Who is Hezekiah Andrew Shanu from King Leopold's Ghost and what is their importance?

Hezekiah Andrew Shanu (1858 - 1905) was born and educated in present-day Nigeria. In 1884 he began working for Leopold's regime, recruiting soldiers from Nigeria to serve in the Force Publique. He subsequently moved to Boma, Congo, with his wife and extended family members. Shanu left state service in 1893, going into business for himself and operating a general store. During an 1894 trip to Belgium, Shanu received various public honors, with particular notice taken of his apparently flawless French.