mulobe | ? | The Bonabele/Deido sublineage is descended through his son Kwane. |
| 17th or 18th century | | Mapoka a Ngie | ? | Tradition holds that he travelled to Europe. |
| unknown | | Kue/Kuo a Mapoka | ? | May have been a slave and adopted son . May have been related to a Bassa group through maternal descent, marriage, or residence. |
| unknown | | Kwa a Kuo | ? | |
| 1814(?)–1846 | Akwa | Ngando a Kwa | King | Eponymous ruler of the Akwa lineage. Flourished 1814. He claimed the Bonambela succession after the death of Ewonde and claimed equal standing with Bele. Died 1846. |
| mid-19th century | Akwa | Mpondo a Ngando | King | |
| before 1879–c. 1905 | Akwa | Dika a Mpondo | King, Paramount Chief | Was in power in 1879. Served five months hard labour for exploiting several oil wells in Bassa villages in 1905. |
| unknown | Ernest Betote Akwa | Betote | King, Paramount Chief | Died 1976. |

### Bonebele/Deido sublineage

| Reign | Common name | Duala name | Title(s) | Remarks |
| Late 18th century | Quan or Angua | Kwane a Ngie | Chief | Son of Ngie. Flourished 1788–90. He seems to have been the most powerful Duala ruler during the time of Doo (King George). |
| Early 19th century | | Ewonde a Kwane | Chief | Duala tradition states that his daughter Lesenge married into Isubu royalty and was the mother of King William I of Bimbia. |
| unknown | | Enjobe | Chief | He was an Abo captive or immigrant. Married Kanya, daughter of above. |
| unknown | | Ebele a Enjobe | Chief | Eponymous founder of the Bonabele (Pidgin: Deido) sublineage. |
| before 1845 – after 1874 | Ned Deido | Ebule an Ebele | Chief | |
| 1876 | Charley Deido | Eyum an Ebele | Chief | Younger half brother of Ebule. Executed in 1876. |
| 1876–after 1884 | | Ekwala | Chief | Signatory of the 1884 German-Duala Treaty. |
| unknown | | Epee | Paramount Chief | |
| ?–c.1900 | | Eboa | Paramount Chief | |
| c. 1900–1949 | | | | Interregnum |
| 1949–present | | Ekwala II | ? | |