An interesting and well Research history from mahama haruna (PRO of Gonja youth). read this:
WHY AND HOW YAGBONWURA AWUSI MOVED THE CAPITAL OF THE GONJA KINGDOM FROM NYANGE TO DAMONGO
The Declaration of Customary Law (Gonja) Traditional Council Instrument, 2010 states the name of the Skin of the traditional area is “Yagbon Skin “and the seat of the Skin shall be located at “Damongo”.
Yagbonwura Awusi Ewuntomah Bunyangso (1943-1975) on ascension of the Yagbon skin in 1943 moved the traditional capital of the Gonja Kingdom from Nyange to Damongo in 1943. Nyange is located about three miles away from Sawla, the district capital of the Sawla-Tuna-Sawla District Assembly on the Damongo-Sawla road.
The main reason for Yagbonwura Awusi agreeing and collaborating with British white colonial officers to move the traditional capital of the Gonja Kingdom from Nyange to Damongo was because of some mysterious happenings. It is said Yagbonwura Awusi and his family used to see some strange things at night.
Before I delve into this topic I wish to first of all mention how Nyange became the capital of the Gonja Kingdom according to J.A. Braimah (Yagbonwura Timu):
"After the death of Ndewura Jakpa at bout the year 1697, his followers tried to re-establish the Gonja capital at Gbipe but this proved impossible because of the constant wars fought with the Akan tribes during this period. The capital was then moved to Nyanga by Bure Lannyo who was attacked by the Akan when he was head of the Gonja"
Indeed Nyange later lost its importance and the Gonja paramouncy nearly became extinct before the ascension of Yagbonwura Mahama. The eastern provinces looked to Kpembe rather than to Nyange, seat of the paramountcy, as their capital. By the beginning of the 19th century, there was so little central control that the “divisions” appears to have made alliances and conducted their affairs independently of the Traditional capital of Nyange.
By the beginning of the 19th century, certain towns in Gonja like Bole, Daboya, Kpembe/Salaga had become for more important than Nyange largely because of many factors. In the case of Kpembe/Salaga because of their commercial links with Asante to the south and the Mossi and Hausa states to the north. Indeed so insignificant had Nyange become that the first European visitors to Gonja either overlooked the place altogether or gave the impression that the paramountcy had been destroyed without trace.
Yagbonwura Awusi on ascending the Yagbon skin realized the Paramountcy was not only a ritual and juridical office, but it was also located in a distant and small village. A divisional chief who succeeded to the paramountcy therefore suffered from several disadvantages. In the first place, he not only had to give up his active command for a ritual office; he also had to uproot himself from his natal home in order to go and live at Nyange.
In the first place, given the larger measure of the autonomy of divisions, his authority was never an enforceable reality in either his former division or the whole of Gonja unless he was a particularly strong and resourceful ruler.
Moreover some Yagbonwuras were virtually strangers at Nyange and had to be accompanied by their kinsfolk on whose labour and services alone they could count. These disadvantages made certain chiefs reluctant to leave the place they knew best in order to take up the burdens of kingship in a strange village.
Yagbonwura Awusi lived in Nyange for two years after he was enskinned Yagbonwura. The multiple disadvantage of Nyange kept increasing as discussed earlier. The imposition of colonial rule over the Northern Territories in the Nineteenth century made it matter active. The locations of administrative headquarters in certain towns like Bole, Kpembe, Kusawgu, etc enhance the prestige and power of its chiefs. Its inhabitants were usually the first to have access to improve sanitation, medical attention and better water supplies. The early school was
located in these towns. All these towns were not the seat of the paramountcy. Inevitably, all these towns attained more important and overshadowed the traditional headquarters Nyange.
At a meeting of Chiefs of the Gonja Kingdom in 1942, it was contemplated changing the location of the traditional Headquarters of Gonja from Nyange to any location which could make the Kingship more attractive. Yapei, Damongo and Bole were suggested. Yagbonwura Awusi in his wisdom chose Damongo which was said to be a less than ten house hold community but had the potential to develop into a big town.
The colonial Administrators were interested in Gonja affairs because they wanted to have an effective central command in Gonja to execute their indirect rule policies for their personal gains hence interceding to sustain the system.
Damongo was fast becoming a big settlement partly as a result of colonial policy to develop the town and was somehow centrally placed as compared to Nyange. In addition every chief of Damongo (Damongowura), even though an important Chief in the affairs of the Gonja Kingdom cannot ascend the Yagbon skin so it was easy to site the Paramountcy there. Yagbonwura Awusi after broad consultations and with the necessary traditional rituals performed, therefore moved the capital of the Gonja Kingdom to Damongo.
The role of the British colonialist in the moving of the capital is replete in colonial documents.
During the enskinment of Yagbonwura Awusi on 2nd July, 1943, he made the following statement:
"I have decided to move to Damongo and make my headquarters. At present I am far away from many of the Sub-Divisional Chiefs and it takes a long time to communicate with them. At Damongo I shall be in the centre of the Gonja Division..."
This news apparently had been well received and even the Bolewura, from whom objections were expected, was pleased at the proposed change of capital of The Gonja Kingdom. The District Commissioner J.K.G Syme liked the idea and had a discussion of moving the Traditional Capital of Gonja Kingdom out of Nyange with Yagbonwura Awusi.
But Yagbonwura Awusi even though muted the idea was at the initial stage wary of how the people of Gonja especially Bole would take such a decision. He wrote a letter to the District Commissioner after their discussion on 13th March 1943:
"I shall not like to stay in Nyanga and shall very much like the Government to suggest where I shall stay. I do not want to put this to myself because I will meet with opposition by the Bole people and they will try to refer me to taboos.."
But it seems the District Commissioner J.K.G Syme had already made his mind. In a letter to the Chief Commissioner at Tamale dated 4th May, 1943 he said:
"With the appointment of a new Yagbonwura, I think the question of his future residence should be discussed. Nyanga is an unsuitable place. If is far away from the Chiefs in eastern part of the Division for them to be in such close touch as they should and it is so neat Bole that it over shadows other divisions..."
The District Commissioner Mr J.K.G Syme also wrote a famous and highly convincing confidential reply letter to Yagbonwura Awusi by the District Commissioner dated March 26, 1943 and it sums up the interest of the British colonialist in moving the Traditional capital of the Gonja Kingdom from Nyange to Damongo. The letter reads:
"Friend,
Thank you for your letter dated March 13 1943. I was very glad to hear so much positive news from Gonja.
I was particularly pleased to receive your suggestion that the Headquarters of Yabumwura should be moved from Nyanga. This is a matter which I have been thinking about for some time past and it was my intention to discuss it with you as soon as we met.
I will enumerate what seem to me to be the main disadvantages of Nyanga:-
1. It is not central enough. This means that Eastern Gonja, which is the most thickly populated and richest part of the state, is cut off from Yabumwura by long distances and slow communications.
2. Owing to the shortage of Water and food at Nyanga and the presence of Tse-tse belts through which horses have to pass when travelling to it. Nyanga is not popular place for state meetings.
3. The village of Nyanga is dwindling in size. People do not appear to like living there and as a general rule nowadays, only seem to do so when they form part of the Native Administration Staff or when they are personal attendants upon the Yabumwura. Sickness in Nyanga is noticeable and Two Yagbonwuras have recently died within a year of each other.
4. Even when living at Bole instead of Salaga the District Commissioner is still too far away from Nyanga for him to be able to keep in rwally close touch with the Yabumwura. In other words the solution would appear to be for both the D.C and the Yabumwura to move to some suitable place where they could be near each other".
At the 1930 Gonja Conference held at Yapei and presided over by the Commissioner of the Southern Province the suggestion was made that Yapei should become the home of Yagbonwura instead of Nyanga. At the time Yagbonwura Mahama from Bole was the in favour of the idea, but a year later when the matter was brought up again he had apparently been dissuaded by certain people from making the change. It is possible also that , for personal reasons, the Yagbonwura preffered to remain in Western Gonja as he was himself a Bole man. He wrote this to the colonialists:
I do not now consider Yapei would be a suitable place either for the Yabumwura or for a new District Headquarters.
In 1930 there was no laternative as it was the only possible place which was accessible to motor traffic. Now that the N.T. 25 has been constructed and made an all weather road a site could be chosen more in the other centre of Gonja.
Having done much travelling over N.T 25 I feel convinced that the most desirable spot could be found somewhere between Damongo and Larabanga, the nearer the Damongo the better. Here are my reasons:-
1. Damongo is almost in the centre of Gonja and yet still in the Nyanga sub-division. The latter point is of importance because it would enable Yabumwura to continue to function as the sub-divisional Chief of Nyanga altogether a sub-divisional Chief of Nyanga in addition to performing his duties as Paramount Chief. If he is removed from Nyanaga altogether a sub-divisional Chief and subordinate Native Authority would have to be created to take his place. That would mean a very big change in the Constitution, a change which I very much doubt the State Council would be prepared to make.
2. There is good land in the Damongo Area, good water and cattle do well. The recent Trypanomiasis survey which has been made shows that the incidence of sleeping sickness is practically nil. Horse could probably be kept without undue risk.
3. As soon as the conditions permit it is propose to send all Bole, Wa and Lawra mails to Tamale. From there a special lorry wil convey them over the new road to Bole and up as far as Lawra. Damongo would therefore have a good mail service and no doubt, in time, the telephone will follow.
Probably a wireless installation such as that at Prang would be set up in the meantime.Though the Yabumwura would be leaving the Kakalasiwura and Senyonwura behind him he would be near Damongowura. The Kulawuwra though still remote would be much nearer than present.
I have already spoken of the matter to the Chief Commissioner and the Governor asked me about it when he visited me in hospital at Kumasi on his way down from Bole on Feb 7. He inform me that if Yabumwura agreed to move he would be prepared to to vote the necessary money for the construction of a new District Headquarters. Salaga and Bole would probably be left in charge of an Assistant D.C.s.
It will probably be suggested that Busunu would be an even more suitable place than Damongo. In some ways it would, but I am more convinced that its draw backs would outweigh its advantages. Water is scarce, the land is not so good as that fo Damongo and there is more Tse-tse. Further more, Busunu is is in the Tuluwe sub-division and not Nynaga.
You say that Eastern Gonja Chiefs do not like living at Nynaga when they succeed to the Kawul Putti. As forfour out of fivepersons are eligible for this at any one time always live in Eastern Gonja it seems to me that they should have the final word in this matter, You yourself come from Eastern Gonja and after you another man will come from that side before Bole’s turncomes again. I feel sure, therefore, that if you want to movefrom Nynaga the four Eastern Gonja Chiefs will support you.
I think you are wise to treat this matter as confidential for the present and I shall do likewise. We will discuss it fully when I come to Bole in April.
I am more certain that more progress and greater prosperity throughout the whole State would result from the Yabumwura being more centrally situated and in closer touch with Native Authorites of Eastern Gonja.
I am your good Friend
Signed
District Commissioner
To: The Yabumwura at Nyanga".
Convinced beyond reasonable doubt and not encountering any opposition Yagbonwura Awusi moved the Capital to Damongo and this was Northern captured in a letter written by the District Commissioner J.K.G. Syme to Mr G.H. Gibbs the Chief Commissioner at Tamale dated 27th July, 1943:
"I have the honour to inform you that the Head Chief of the Gonja Division has decided to move his headquarters to Damongo, a village 78 miles from Tamale on the Yapei -Sawla Road.."
Moving the capital of the Gonja Kingdom to Damongo came with its advantages to the Damongo town. The British colonial administration quickly constituted a board for the development of Damongo. The board acquired sites for projects like District Commissioners bungalow; District Commissioners Court and offices, a Rest House, Police Lines and Offices were put up. Other projects constructed include, Native Administration Offices and Native Administration School.
Later the District Headquarters of Gonja was moved from Salaga to Damongo and true to the words of the District Commissioner there was more progress and greater prosperity throughout the Gonja Kingdom resulting from the Yagbonwura being more centrally situated and in closer touch his people from West to East.
Four years after the capital was moved, Yagbonwura Awusi was so happy with the situation he wrote a letter dated 4th September, 1946 to Mr J.K.G. Syme who was Commissioner of the Gonja District when the capital was moved thanking him for his good works to bring unity into the Gonja Kingdom. Mr Syme had then been appointed the Acting Chief Commissioner, Northern Territories and based at Tamale. The letter reads:
"Since your departure about ten years ago, your many friends and I have always looked forward with eagerness to see you back in Gonja until recently you have returned to stay in Tamale very near us. This is a great joy to me and all my people. We are sure that you shall always lead us to the best of your abilities, as though you were in Gonja District.
I am proposing to visit Nyanga shortly, and probably trek around the near villages, with view to seeing the conditions and having in touch with them on general matters.
I had intended to make a little present during your visit but as you spent less time with us, I was unable to do so. I am glad to be able to send bearers Jamani Dogte and my brother Mahama Wie with Elephant Tusk, Leopard Skin and Two Turkeys to you as remembrance of our Friendship..."
Indeed the Gonja Kingdom was very peaceful with few Chieftaincy disputes during his reign. There was an increase in educational facilities during his reign. The first Primary School, the first Middle Boarding School and the first Secondary School were established in Damongo during his reign. Yagbonwura Awusi had so much passion for education that he encouraged all including his own children to go to school.
Yagbonwura Awusi used to host students of the Damongo Middle Boarding School. His famous statement to all students was; "Learn hard today because tomorrow will not be the same as today". His reign saw massive development of the Damongo town. It was during his reign that the Builders/ Workers Brigade later (Food Production Corporation), West Gonja Hospital, Mole Game Reserve Damongo Farm Institute (now Agric College), Farmers Council and other departments were established. Yagbonwura Awusi had a very cordial relationship with Ghana's first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah. As a result of this Kwame Nkrumah established good relations with the Gonja Kingdom resulting in massive development in Damongo especially.
By Mahama Haruna
17th August, 2017.
