Immediately after Congo gained independence from Belgium, the former colonial master and its Western allies were worried about the new Prime minister, Patrice Lumumba and their access to Congolese minerals. Led by CIA and under instructions from White House, Joseph Mobutu, then Chief of Staff of the Congolese Army arrested Lumumba, ordered him beaten in public and handed over to Katanga secessionists who killed him. His body was later dissolved in acid.
Having gotten rid of Lumumba, Joseph Mobutu led a coup against President Kasavubu. He embarked on a campaign of pro-Africa cultural awareness, popularly referred to as authenticité. Mobutu began renaming the cities of the Congo starting on June 1, 1966; Leopoldville became Kinshasa, Elisabethville became Lubumbashi, and Stanleyville became Kisangani.
In October 1971, he renamed the country the Republic of Zaire. River Congo became R. Zaire. Foreign owned businesses were seized and given to Congolese. He ordered the people to drop their European names for African ones, and priests were warned that they would face five years' imprisonment if they were caught baptizing a Zairean child with a European name Western attire and ties were banned, and men were forced to wear a Mao-style tunic.
In 1972, Mobutu renamed himself Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga ("The all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, goes from conquest to conquest, leaving fire in his wake." It was also around this time that he assumed his classic trademark image, thick-framed glasses, walking stick and leopard-skin toque. Zairenism became the religion of Congolese and Mobutu their god.
He was the most pervasive personality cults of the 20th century. The evening news on television was preceded by an image of him descending through clouds like a god descending from the heavens. Choir composed songs literally praising the "god Mobutu". Portraits of him adorned many public places, and government officials wore lapels bearing his portrait.
He held such titles as "Father of the Nation," "Messiah," "Guide of the Revolution," "Helmsman," "Founder," "Savior of the People," and "Supreme Combatant." Mobutu and Zairenization were another African tragedy.
In October 1971, he renamed the country the Republic of Zaire. River Congo became R. Zaire. Foreign owned businesses were seized and given to Congolese. He ordered the people to drop their European names for African ones, and priests were warned that they would face five years' imprisonment if they were caught baptizing a Zairean child with a European name Western attire and ties were banned, and men were forced to wear a Mao-style tunic.