Leonard Auala

The Reverend Leonard Auala
Bishop
Church	Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
In office	1963 – 1979
Personal details
Born	25 September 1908 Oniipa, Oshikoto Region
Died	4 December, 1983

Leonard Nangolo Auala (25 September 1908 – 4 December, 1983) was a Namibian Lutheran Church leader.

Auala was born in Oniipa, Oshikoto Region. He was raised by Lutheran missionaries from Finland. He went to primary school in Oniipa before going to Augustineum in Okahandja and theological training in Elim, Namibia and Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

He was the first Namibian bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN), a member of the Lutheran World Federation. Auala lived most of his life under South African rule. As a prominent religious leader for both the Ovambo people and other groups across Namibia, Auala met regularly with the South Africans to discuss issues like contract labour and other facets of apartheid. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization, Auala received threats and harassment from the South African occupiers.