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The Kingdom of Dagbon ( ) is the oldest and one of the most organised traditional kingdoms in
Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
founded by the
Dagomba people The Dagbamba or Dagomba are an ethnic group of Ghana, and Togo. They number more than 3.1 million people. The term Dagbamba is originally extended to refer to other related peoples who were unified by Naa Gbewaa including the Mamprusi people, M ...
(Dagbamba) in the 15th century. During its rise, it comprised, at various points, the
Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...
, Upper West, Upper East,
Savannah Region The Savannah Region is one of the newest regions of Ghana and yet the largest region in the country. The creation of the Region follows presentation of a petition by the Gonja Traditional Council, led by the Yagbonwura Tumtumba Boresa Jakpa I ...
and North East
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
of present-day
Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
. It also covered portions of
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
, North East
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
and North West
Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...
. Since Ghana's independence in 1957, the Kingdom has assumed a traditional, customary role like Ghana's other kingdoms and ethnic states . The kingdom was formed when
Naa Gbewaa Naa Gbewaa (also known as Nedega or Kulu Gbagha) is the founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon, in what is now northern Ghana. His sons and daughters are credited with founding several states⁣, including the Mossi Kingdoms of Burkina Faso. He establish ...
and his descendants unified the Dagomba and related peoples who were ruled by decentralised chieftains known as Tindaamba. The antecedents of the Dagomba prior to Gbewaa's consolidation remain largely elusive, paralleled by the ambiguous origins of the Gbewaa lineage. Presently, governance within Dagbon entails a coalescence of authority between the Tindaamba and chiefs.The history of Dagbon is complex and misconceptions often arise regarding the Dagomba's origins, erroneously positing external origins. While lineage of chiefs are external, historical evidence affirms the presence and integral role of both the Tindaamba and the general Dagomba populace within the fabric of Dagbon society, prior to Gbewaa. During the kingdom's rise, it established Ghana's oldest learning institution, the University of Moliyili, as a centre for learning and craftmanship, pioneered a writing system, and established centres of healing for the sick, similar to modern hospitals. Dagbon is one of the few kingdoms in Africa where certain chieftaincy titles are reserved for women. They rule, ascend to the position of chieftaincy with male subjects, and own regal lands. The contribution of its women is prominent as it has given birth to Ghana's first female minister, and Africa's first female cabinet minister. Historically, its noble daughter,
Yennenga Yennenga (born 11th-15th century) was a legendary princess, considered the mother of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso. She was a famous warrior within the Kingdom of Dagbon, now in present day Ghana. The founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon was her fa ...
, is regarded as the "mother" of the
Mossi kingdoms The Mossi Kingdoms, were a group of kingdoms in modern-day Burkina Faso that dominated the region of the Volta River, upper Volta river for hundreds of years. The largest Mossi kingdom was that of Ouagadougou. The king of Ouagadougou, known as ...
, a people who constitute nearly half of the nation of
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
. The Gundo Naa is the head of all female chiefs, and
Zosimli Naa The Zosimli Naa is a royal title in Ghana. It directly translates as Chief of Zosimli. The title, Naa translates as King or Chief while Zosimli means: Cooperation, Alliance, Accord, Collaboration and Friendships. The Tamale-Louisville sister city re ...
forges friendships, collaborations, and friendships. On 18 January 2019
Yaa Naa The Yaa Naa is the title of the king of Kingdom of Dagbon, Dagbon, the Kingdom of the Dagomba people, Dagomba people, located in the Northern Region of present-day Ghana. The current Yaa Naa is Mahama Abukari Gariba II. He was enskinned on Friday, ...
Abubakari Mahama, was elected by Dagbon's kingmakers as king.


History


Documentation

The Lunsi are the court historians of Dagbon and play the foremost role in preserving the kingdom's history. They constitute a guild of specialists charged with the duty of preserving historical and genealogical information, duly arranged in accordance with the succession of chiefs and noble lineages. Earlier history is known through the Lunsi and early Ajami writers. Later history is better known, because in addition to court historians, there are other sources of information, some of them independent of events in Dagbon itself. The Kingdom was founded by
Naa Gbewaa Naa Gbewaa (also known as Nedega or Kulu Gbagha) is the founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon, in what is now northern Ghana. His sons and daughters are credited with founding several states⁣, including the Mossi Kingdoms of Burkina Faso. He establish ...
, a great-grandson of a famous warrior named Tohaʒee. Tohazie fathered Kpuɣnambo (ʒinani) and these line of successors journeyed from east of
Lake Chad Lake Chad (, Kanuri language, Kanuri: ''Sádǝ'', ) is an endorheic freshwater lake located at the junction of four countries: Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, in western and central Africa respectively, with a catchment area in excess of . ...
, stopping at several places including
Zamfara Zamfara (; ; Adlam: ) is a state in northwestern Nigeria. The capital of Zamfara state is Gusau and its current governor is Dauda Lawal. Until 1996, the area was part of Sokoto State. Zamfara is a densely populated area with the Hausa. The ...
, present-day northern
Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
, and in the
Mali Empire The Mali Empire (Manding languages, Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or ''Manden ...
.


Pre-Gbewaa Period

Archaeological evidence suggest that there were thriving civilisation in Dagbon before the
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
period. There is evidence of agricultural activities and iron industries during the Neolithic period. The progenitors of modern Dagomba, the aboriginal Dagombas, are known locally as Dagbon Sablisi. During this period, Dagbon was a decentralised society. It was made of Tinsi( towns) which were headed by Tindaanima (singular: tindana). The Tindaamba mainly oversaw spiritual and religious activities. They undertook the pacification of the tingbana (earth gods), bina (gods), and buga (idols). Today, each town has a tindana who still oversee thes religious activities. Festivals like the
Bugum Chugu The Buɣim Chuɣu (Fire Festival) is the first Dagomba people, Dagomba festival in the year. It is celebrated in the first month of the Dagomba lunar year, the Bugum Goli (the month of fire), and is celebrated on the ninth day of the month. The fe ...
can be traced back to this era. Similarly, musical instrunments like the Gungong and dances like the Zhem are all from this period. Naa Gbewaa lineage traces back to Tohazhie, the Red (fair-skinned) Hunter. These histories narrate the story of Tohazhie, who left Tunga, east of
Lake Chad Lake Chad (, Kanuri language, Kanuri: ''Sádǝ'', ) is an endorheic freshwater lake located at the junction of four countries: Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, in western and central Africa respectively, with a catchment area in excess of . ...
, with a small band of cavalry men into
Zamfara Zamfara (; ; Adlam: ) is a state in northwestern Nigeria. The capital of Zamfara state is Gusau and its current governor is Dauda Lawal. Until 1996, the area was part of Sokoto State. Zamfara is a densely populated area with the Hausa. The ...
, present-day Nigeria, before moving on to
Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
. Tohazhie married the daughter of the king of Mali, Pag Wabiga, and fathered a son, Kpoginumbo(Ʒinani). After serving briefly in Mali, Kpogonumbo and his followers came into conflict with the rising
Songhay Empire The Songhai Empire was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. At its peak, it was one of the largest African empires in history. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its la ...
in western Africa, and reprisal attacks from the Songhay forced Kpogonumbo and his followers southward. Kpogonumbo then seized power and ruled over Biun in Gurma. His son,
Naa Gbewaa Naa Gbewaa (also known as Nedega or Kulu Gbagha) is the founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon, in what is now northern Ghana. His sons and daughters are credited with founding several states⁣, including the Mossi Kingdoms of Burkina Faso. He establish ...
(or Bawa), left Biun with some of his followers to settle at Pusiga in the northeastern corner of Ghana, where he ruled until he became blind. His grave is located at Pusiga in the Upper East Region. Naa Gbewaa's son, Zirili, succeeded him. Not much is known of Zirili. His younger brothers–Tohagu, Shitobu and Gmantambo–each of them travelled outward eventually expanding the borders of the Dagbon Kingdoms. Naa Gbewaa remains in the histories of the kingdoms of Dagbon and the kingdoms of the
Mamprugu Mamprusis are an ethnic group in northern Ghana and Togo. Estimates are that there are about 200,000 Mamprusis living in the Northern Regions of Ghana as of 2013. They speak Mampruli, one of the Gur languages. In Ghana, the Mamprusis live main ...
and Nanumba, as their first king, founding their ruling
dynasties A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. Historians ...
through these sons.


Reign of Naa Gbewaa

Gbewaa established Dagbon in present-day northern Ghana, unifying small decentralised states headed by the Tindaamba. He was resident in Pusiga. Unlike his predecessors who were migratory, Gbewaa established a stable kingdom and a reign marked by stability and prosperity.


Lineage

Gbewaa fathered the following children * Naa Ʒirli (Zirile), eldest son of Naa Gbewaa * Fɔɣu, preferred successor of Naa Gbewaa * Naa Shitɔbu, father of Yaa Naa Nyagse * Mamprugulana Tohigu, founded Gmamprugu * Bimbila-Naa Ŋmantambu, founded Nanung * Salagalana Kayilkuna, ruled over
Salaga Salaga is a town and is the capital of East Gonja district, a district in the Savannah Region of north Ghana. Salaga had a 2012 settlement population of 25,472 people. Salaga was the largest slave market in the 18th and 19th centuries. Etymolo ...
* Kuɣa-Naa Subee Kpɛma * Karaga-Naa Beemoni, ruled over Karaga * Sunson-Naa Buɣyilgu, ruled over Sunsong * Sanglana Subee Bila, ruled over Sang, in Eastern Dagbon * Nyensung Yaambana * Savelugu-Naa Yenyoo, ruled over
Savelugu Savelugu is a town and the capital of Savelugu Municipal District, Savelugu Municipal, a municipality in the Northern Region, Ghana, Northern Region of north Ghana. Savelugu has a 2012 Human settlement, settlement population of 38,074 people. The ...
* Nanton-Naa Baatanga, ruled over Nanton * Yamolkaragalana Kayetuli, ruled over Yemokaraga * Bohinsan Zugulana * Zantanlana Yirigitundi, ruled over Zantaani in Western Dagbon, now under
Tolon District Introduction Tolon District is one of the twenty seven districts in Northern Region, Ghana. Originally it was formerly part of the then-larger Tolon-Kumbungu District in 1988, when it harbored the district capital which was then created from t ...
* Zoggolana Sungburi, ruled over Zoggu * Nyingaa Ʒibie * Kpuɣli Kungoo * Gundo-Naa Kachaɣu, eldest daughter, became the first Gundo Naa. The Gundo Naa title is reserved for only females. * Yemtori (
Yennenga Yennenga (born 11th-15th century) was a legendary princess, considered the mother of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso. She was a famous warrior within the Kingdom of Dagbon, now in present day Ghana. The founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon was her fa ...
), beloved daughter, travelled northward and married Rialle. Their son,
Ouedraogo Ouedraogo (also spelled Wedraogo or Ouidiraogo) was the son of Yennenga and progenitor of the Mossi Kingdoms The Mossi Kingdoms, were a group of kingdoms in modern-day Burkina Faso that dominated the region of the Volta River, upper Volta r ...
founded the Mossi Kingdoms. After Gbewaa's death, his children led by his son Shitobu settled briefly at the town of
Gambaga Gambaga is the capital of the East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly in the North East Region of Ghana. Once a residence of Mamprusi-kings it is still the capital of East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly, a municipality in the North East Region of Ghan ...
before moving south to Namburugu, near Karaga, where he resided. The king became known as ''
Yaa Naa The Yaa Naa is the title of the king of Kingdom of Dagbon, Dagbon, the Kingdom of the Dagomba people, Dagomba people, located in the Northern Region of present-day Ghana. The current Yaa Naa is Mahama Abukari Gariba II. He was enskinned on Friday, ...
'', meaning "king of strength/power". As Sitobu moved south, he unified indigenous Dagombas, Konkomba, Nafeba, Basare and Chamba, who did not have centralised political structures, except for the office of the
tindana Tindana (Plural Tindamba/Tindaanima) is a title for historical rulers of the Dagbon and many other related peoples of West Africa. The tindaanima ruled over these lands before the centralisation of the states by Naa Gbewaa and his descendants. The ...
–the earth priest. The tindana presided over ritual ceremonies and acted as a mediator between the people and the gods of the land. Sitobu's son, Naa Nyaɣsi (r. 1416–1432) succeeded him and embarked on a war of expansion, overthrowing many of the Tindaamba and holding sway over the indigenous people. Naa Nyagsi established his capital at
Yani Dabari Yani () is a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Yan' Dargent (1824–1899), French painter * Yani Gellman (born 1985), Canadian actor * Yani Ignatov (born 1959), Bulgarian rower * Yani Marchokov (born 197 ...
, located in the area of Diyali, near
Tamale A tamale, in Spanish language, Spanish , is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of ''masa'', a dough made from nixtamalization, nixtamalized maize, corn, which is steaming, steamed in a corn husk or Banana leaf, banana leaves. The wrapping ...
, and developed a stable political organisation by installing his sons, brothers and uncles as rulers over the conquered people. The surviving ''tindaamba'' continued to function as earth priests.


European Invasion and Colonisation

In the late 19th century, Dagbon was threatened at all angles. The
Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...
were expanding from the East, the British from the South, and the French from the North and East. The Germans invaded Dagbon in 1896. After the German invasion of Eastern Dagbon at the
Battle of Adibo The Battle of Adibo was a German military campaign in 1896 against the Dagbamba of West Africa in Adibo, now in present-day Ghana. Following their resistance against foreign authority, the Dagbamba tribesmen met and launched an attack on the hea ...
, Eastern Dagbon fell to the Germans. The centuries-old Gbewaa Palace was burnt. Eastern Dagbon became part of German Togoland and Western Dagbon became part of the British Gold Coast as a protectorate, not a colony. The British presence prevented further German attacks into Western Dagbon. Following
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, eastern Dagbon became part of
British Togoland British Togoland, officially the Mandate Territory of Togoland and later officially the Trust Territory of Togoland, was a territory in West Africa under the administration of the United Kingdom, which subsequently entered a union with Ghana, pa ...
. The Gold Coast achieved independence in 1957 and became Ghana. The result of interference of British and German imperialism was a kingdom that was significantly robbed of its once invaluable traditional artifacts, beautiful way of life and a divided Kingdom whose wounds would not completely heal till the second decade of the 21st century. The division of Dagbon by the Germans and British without regard to the peoples history brought several challenges, mainly in its traditional leadership. The Kingdom since around the 1920s has been characterised by repeated succession disputes and conflict mainly from British and German Imperial interference in Dagbon's succession. Today, the king of Dagbon's court remains at the city of Yendi. The kingdom is divided into territorial chiefdoms, categorised from divisional to village chieftaincies. The monarch of Dagbon is known as the ''
Yaa Naa The Yaa Naa is the title of the king of Kingdom of Dagbon, Dagbon, the Kingdom of the Dagomba people, Dagomba people, located in the Northern Region of present-day Ghana. The current Yaa Naa is Mahama Abukari Gariba II. He was enskinned on Friday, ...
''.


Relocation of Capital

The capital of Dagbon was relocated from
Yani Dabari Yani () is a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Yan' Dargent (1824–1899), French painter * Yani Gellman (born 1985), Canadian actor * Yani Ignatov (born 1959), Bulgarian rower * Yani Marchokov (born 197 ...
(Ruins of Yani), near Diare, to current Yani (
Yendi Yendi (Dagbani language, Dagbanli: Yani, meaning "Seat of the Yaa Naa"), is the traditional capital of the Kingdom of Dagbon and the administrative centre of the Yendi Municipal District in the Northern Region of Ghana. As of 2021, the populatio ...
) in the east because of the invasion of the
Gonja people Gonja (also Ghanjawiyyu, endonym Ngbanya) is a member of the Guan ethnic group that live in Ghana. The Gonja established a kingdom in northern Ghana of the same name, which was founded in 1675 by Sumaila Ndewura Jakpa. Origin The Gonja are a G ...
. Gonja attacks in
Western Dagbon Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
(Tomo), especially at Daboya dealt a lot of damage to the Dagomba people. Naa Luro, though victorious over the Gonja in a later battle, could not stand the sustained warfare and relocated the capital to Yendi. The Gonja followed eastward Naa Zanjina finally halted the Gonja attacks when he decisively defeated them and killed their chief, Kumpatia, at Sang near Yendi. Naa Zanjina not only is reputed to be the first
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
ruler of the Dagbon, but is also credited with encouraging trade. With the relocation of the capital to Yendi and the return of peace, a Muslim community emerged at the ''Yaa Naa'''s palace at Yendi. The Dyula, of
Mande Mande may refer to: * Mandé peoples of western Africa * Mande languages, their Niger-Congo languages * Manding languages, Manding, a term covering a subgroup of Mande peoples, and sometimes used for one of them, Mandinka people, Mandinka * Garo p ...
origin, led by Sabali-Yarna, and the
Hausa Hausa may refer to: * Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa * Hausa language, spoken in West Africa * Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states * Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse See also ...
Muslims, led by the Kamshe Naa, bolstered Islamic influence in the kingdom. Beginning with the Sabali-Yarna, and later the Kamshe Naa, these people became responsible for the ''Yaa Naa'''s protective prayers. At the ''Yaa Naa'''s palace, Muslim titles, a sign of the integration of Muslim elders into the political structure, included the ''Walgu Naa'', who made sure that the ''Yaa Naa'' had his portion to "Drink the
Qur'an The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...
"; the Nayil Liman, the
imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...
of the ''Yaa Naa'', and the Yidan Kambala, were also credited with the imamship. The extension of trade with the Dyula, and later with the Hausa, linked the Dagbon state with neighbouring kingdoms, like the
Fezzan Fezzan ( , ; ; ; ) is the southwestern region of modern Libya. It is largely desert, but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys (wadis) in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise in ...
,
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, and the
Bight of Benin The Bight of Benin, or Bay of Benin, is a bight in the Gulf of Guinea area on the western African coast that derives its name from the historical Kingdom of Benin. Geography The Bight of Benin was named after the Kingdom of Benin. It extends ea ...
. By 1788, Yendi was said to be bigger than
Kumasi Kumasi is a city and the capital of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is the second largest city in the country, with a population of 443,981 as of the 2021 census. Kumasi is located in a rain forest region ...
and
Salaga Salaga is a town and is the capital of East Gonja district, a district in the Savannah Region of north Ghana. Salaga had a 2012 settlement population of 25,472 people. Salaga was the largest slave market in the 18th and 19th centuries. Etymolo ...
. It was culturally closer to, and was the result of, other
Sahelian kingdoms The Sahelian kingdoms were a series of centralized kingdoms or empires that were centered on the Sahel, the area of grasslands south of the Sahara, from the 8th century to the 19th. The wealth of the states came from controlling the trade routes ...
, especially to the
Mossi Kingdoms The Mossi Kingdoms, were a group of kingdoms in modern-day Burkina Faso that dominated the region of the Volta River, upper Volta river for hundreds of years. The largest Mossi kingdom was that of Ouagadougou. The king of Ouagadougou, known as ...
,
Mali Empire The Mali Empire (Manding languages, Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or ''Manden ...
,
Songhai Empire The Songhai Empire was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. At its peak, it was one of the largest African empires in history. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its lar ...
, and
Hausa Bakwai Hausa Kingdoms, also known as Hausa Kingdom or Hausaland, was a collection of states ruled by the Hausa people, before the Fulani jihads. It was situated between the Niger River and Lake Chad (modern day northern Nigeria). Hausaland lay between ...
, with which Dagbon were major trading partners for salt,
kola nut The kola nut ( Yoruba: ''obi'', Dagbani: ''guli'', Hausa: goro, Igbo: ''ọjị'', Sängö: ''gôro,'' Swahili: ''mukezu'') is the seed of certain species of plant of the genus ''Cola'', placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and ...
s.


Kingdoms and States that originated from Dagbon

When Naa Gbewaa died, many subkingdoms arose including
Mamprugu Mamprusis are an ethnic group in northern Ghana and Togo. Estimates are that there are about 200,000 Mamprusis living in the Northern Regions of Ghana as of 2013. They speak Mampruli, one of the Gur languages. In Ghana, the Mamprusis live main ...
and Nanung.  While Gbewaa was still alive, his daughter
Yennenga Yennenga (born 11th-15th century) was a legendary princess, considered the mother of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso. She was a famous warrior within the Kingdom of Dagbon, now in present day Ghana. The founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon was her fa ...
, travelled north and founded the
Mossi Kingdoms The Mossi Kingdoms, were a group of kingdoms in modern-day Burkina Faso that dominated the region of the Volta River, upper Volta river for hundreds of years. The largest Mossi kingdom was that of Ouagadougou. The king of Ouagadougou, known as ...
of
Ouagadougou Ouagadougou or Wagadugu (, , , ) is the capital city of Burkina Faso, and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic centre of the nation. It is also the List of cities in Burkina Faso#Largest cities, country's largest city, wi ...
(Dagbani: Waɣaduɣu),
Tenkodogo Tenkodogo is a town in southeastern Burkina Faso. It serves as the capital city of Boulgou Province and the Centre-Est Region of Burkina Faso with a population of 61,936 (2019). Tenkodogo was also the capital of the historic Tenkodogo Mossi Kingdo ...
(Dagbani: Tingkurgu)
Yatenga Yatenga is one of the provinces of Burkina Faso, located in the Nord Region (Burkina Faso), Nord Region of the country. In modern Yatenga, the most prominent city is Ouahigouya (also known as Waiguya). This city served as the capital of the kingdom ...
(Dagbani: Yatiŋa), and Fada N'Grumah, who constitute the majority of present-day
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
. Other kingdoms that emerged from
Dagbon The Kingdom of Dagbon ( ) is the oldest and one of the most organised traditional kingdoms in Ghana founded by the Dagomba people (Dagbamba) in the 15th century. During its rise, it comprised, at various points, the Northern Region (Ghana), North ...
include the
Bouna Kingdom Bouna may refer to : * Bouna, Ivory Coast, a town in north-east Ivory Coast. **Bouna Department * Bouna (Di), a village in Di Department, Sourou Province, Burkina Faso. * Bouna (Yé), a village in Yé département, Nayala Province, Burkina Faso. * ...
of Ivory Coast, and the Dagaaba states of the
Upper West Region The Upper West Region of Ghana is located in the north-western corner of Ghana and is bordered by Upper East Region to the east, Northern Region (Ghana), Northern Region to the south, and Burkina Faso to the west and north. The Upper West regional ...
of Ghana.


Royal Houses

There are two main houses among the royals of Dagbon. These are the
House of Abudu A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...
and the
House of Andani A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...
. The royals of Dagbon are skilled in statecraft, lobbying and royal politics. The current Yaa Naa is a member of the House of Andani and the leader of his military wing the Tolon Naa is from the Abudu House. Royals in Dagbon compete intensely for chieftaincy titles but work collaboratively after ascensions.


Geography

Dagbon experiences a tropical savanna climate, characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. The predominant vegetation type is
Guinean forest–savanna mosaic The Guinean forest-savanna, also known as the Guinean forest-savanna transition, is a distinctive ecological region located in West Africa. It stretches across several countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, B ...
, characterized by a band of interlaced forest, savanna, and grassland.


Historical educational and knowledge systems


Writing system

Dagbon scholars used a modified Arabic script, the Dagbanli Script, in its communication. Dr. Phllis Ferguson describes it as lexically 
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
, but syntactically 
Dagbani Dagbani (or Dagbane), also known as Dagbanli or Dagbanle, is a Gur language spoken in Ghana and Northern Togo. Its native speakers are estimated around 1,170,000. Dagbani is the most widely spoken language in northern Ghana, specifically among ...
. Much of this writing system has been lost due European colonisation. Archives and manuscripts that were housed in Moliyili were burned during the German invasion and looting of Dagbon. A significant amount of the archives was transported to Denmark in the twentieth century. Today, Dagbon uses an English derived writing system.


Scholarly families

There were several scholarly clans in ancient Dagbon, some of them are now lost to time. A prominent family was Moliyili, House of Moli/Mole. Moliyili had support and substantial material resources for their intellectual endeavours from
Yaa Naa The Yaa Naa is the title of the king of Kingdom of Dagbon, Dagbon, the Kingdom of the Dagomba people, Dagomba people, located in the Northern Region of present-day Ghana. The current Yaa Naa is Mahama Abukari Gariba II. He was enskinned on Friday, ...
, the King of Dagbon. The Mole were granted a degree of administrative and legal independence and protection from external interference. They thrived due to robust economic and political backing, which enabled them to engage in continuous intellectual pursuits. The diverse range of topics covered in their manuscripts, spanning chronicles, biographies, jurisprudence, pilgrimage guides, Arabic linguistics, and Qur'anic commentaries, mirrors their status as a semi-autonomous intellectual and spiritual elite. Notably, certain writings took on a scientific and technological character, such as works related to agriculture, medicine, pharmacology, and metallurgy. These writings not only underscore their independent economic standing but also illustrate that Mole learning was intricately linked to various societal activities, organizations, and institutions.


The Lunsi

The Lunsi of Dagbon form a scholarly family with a unique responsibility of the preservation of historical and genealogical knowledge structured around the lineage of chiefs and royal families. The head of the Lunsi is the Namo Naa. Their method of historical preservation involves the recitation and rhythmic drumming of proverbs, each laden with references to the history of the Dagbon royalty and their achievements. Through this oral tradition, the Lunsi not only safeguard the historical legacy of their people but also serve as the storytellers who continually reaffirm the profound connection between the citizens and their revered royal ancestors.


Dagbon as a British and German Protectorate (1896–1957)

Dagbon resisted colonisation as it had a well organised and powerful army. It was a protectorate, not a colony, allowing chiefs in the Kingdom to have independence other chiefs in Southern Ghana did not have. In 1888, Dagbon became part of a neutral zone called
Salaga Area The Salaga Area (German: Salaga-Gebiet) was the name of a disputed territory between the colonial powers Germany and Britain in the late 19th century, around the town of Salaga in today's northeast Ghana. Between 1889 and 1899, both powers conside ...
, stretching from
Yeji Yeji is a town in the centre of Ghana and the capital of the Pru East District of the Bono East Region in Ghana. Yeji is adjacent to Lake Volta. Yeji is connected by highway to Ejura and Kwadjokrom. It had a population of 29,515 at the censu ...
to Yendi, that was established to forestall conflict between the
Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...
and the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
. Dagbon had to fight the Germans to the East, resist the British to the West and South, and the French were to the North. The Germans failed to capture Dagbon after multiple attempts. After the
Battle of Adibo The Battle of Adibo was a German military campaign in 1896 against the Dagbamba of West Africa in Adibo, now in present-day Ghana. Following their resistance against foreign authority, the Dagbamba tribesmen met and launched an attack on the hea ...
, Yendi, the capital of Dagbon was deserted. The Gbewaa Palace was burnt and Eastern Dagbon came under German control. Western Dagbon ultimately came under British control. Yendi, where the ''Yaa Naa'' resided, came under German control, separating the Yaa Naa from his people in the west.


First German expedition in 1896

From the point of view of German colonialists, the influential Yaan Naa Andani II had disturbed the trade route from the coast to Sansanné-Mangu, a German colonial station in the hinterland. Naa Andani, however, had already told German colonial administrator Hans Gruner beforehand that he believed that "it is the white man who makes the roads unsafe". In 1896, the Germans led by
Valentin von Massow Valentin is a male given name meaning "strong, healthy, power, rule". It comes from the Latin name ''Valentinus'', as in Saint Valentin. Commonly found in Argentina, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Ukraine, Latin A ...
, Hans Gruner and Gaston Thierry clashed with the Dagomba at the
Battle of Adibo The Battle of Adibo was a German military campaign in 1896 against the Dagbamba of West Africa in Adibo, now in present-day Ghana. Following their resistance against foreign authority, the Dagbamba tribesmen met and launched an attack on the hea ...
, destroyed Yendi and made away with valuables. It was a massacre, as the 7,000-man, poorly equipped Dagomba army merely rushed with their bows and arrows at the 100-man well-armed German army. In 1899 the British and the Germans split Dagbon between German Togoland and the Gold Coast.


Second German expedition in 1900

After the death of Yaa Na Andani II in August 1899, disputes over succession to the Dagbon throne were ongoing: Andani's eldest son aspired to become Na of Savelugu and had asked the Dagomba elders to promote the current Savelugu Na to supreme Yaa Naa.  However, this suggestion was met with disagreement from Alasan, Na of Karaga, who claimed the throne for himself. German colonial governor August Köhler himself supported Alasan's claim and, in late March 1900, called for a military expedition who was then led by the colonial administrator in Sansanné-Mangu, Friedrich Rigler. The latter led his troops to Yendi on 5 April 1900 but found the town deserted. Meanwhile, Na Andani's eldest son Idi had moved with his retinue to Sang in the Gold Coast colony and gathered up with those who had fled Yendi. These Dagomba thought they were protected from the Germans, but Rigler still attacked them in British territory on 7 April. The German troops killed at least 83 people in the battle, including Andani's son. After coming back to Yendi, Rigler appointed Alasan as the new Yaa Naa of Dagbon.


British colonial rule

Following
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, eastern Dagbon became part of the British-administered mandated territories established by the
League of Nations The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...
and reunited with the west, allowing the ''Yaa Naa'' to resume control of his people. The British implemented indirect rule, in which Dagomba chiefs administered local government. The British largely neglected the economic development of Dagbon. To pay the head tax the British imposed, Dagomba had to migrate to the southern Gold Coast to work in mines and on cocoa plantations. The Kingdom of Dagbon enjoyed a distinct constitutional position before it became part of the
British Togoland British Togoland, officially the Mandate Territory of Togoland and later officially the Trust Territory of Togoland, was a territory in West Africa under the administration of the United Kingdom, which subsequently entered a union with Ghana, pa ...
.


Recent history

Today, the ''Yaa Naa'''s court remains at Yendi. The kingdom is divided into territorial chiefdoms, categorised from divisional to village chieftaincies. Certain chieftaincies, such as Karaga, Savalugu and Mion, are reserved for the sons of the former ''Yaa Naa'', and their occupancy qualifies one to test for the Namship, or head chiefdom, at Yendi. Lesser chieftaincies are reserved for grandsons. Succession to the Nam has always rotated among the three royal houses, now reduced to two–the Andani and the Abudu. Over the past century, the Dagomba have faced repeated succession disputes. Following the death of Yaa-Na Mahama II in 1954, a succession dispute arose and the federal government sent troops to Yendi and intervened. In March 2002, Ya Naa Yakubu Andani II, from the Andani House, was murdered together with forty-two of his elders in a war by supporters of the Abudu House. After eight years, on 10 April 2010, around thirty to forty people were arrested for the murder in Yendi and parts of
Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...
in preparation for prosecution. On 16 November 2018, a Mediation Committee that consisted of three Eminent Chiefs finalized its plan to resolve the conflict in Dagbon. The two Houses agreed to the Committees proposal that the Abudu Royal family perform the funeral rites of the late Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai from 14 to 28 of December 2018. Next was to be the funeral of the late Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II, from 4–19 January 2019. Both obsequies took place at the old Gbewaa Palace in Yendi.


Military

The Sapashina are the military of the Kingdom


Dance

Dance is called Waa in the Dagbani language. Dancing is an important part of the culture of Dagbon. There are several types of dances performed individually or in groups.


Natural resources


Mineral resource

The kingdom holds the largest iron ore reserve in the country.


Flora

Trees: * ''
Adansonia digitata ''Adansonia digitata'', the African baobab, is the most widespread tree species of the genus ''Adansonia'', the baobabs, and is native to the African continent and the southern Arabian Peninsula (Yemen, Oman). These are long-lived pachycauls; rad ...
'' * ''
Afzelia africana ''Afzelia africana'', the African mahogany, afzelia, lenke, lengue, apa, or doussi, is a Myrmecophyte tree species in the family Fabaceae. Range It occurs in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, DRCongo, Ivory Coast, G ...
'' * ''
Anogeissus leiocarpus ''Terminalia leiocarpa'' (African birch; ) is a species of tree in the genus '' Terminalia''. It is a deciduous tree native of tropical Africa from Senegal and Guinea in the west to Eritrea in the east and as far south as the Democratic Republic ...
'' * '' Afraegle paniculata'' * ''
Burkea africana ''Burkea africana'', the wild syringa (), is a deciduous, medium-sized, spreading, flat-topped tree which grows in the woodlands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the sole species in genus ''Burkea'', which belongs to the subfamily Caesalp ...
'' * '' Butyrospermum paradoxum'' * '' Cassia sieberana'' * '' Celastrus senegalensis'' * '' Combretum ghasalense'' * ''
Detarium microcarpum ''Detarium microcarpum'' (), commonly known as sweet detar, sweet dattock or tallow tree, is an underutilized species of tree legume that grows naturally in the drier regions of West and Central Africa. It has a wide range of uses due to its medi ...
'' * ''
Grewia lasiodiscus ''Grewia'' is a large flowering plant genus in the mallow family Malvaceae, in the expanded sense as proposed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. Formerly, ''Grewia'' was placed in either the family Tiliaceae or the Sparrmanniaceae. However, th ...
'' * ''
Grewia mollis ''Grewia mollis'' is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical Africa, Yemen and Oman. It is the source of grewia gum, an edible polysaccharide mucilage, similar in its properties to tragacanth gum. It c ...
'' * '' Lannea acida'' * '' Maytenus senegalensis'' * '' Piliostigma thonningii'' * ''
Pterocarpus erinaceus ''Pterocarpus erinaceus'' is an endangered tree species native to the Sahelian region of West Africa. It is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is used for fuel wood, fo ...
'' * '' Sterculia setigera'' * ''
Tamarindus indica Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the f ...
'' * ''
Terminalia Terminalia may refer to: * Terminalia (festival) Terminalia () was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Terminus, who presided over boundaries. His statue was merely a stone or post stuck in the ground to distinguish between propert ...
'' spp., including '' T. avicennioides'' * ''
Ximenia americana ''Ximenia americana'', commonly known as tallow wood, hog plum, yellow plum, sea lemon, or pi'ut (Chamorro language, Chamorro), is bush-forming shrub/small tree; a species from the ''Ximenia'' genus in the Olacaceae family. It is mainly found in ...
'' Shrubs: * ''
Diospyros mespiliformis ''Diospyros mespiliformis'', the jackalberry (also known as African ebony and by its Afrikaans name jakkalsbessie), is a large dioecious evergreen tree found mostly in the savannas of Africa. Jackals are fond of the fruit, hence the common names ...
'' * '' Feretia apodanthera'' * ''
Flueggea virosa ''Flueggea'', the bushweeds, is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1806. It is widespread across much of Asia, Africa, and various oceanic islands, with a few species in South America and on th ...
'' * '' Tinnsea'' spp. * '' Urginea'' spp. Herbaceous plants: * '' Abutilon ramosum'' * '' Aneilema umbrosum'' * '' Atylosia scarabaeoides'' * '' Blepharis maderaspatensis'' * '' Desmodium velutinum'' * '' Mariscus alternifolius'' * ''
Ruellia ''Ruellia'' is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as ruellias or wild petunias. They are not closely related to petunias (''Petunia'') although both genera belong to the same euasterids I, euasterid clade. The genus was named in honor of ...
'' * '' Sida urens'' * '' Triumfetta pentandra'' * ''
Wissadula amplissima ''Wissadula'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Malva, mallow family, Malvaceae. It contains 25 to 30 species of Herbaceous plant, herbs and subshrubs that are mostly native to the Neotropical realm, Neotropics, with several in tropical Asia ...
'' Grasslands: * ''
Andropogon ''Andropogon'' (common names: beard grass, bluestem grass, broomsedge) is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, native to much of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, as well as Southern Europe and various oceanic islands. Over 100 speci ...
'' spp., including '' Andropogon gayanus var. squamulatus'' (a tall grass) * ''
Brachiaria ''Urochloa'', commonly known as signalgrass,''Urochloa''.
USDA PLANTS.
is a
Loudetiopsis kerstingii ''Loudetiopsis'' is a genus of African and South American plants in the grass family.Jacques-Félix, Henri. 1960. Journal d'Agriculture Tropicale et de Botanique Appliquée 7: 408Conert, Hans Joachim. 1957. Botanische Jahrbücher für Systemati ...
''


Foods and diet of Dagbon

Common foods include sakoro (pounded yam), and tuya (rice and beans)


Breakfast

Traditional breakfast is made of koko or kukuaɣli (porridge) made from either of maize, millet, guinea or a mixture of flours.


Types of porridge prepared in Dagbon

* Za koko (made from millet) * Chi koko (made from guinea corn) * Koko Talli (made from maize or millet or guinea corn) * kukuaɣ nyina (any porridge with sizeable, chewable soft maize or millet) * Zimbeɣu (porridge whose floor is made from mixtures of floor from maize, beans, millet, soybeans and others) * Zimbuli (porridge from unsmoothened floor)


See also

* List of rulers of the Kingdom of Dagbon * Adibo dali *
Dagbani language Dagbani (or Dagbane), also known as Dagbanli or Dagbanle, is a Gur language spoken in Ghana and Northern Togo. Its native speakers are estimated around 1,170,000. Dagbani is the most widely spoken language in northern Ghana, specifically among ...
* Fire Festival in Dagbon *
Damba festival The Damba festival is the largest festival in Ghana, celebrated by the peoples of the Northern Region (Ghana), Northern, Savannah Region, Savanna, North East Region, Ghana, North East, Upper East Region, Upper East and Upper West Region, Upper ...
*
Notable Dagombas This is a list of prominent people who were born in Dagbon Kingdom, Dagbon, lived for a significant period in Dagomba people, Dagbon or were born to a Dagbani language, Dagomba parent or parents. Education *Haruna Yakubu *R. P. Baffour Music * ...


References

{{Sahelian kingdoms Dagbon History of Ghana Former monarchies of Africa Former countries in Africa