Draft:Nanung


Nanung
Nanumba
Nanumba
Nanuŋ
National Emblem of Nanun
National Emblem
Map of Nanung (marked by the black margin)
Capital
and largest city
Bimbilla
8°51′26″N 0°03′24″W / 8.85722°N 0.05667°W / 8.85722; -0.05667
Official languagesNanungli/Dagbanli (lingua franca), English, French, Arabic
Ethnic groups
Nanumba
Religion
African traditional religions, Islam, Christianity
DemonymNanumba
GovernmentTraditional State
Nyelinbolgu Naa, Regent (Dagbani: Gbaŋlana)
History
• Founded
c. 1200s–1300s
Area
• Total
6,448[1] km2 (2,490 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate
421,150[2]
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT+0)
• Summer (DST)
UTC+0 (GMT+0)
Today part of Ghana

Nanung (Dagbani: Nanuŋ, Nanun or Nanumba) is one of the earliest known ancient states in Northern Ghana and currently one of several traditional areas in the region, with Bimbilla as its capital. The Bimbilla Naa is the Overlord or Ruler and president of the Nanumba Traditional Area.[3]Nanung is located in the Eastern Corridor of Ghana, mainly in the Northern Region and parts of the Oti Region.[4][5][6]

History

According to oral history, Nanung was founded by Naa Gmantambu (Dagbani: Naa Ŋmantambo), a son of Naa Gbewaa, in the 13th century after migrating south from his brother Naa Sitobu, who founded the present-day Dagbon Kingdom.[7][8][9] The same oral history claimed that the new state was subsequently called Nanung, which came from the Dagbani words "Naa" (King or Chief) and "Nua" (Hand). Naa Sitobu is said to have pointed his hand south, and Naa Gmantambu and his followers went in the direction indicated by the hand. So "Naa Nua" (The King's hand) became Nanung.[10][11]

Royal Houses

The 'Skin' (Dagbani: Gbandi or Gbaŋ) is the symbol of authority in Nanung (also called Naam), just as it is in most traditional states in Northern Ghana. Nanuŋ has two royal families that ascend to the Bimbilla Naam in an alternating arrangement. These royal families include Gbuhmayili (Dagbani: Gbuɣma-Yili) and Bangyili (Dagbani: Baŋ-Yili).[12][13][14]The princes and princesses from these two royal families are also primarily appointed as chiefs and queens in most towns and villages of Nanung.

Bimbilla
Symbol of traditional authority in Nanung
Damba festival
Early depictions of Gbuhmayili (Right) and Bangyili (Left) Symbols

Geography

Nanung stretches along the Eastern Corridor, covering districts including Nanumba North Municipality, Nanumba South, and major parts of Nkwanta North. Major towns in Nanung include Lepusi (Dagbani: Lepuɣi), Bincheratanga, Bakpaba, Dimong, Pusiga, Bimbilla, Nakpayili, Wulensi (Dagbani: Wuleɣi), Lungni, Chichahi, Chamba, Taali, Dokpam, Opijua, Nakpayili, Puduya, Binda, Kpassa, Oti-Damanko and Sibi.[15][16][17]

Bimbilla
Capital and largest town in Nanung
Damba festival
A rural community in Nanung

Nanung borders Togo to the east, Salaga to the west, Dagbon to the north and Dambai and Nkwanta to the south.

Demography, Ethnicity and Chieftancy

Nanung is multi-ethnic, with Nanumbas, considered direct siblings to both Dagombas and Mamprusi as the main ruling tribe. Nanumbas are also direct cousin to Mossi people (Dagbani: Moɣi) of the Mossi Kingdoms of Burkina Faso.[18] Konkombas are the other major tribe.[19][20] Other tribes include Chambas, Chokosi, Tem (also known as the Temba or Kotokoli), Ewes, Bassaris, Nawuris, and a host of other indeginous tribes.[21][22]

Nanung Past Rulers

While there is documented evidence of the rulers in the colonial and post-colonial eras, evidence of the rulers in the pre-colonial era relies on oral tradition and history passed down through music, drumming, and oral storytelling.

Position Incumbent Tenure (Month/Year)
Pre-colonial Rulers
1st (founder) Naa Gmantambu c. 1200s to 1300s
2nd Naa Sulmwe --/---- to --/----
3rd Naa Kumkayuɣiri --/---- to --/----
4th Naa Gajiporiga --/---- to --/----
5th Naa Napaprigu --/---- to --/----
6th Naa Asa --/---- to --/----
7th Naa Nakoŋ --/---- to --/----
8th Naa Bingura --/---- to --/----
9th Naa Nyelinbolgu --/---- to --/----
10th Naa Mahmuru --/---- to --/----
11th Naa Damba --/---- to --/----
12th Naa Sulgu --/---- to --/----
13th Naa Gbuɣma --/---- to --/----
14th Naa Nmoro --/---- to --/----
15th Naa Kurigu --/---- to --/----
16th Naa Bang (Naa Baŋ) --/---- to --/----
17th Naa Shero --/---- to --/----
18th Naa Naatoham Kpema --/---- to --/----
19th Naa Mahamaŋ Kalo --/---- to --/----
20th Naa Dahamani --/---- to --/----
21st Naa Yakubu (Saviɣu Suŋ) --/---- to --/----
Rulers under German colonial rule
22nd Naa Abalsi 1881 to 1896
23rd Naa Salifu Kurili (1st reign) 1896 to 1909
24th Naa Aduna ŋunbaŋkum 1909 to 1917
Rulers under British protectorate
25th Naa Salifu Kurili (2st reign) 1917 to 1929
26th Naa Ziblim Kuntimsa 1930 to 1945
27th Naa Ablai (Kurugu-Kpaa) 1945 to 1957
28th Naa Naatoham Bla 1944 to 1957
Overlords during independent Ghana
29th Naa Dasana (Gbuŋgbuŋ) 1959 to 1981
30th Naa Abarika Atta (Gbani) 1982 to 09/1999
31st Naa Andani Dasana[23][24][25] 04/2003 to 06/2014
Damba festival
Naa Andani Dasana, 31st Overlord of Nanung

The succession line in Nanung follows a patrilineal system. Consequently, all future overlords are considered direct patrilineal descendants of Naa Gmantambu and, by extension, Naa Gbewaa.

Struggle Against Colonialism

In late 1896, Nanung was invaded by the German colonial army.[26] Naa Abalsi was the reigning Overloard.[27] Under the command of Lieutenant Valentin von Massow, the German army reached Bimbilla on November 29, 1896, effectively completing the occupation of Nanung.[28] The fall of Bimbilla was generally seen as a precursor to the Battle of Adibo against the Dagbon Kingdom.[29]

Festivals

The main festivals in Nanung inludes Damba festival, Fire festival (Dagbani: Buɣum Chuɣu), Eid al-Fitr (Dagbani: Konyuri Chuɣu), Eid al-Adha (Dagbani: Chimsi Chuɣu), and Guineafowl festival (Dagbani: Kpini Chuɣu).[30][31]

Damba festival
People at a damba festival
Damba festival
Chiefs at a damba festival
Fire festival
People at a fire (Buɣum) festival

Economy

Yam farming is the primary occupation of the people in Nanung. In addition to yams, maize, rice, and soybeans are also cultivated in the region.[32]

Transportation

The Oti and Daka rivers, international water bodies in West Africa, flow through parts of Nanung. The rivers' presence supports ferrying, linking villages within Nanung and to other parts of Northern and Central Ghana.

The Eastern Corridor Road, officially the National Highway 2 (N2), is a major national highway stretching from Accra to Northern Ghana. The road links Nanung to Nkwanta and Hohoe in the South, and Yendi and Tamale in the North. In Nanung, the road passes through the centre of major towns including Sibi, Kpassa, Oti-Damanko, Opijua, Bimbilla, Bincheratanga, Bakpaba, and Lepusi.

Education

Bimbico, located in Bimbilla, is the only public tertiary institution in Nanung. It was established in 1962 by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. It's now called E. P. College of Education, Bimbilla and is a degree-awarding institution.

Notable People

References

  1. ^ GSS, Ghana Statistical Service (2018-05-23). "261 district MPI reports". statsghana.gov.gh. Ghana: GSS. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  2. ^ GSS, Ghana Statistical Service (2021-11-01). Ghana 2021 Population and Housing Census (PDF). Population of districts and regions – volume 3A (Report). Ghana: Ghana statistical service. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  3. ^ Mufteen, Salifu (2017-10-31). "The Bimbilla Chieftaincy crisis; re-writing Nanung history". www.ghanaweb.com. Ghana: Ghana Web. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
  4. ^ Giulia, Casentini (2014-01-01). "Different ideas of borders and border construction in northern Ghana: historical and anthropological perspectives". Ghana Studies. 17 (1): 177–202. doi:10.1353/ghs.2014.0006.
  5. ^ Donald I, Ray (1996-01-01). "Divided sovereignty: Traditional authority and the state in Ghana" (PDF). The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law. 28 (37–38): 181–202.
  6. ^ Julie Lyn, Kaye (2007-01-01). The politics of ethnicity in West Africa: conflict and reconstruction in northern Ghana. Dissertation (Master of arts thesis). Canada: University of Calgary. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  7. ^ Mufteen, Salifu (2017-10-31). "The Bimbilla Chieftaincy crisis; re-writing Nanung history". www.ghanaweb.com. Ghana: Ghana Web. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
  8. ^ Peter, Skalnik (1987-01-01). "On the Inadequacy of the Concept of the 'Traditional State' Illustrated with Ethnographic Material on Nanun, Ghana". The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law. 19 (25–26): 301–325. doi:10.1080/07329113.1987.10756401.
  9. ^ Kumtili, Dikpong (2021-07-01). "The Resilience Of A King – The Fall & Rise of Bimbila Na Salifu". Dagbon Kingdom.
  10. ^ "Nanumba People of Ghana". panafricanrevoluntionmovement.wordpress.com. Ghana: Pan-African Revolution Movement. 2017-05-23. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  11. ^ SKALNÍK, Peter (2019-01-01). "Succession and Democracy in Nanun, Northern Ghana" (PDF). Asian and African Studies. 28 (22): 358–374.
  12. ^ Michael Lieber, Cobb (2021-01-01). CUSTOMARY LAWS AND CHIEFTAINCY SUCCESSION PLANS FOR NANUN: A WAY FORWARD FOR CHIEFTAINCY CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN GHANA (PDF). Inaugural Dissertation (doctorate thesis). Germany: University of Freiburg. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  13. ^ Benjamin Kobina, Kwansa (2020-11-01). "Understanding the intra-ethnic conflict in Bimbilla". Danish Institute for International Studies.
  14. ^ Alhassan Sulemana, Anamzoya; Tonah, Steve (2012-05-12). "Chieftaincy succession dispute in Nanun, Northern Ghana: Interrogating the narratives of the contestants". Ghana Journal of Geography. 4 (1): 83–102.
  15. ^ Mohammed Abubakari, Rashid; Alhassan, Ibrahim (2022-05-12). "Appellative Names: Nanuŋ Towns in Context". International Journal of Culture and History. 9 (1): 149–149. doi:10.5296/ijch.v9i1.19854.
  16. ^ Cliff, Maasole (2011-05-01). "The land factor in the Konkomba-Nanumba crisis of 1981". Ghana Journal of Development Studies. 8 (1): 33–49. doi:10.4314/gjds.v8i1.3.
  17. ^ Nana James Kwaku, Brukum (2000-01-01). "Ethnic conflict in northern Ghana, 1980-1999: An appraisal". Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana. 4 (5): 131–147.
  18. ^ "The forgotten kingdom". africasacountry.com. 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  19. ^ Saibu, Mutaru (2022-03-25). "Access to land in difficult times: an ethnographic study of morally compromised strangers in northern Ghana". Social Dynamics. 48 (2): 314–337. doi:10.1080/02533952.2022.2049156.
  20. ^ MH A, Bolaji; Gariba, Mohammed Adam (2020-01-01). "The Scramble for the Partition of the Northern Region of Ghana: Conflict and the Quest for the Coterminality of Cultural and Political Boundaries". African Sociological Review. 24 (1): 75–104.
  21. ^ Clement M., Aapengnuo (2008-01-01). Threat narratives, Group identity and violence: a study of the Dagomba, Nanumba and Konkomba of Northern Ghana (PDF). Dissertation (Doctorate thesis). USA: George Mason University. Retrieved 2025-09-23.
  22. ^ Moses Diyaane, Awinsong (2024-03-25). "Do Minoritized Cultures Matter? Ethnicity, Identity, and the Politics of Inclusion in Ghana's History and Social Studies Curricula. In "History Education in Africa: Research, Perspectives and Practices"". Springer Nature Switzerland. 48 (2): 91–122. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-61388-3_5.
  23. ^ "Nakpaa Naa family sad but accepts SC court ruling on Bimbilla skin". myjoyonline.com. Ghana: Joy Online. 2018-05-23. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
  24. ^ Nyabor, Jonas (2018-05-23). "Supreme Court settles Bimbilla dispute, rules in favour of Naa Dasana Andani". citinewsroom.com. Ghana: Citi News. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  25. ^ Duodu, Samuel; Fugu, Mohammed (2018-05-23). "Nakpa Naa, Andani Dasana families of Bimbilla to abide by court verdict". graphiconline.com.gh. Ghana: Graphic Online. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  26. ^ Kumtili, Dikpong (2021-07-01). "The Resilience Of A King – The Fall & Rise of Bimbila Na Salifu". Dagbon Kingdom.
  27. ^ Peter, Skalnik (2011-01-01). "Chiefdom at War with Chiefless People while the State Looks on" (PDF). Social Evolution & History. 10 (1): 55–121.
  28. ^ Peter, Skalnik (2011-01-01). "Chiefdom at War with Chiefless People while the State Looks on" (PDF). Social Evolution & History. 10 (1): 55–121.
  29. ^ Peter, Skalnik (2011-01-01). "Chiefdom at War with Chiefless People while the State Looks on" (PDF). Social Evolution & History. 10 (1): 55–121.
  30. ^ "Festivals List". ghanaculture.gov.gh. Ghana: Ghana Commission on Culture. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  31. ^ "Northern Region". touringghana.com. Ghana: Touring Ghana. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  32. ^ Alhassam, Osman (2020-11-12). "The foe of an old adversary is not necessarily a friend: Why the Nanumba should care about Fulani herdsmen-Konkomba farmer conflicts". diis.dk. Denmark: Danish Institute for International Studies. Retrieved 2025-09-30.

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