Paramount chief

During the Victorian era, paramount chief was a formal title created by British colonial administrators in the British Empire and applied in Britain's colonies in Asia and Africa. They used it as a substitute for the word "king" to ensure that only the British monarch held that title; in colonized countries without a tradition of Chiefdom, such as the Federated Malay States and the Princely States of the British Raj, the word "ruler" was used instead of "king" for similar reasons. Since the title "chief" was already used in terms of district and town administrators, the addition of "paramount" was made so as to distinguish between the ruling monarch and the local aristocracy.

Africa

Eastern African paramount chieftainships and titles

• Kenya: Title since 1904 of the former laibon of all the Maasai in Kenya (not in Tanzania)
• Kenya: Title held by supreme ruler Lago Ogom, after the advent of British colonial rule in Northern Kenya.
• Sudan: In South Sudan, the title of the chief responsible for a payam (district) elected by the chiefs of each buma (village). The Paramount Chief works with the government-appointed Payam Director, both of whom report to a county Commissioner.

West African paramount chieftains and their countries

• Cameroon: Charles Atangana
• Nigeria: Ladapo Ademola
• Sierra Leone: Bai Bureh

Southern African paramount chieftainships and titles

• Kgôsi
  • of each of the eight major tribes of the Tswana, all in Botswana (former Bechuanaland)
• In present Lesotho since it emerged as a polity in 1822, a British protectorate as Basutoland since 12 March 1868 (11 August 1871 – 18 March 1884 Annexed to Cape Colony as Basutoland territory, then as a separate colony, as one of the High Commission Territories). The title changed to king on 4 October 1966, which was the date of the country's independence from the British Empire.
• In Namibia
  • over the Awa-Khoi or "Red Nation" (more prominent than six other 'nations') of the Nama (Khoi) people, a Chiefdom established before 1700.
  • title Okahandja Herero among that people, also Chief Ministers of Hereoroland (two incumbents 20 July 1970 – 5 December 1980), the 'homeland' of the Ovaherero
• In Swaziland the term paramount chief was imposed by the British government over Swazi royal objections in 1903, was never recognized by the Swazi royalty, and was changed to "king" in English upon independence in 1968. The SiSwati name for the office is Ngwenyama, a ceremonial term for "lion".
• In South Africa
  • Khosikulu of the vhaVenda; after the people's split, (only?) of the haMphaphuli
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the Xhosa people's following polities: amaGcaleka, amaMbalu, amaRharhabe, amaNdlambe, imiDushane, imiQhayi, amaGasela, amaGwali, amaHleke, imiDange, amaNtinde, amaGqunukhwebe
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the amaBhaca (until 1830 called abakwaZelemu)
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the amaKhonjwayo (currently ruled by Dumisani Gwadiso)
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the amaMpondo, currently ruled by Ndamase NDAMASE (West) and Jongilanga Sigcau (East) .
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the amaMpondomise
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the abaThembu, currently ruled by Buyelekhaya Zwelinbanzi Dalindyebo.
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the Nhlangwini, currently ruled by Melizwe Dlamini.
  • title Inkosi Enkhulu of the Mbokane Chieftaincy, was ruled by Paramount Chief Manzini Mbokane