Dagbon, Kingdom of

The Kingdom of Dagbon is a traditional kingdom in northern Ghana, founded by the Dagomba people in the fifteenth century. During its independence, it comprises, at various points, the Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions of present-day Ghana.[

Since Ghana's independence in 1957, the kingdom has been traditional, representing a customary role.

Oral histories of the kingdom tell that it was founded by a warrior named Tohazie, who arrived to present-day northern Ghana in the fiteenth century with his cavalry men from east of Lake Chad, stopping in Zamfara, present-day northern Nigeria, and in the Mali Empire, before settling in northern Ghana.

These histories tell of numerous conflicts with neighboring peoples throughout this early period until the early eighteenth century, when the capital of the kingdom is moved to the city of Yendi.

Around this time Islam arrives to the kingdom, and a period of peace and increased trade with neighboring kingdoms begins.

In 1888 the Kingdom of Dagbon is partitioned between the German and British empires, and in 1899 this split becomes organized into the territories of German Togoland and the Gold Coast.

Following the First World War, eastern Dagbon becomes part of British Togoland.

The Gold Coast achieves independence in 1957 as Ghana.

The Kingdom of Dagbon since around the 1920s has been characterized by repeated succession disputes and conflict, especially revolving around its relationship with the Konkomba people.

Several incidents of violence have occurred, including in 2002 when the King of Dagbon Yakubu Andani II, of the Andani royal family, is murdered by supporters of the Abudu royal family.

As of January 2014, a regent (installed in 2006) has acted as sovereign of the kingdom until a new ruler is chosen

Today, the king of Dagbon's court remains at the city of Yendi.

The kingdom is divided into territorial chiefdoms, categorized from divisional to village chieftaincies.

The monarch of Dagbon is known as the Ya Naa (also spelt Ya Na, Ya-Na or Yaa Naa).

No related events match the current filters.