LOBA
allyGod
Loba is a divine name of the Duala, a coastal people of the Cameroonian littoral. In its first sense, the word designates the sky and all that is found there, then, by extension, a divine power. According to the available sources, Loba is understood as the supreme, creator God, sometimes presented as a deity emanating from Nyambé, the supreme Being, and charged with interceding for humans. In the plural, Maloba designates these manifestations of the divine. The Christian missionaries, notably Alfred Saker in the nineteenth century, adopted Loba to translate God in the Duala-language Bibles, which reinforced this modern usage. The association sometimes made with the sun is little attested; Loba refers first of all to the sky and to the creative principle. Precise data on a cult of his own remain limited in the accessible sources.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Bearer of dawn. LOBA opens the passage of day and holds the warmth of the beginning. Bound to the Duala pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of obsidian, forged metal and cooled lava, engraved with symbols of sun, embodiment of the power of Loba
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
What does the word Loba mean?
In the Duala language, Loba designates first the sky and what is found there, then, by extension, a divine power and the supreme, creator God.
Is Loba a sun god?
The accessible sources attach him above all to the sky and to the creative principle, sometimes to Nyambé. The precise association with the sun is little documented and must be taken with caution.
Why is this name used for God?
The Christian missionaries, including Alfred Saker, adopted Loba to translate God in the Duala Bibles, which anchored this usage in the modern language.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- https://monwaih.com/les-croyances-religieuses-traditionnelles-chez-les-duala/
- https://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2014/09/duala-douala-people-one-of-cameroonian.html