Exile in Oubangui-Chari Léon M'ba

map of oubangui-chari, c. 1910

while exiled in french territory of oubangui-chari, first in towns of bambari , bria, continued exert influence among fangs via correspondence compatriots in libreville. worried situation, governor-general antonetti ordered in 1934, @ end of prison sentence, m ba placed under surveillance.

during years in exile, wrote customary rights of fang people in essai de droit coutumier pahouin (english: essay of pahouin customary rights) , published in bulletin de la société des recherches congolaises in 1938. work became main reference on fang tribal customary law. 1939, native ex-chief remained persona non grata gabon, stated in letter head of estuarie department, assier de pompignan:

for léon m ba not leader had claimed personal use colony s money. enjoyed considerable amount of prestige, congeners see, got witchcraft activities practiced. intelligent, exploited situation extort people had administrate cabal had formed. on other hand, knew how flatter representatives of authority, beguiling vigilance , gaining confidence. why had, years before, committed kinds of abuses without ever being otherwise worried it.

in spite of being in exile, m ba employed local administrators. placed in secondary offices , having no proper power, accomplished , valuable employee. praiseworthy reports superiors, once again seen reliable indigenous element on colonial administration rely on. in 1942, sentence reduction granted him. following release, became civil servant in brazzaville, prestige increased.