Lukeni lua Nimi was the first king and founder of the Kingdom of Kongo

Kingdom of Kongo

The Kingdom of Kongo was an African kingdom located in west central Africa in what are now northern Angola, Cabinda, the Republic of the Congo, and the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo...

 Dia Ntotila. The name Nimi a Lukeni appeared in later oral traditions and some modern historians, notably Jean Cuvelier

Jean Cuvelier

Jean Cuvelier was a Belgian Redemptorist missionary and bishop of Matadi in Belgian Congo from the late 19th century until his death in 1962. Cuvelier was notable for his interest in the history of the Kingdom of Kongo, which he saw as a route to evangelization in his time...

, popularized it. conquered the kingdom of Mwene

Biography

He was the offpsring of his father Nimi and the Mwene Mbata's daughter, according to traditions recorded by Giovanni Cavazzi da Montecuccolo

Giovanni Cavazzi da Montecuccolo

Giovanni Antonio Cavazzi da Montecuccolo was an Italian Capuchin missionary noted for his travels in 17th century Angola and his lengthy account of local history and culture as well as a history of the Capuchin mission there.Cavazzi was an indifferent student and was almost denied a position in...

 in the mid 17th century. Although he probably ruled in the valley of the Kwilu River in modern day Democratic Republic of Congo, he is credited with conquering the region of modern day Mbanza Kongo, displacing a local ruler named Mwene Mpangala and building his capital there. He probably ruled in the late 14th century.