Obo

Obo is the capital of Haut-Mbomou, one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic. It is close to the African Pole of Inaccessibility.

For other uses, see OBO.
Obo
The Catholic mission at Obo
The Catholic mission at Obo
Obo is located in Central African Republic
Obo
Obo
Location in Central African Republic
Coordinates: 5°24′N 26°30′E
CountryCentral African Republic
PrefectureHaut-Mbomou
Government
 • Sub-prefectDieudonné Yapouléla-Youffi[1]
Population
 (2003)[2]
 • Total7,187

Poste Airport is located near the town.[3]

History

Obo was named after the local Zande chief Orbo, with the spelling changed slightly in later years. Orbo ruled the territory between the Mbokou and Kamou rivers. However, a conflict emerged when nearby Chief Gougbéré annexed much of Orbo's territory on the pretext that the inhabitants were from the same ethnic group as him. Orbo petitioned Sultan Zémio, who was his first cousin once removed, to help, but the sultan did not intervene. Orbo then asked French colonial captain Maurice Martin to mediate in 1910. Martin sided with Orbo's land claims, but said that any new settlements should be allowed to remain.[4]

French military general Jean Baptiste Marchand passed through the area on his journey to find the source of the Nile. When he failed to find access to the river, the settlement became a cul-de-sac and he moved on in a different direction.[4]

The Africa Inland Mission established a presence in the town in 1925, run by the Linquist family. It was one of a number of evangelical missions among the Zande areas of Ubangi-Shari and the Belgian Congo.[4]

On the night of 5 March 2008, Obo witnessed the first LRA's attack. The group attacked the AIM neighborhood and abducted 73 residents.[5]

Central African Republic Civil War (2012-present)

On 9 May 2020 armed forces repelled an attack by the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic armed group on Obo, killing 11 militants.[6] They repelled another attack on 18 May[7] and another on 20 May, killing 12 militants.[8] Between 26 and 27 July 2021, government forces repelled another attack on Obo by rebel groups affiliated with the Coalition of Patriots for Change. One Central African Armed Forces soldier was killed.[9] With their town severely damaged by the attack, the residents of Obo organized a mass protest over MINUSCA's ineffectiveness at preventing violence in the area.[10]

Azande Ani KPI GBE launched an attack at FACA military base in Obo on 5 April 2023 as a response to the arrest of its two members. The attack lasted for twenty minutes and the militia withdrew from the city. They claimed that the attack was a warning to the government.[11]

  • The Protestant mission at Obo, as seen from the rear.
    The Protestant mission at Obo, as seen from the rear.
  • Obo mission Airfield at the start of the dry season.
    Obo mission Airfield at the start of the dry season.

References
  1. Ndeke Luka, Ndeke Luka. "Centrafrique : retour au calme à Obo après des échanges de tirs". radiondekeluka.org. Radio Ndeke Luka. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  2. "Central African Republic: Prefectures, Major Cities & Towns - Population Statistics in Maps and Charts". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  3. FEFB - Obo (Poste Airport), HM, CF - Airport - Great Circle Mapper
  4. Bradshaw, Richard; Fandos-Rius, Juan (2016). Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic (New ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 493, 498. ISBN 9780810879911.
  5. Cakaj, Ledio (2015). "Chapter 12:In Unclaimed Land The Lord's Resistance Army in CAR". In Carayannis, Tatiana; Lombard, Louisa (eds.). Making Sense of the Central African Republic. Zed Books. p. 273.
  6. "Obo : 11 éléments de l'UPC d'Ali Darass abattus et plusieurs blessés suite à de violents affrontements avec les FACA". 10 May 2020.
  7. "Violent combat entre FACA et UPC à Obo, au sud-est de la République centrafricaine". CNC. 18 May 2020.
  8. "Centrafrique-Obo: Les FACA repoussent une nouvelle attaque de l'UPC". 21 May 2020.
  9. Centrafrique : Un mort dans une attaque des rebelles au sud-Est du pays, 27 July 2021
  10. "Central African Republic: Who is responsible for the attack in the South-East?". Vanguard. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  11. Ndoumba, Felix. "Centrafrique : nouvelle attaque de la base de l'armée nationale à Obo". corbeaunews-centrafrique. Corbeaunews Centrafrique. Retrieved 6 April 2023.


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