The Customary Law and the Traditional Leadership Power in Angola—Their Effects on Territorial Planning Issues

• Published in: Urban science Vol. 9; no. 6; p. 207
• Main Authors: Aragão, Nagayamma, Smaniotto Costa, Carlos, Domingos, Ruben, Francisco, Job
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.06.2025
• Subjects: Administrative law; Afrocentrism; Analysis; Black people; Citizen participation; co-management of public realm; Collaboration; Community; Cultural identity; Customary law; Decentralization; Decision making; Ethnolinguistics; Federal government; Governance; Governors; Independence; Interdisciplinary aspects; Land use planning; Law; Laws, regulations and rules; Leadership; Legal pluralism; Legitimacy; Literature reviews; Local government; Mediation; placemaking; Political leadership; Political power; Power-sharing; Presidents; Soba (traditional leader); territorial identity; traditional authority; Traditions; South Africa; Angola; United States; Portugal
• ISSN: 2413-8851; 2413-8851
• DOI: 10.3390/urbansci9060207

Angola’s cultural mosaic and ethnolinguistic diversity reflect the multilocational traditional customs and power, which are key to the country’s social organisation. A Soba, a traditional leader whose status is recognised by the Angolan Constitution, exerts political influence, shapes the collective life, and helps to preserve cultural identity. Customary law, entrenched after independence, became central to the political and administrative restructuring of the country, which had an impact on decentralisation efforts and legal pluralism. This study analyses the traditional leadership of Sobas in Angola in the context of placemaking and territorial co-management. Backed by the theory of Afrocentricity, a multidisciplinary approach is adopted towards setting Africans as the subjects of their own history. It is based on a literature review and critical analysis of the interaction between administrative law and customary law, which imply a hybrid model for territorial governance. The results indicate that the influence of Sobas on decision-making directly affects the use of the territory and cultural development, highlighting the importance of institutionalising traditional power. This paper suggests that recognising and strengthening such hybrid models is key to promoting territorial cohesion and fostering community engagement, whilst integrating traditional practices can result in more inclusive and effective public policies.