▁ ▁Antoine - R og er ▁Bol amba ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁in ▁B oma , ▁Belg ian ▁Congo ▁to ▁a ▁Mongo ▁family ▁from ▁Co qu il hat ville . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁career ▁soldier ▁in ▁the ▁Force ▁Pub lique . ▁He ▁received ▁six ▁years ▁of ▁primary ▁education ▁from ▁the ▁Col onie ▁S col aire ▁de ▁B oma , ▁a ▁school ▁managed ▁by ▁the ▁Fr ères ▁des ▁E col es ▁Chr ét iennes , ▁before ▁going ▁to ▁the ▁local ▁school ▁for ▁assistant ▁cler ks ▁for ▁one ▁year . ▁He ▁then ▁attended ▁the ▁E cole ▁des ▁Ass ist ants ▁Méd ic aux ▁á ▁Lé op old ville - K int am bo ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁Bol amba ▁subsequently ▁worked ▁for ▁ 1 4 ▁years ▁as ▁chief ▁cl erk ▁and ▁secretary ▁to ▁the ▁medical ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁F onds ▁Re ine ▁Elisabeth ▁pour ▁l ' Ass istance ▁Méd icale ▁aux ▁Ind ig én es . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁évol ué ▁social ▁class . ▁Later , ▁Bol amba ▁married ▁and ▁father ed ▁nine ▁children . ▁ ▁Writing ▁and ▁journal ism ▁career ▁▁ ▁Bol amba ▁performed ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁student , ▁taking ▁keen ▁interest ▁in ▁literature . ▁Despite ▁the ▁low ▁access ibility ▁of ▁books ▁in ▁the ▁Congo ▁during ▁his ▁youth , ▁he ▁managed ▁to ▁read ▁many ▁French ▁class ics . ▁He ▁soon ▁there after ▁began ▁writing . ▁His ▁first ▁work , ▁L ' E ch elle ▁de ▁l ' A ra igne e ▁(