The Kingdom of Dagbon ( Dagbani : Dagbaŋ ) 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 , Upper West , Upper East , Savannah Region and North East regions of present-day Ghana . It also covered portions of Burkina Faso , North East Ivory Coast and North West Togo . Since Ghana's independence in 1957, the Kingdom just like all of Ghana's kingdoms and ethnic states has assumed a traditional, customary role.
84-519: This is a tree of the monarchs of the traditional Kingdom of Dagbon , the kingdom of the Dagomba people , located in northern Ghana . The term Yaa-Naa means "king of strength/power" in the Dagbanli language . It was adopted by king ( Naa ) Shitobu, and has since been the title for the king of Dagbon. Kingdom of Dagbon The kingdom was formed when Naa Gbewaa and his descendants unified
168-544: A pottery culture known as Gajiganna had emerged, initially as pastoralists, but, starting around 1500 BC, living in settled hamlets at the side of the lake. The archaeological discovery revealed wild grasses, mostly of the tribe Paniceae , and wild rice together with the earliest domesticated Pearl millet in the Lake Chad region, dating to 1200–1000 cal BC . One of the oldest domesticated Pearl millet in West Africa
252-520: A distinct constitutional position before it became part of the British Togoland . 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
336-512: 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 ruler of
420-519: A mixture of flours. Lake Chad Lake Chad ( Arabic : بحيرة تشاد , Kanuri : Sádǝ , French : Lac Tchad ) 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 1,000,000 km (390,000 sq mi). It is an important wetland ecosystem in West-Central Africa. The lakeside
504-409: A negative impact on the production of these products, and the explosive growth of cattle herds has exacerbated this impact. Cattle are the most important livestock raised, as well as poultry , goats , sheep , camels , horses , and donkeys . The animal husbandry was severely affected by the droughts of the 1970s and 1980s. Fishing has traditionally been the most important economic activity for
588-903: A neutral zone called Salaga Area , stretching from Yeji to Yendi, that was established to forestall conflict between the Germans and the British . 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 , Yendi, the capital of Dagbon was deserted. The Gbewaa Palace
672-590: 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,
756-432: 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 of Dagbon form
840-686: A sharp decrease in the amount of water entering the lake. The average annual inflow of the Chari River and the Logone River from 1970 to 1990 was only 55% of that from 1950 to 1970. Since the 1980s, one-third of the water in the Chari River and the Logone River has been diverted and intercepted by the Central African Republic located upstream for agricultural irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. The dams built on
924-509: A stable kingdom and a reign marked by stability and prosperity. Gbewaa fathered the following children After Gbewaa's death, his children led by his son Shitobu settled briefly at the town of Gambaga before moving south to Namburugu , near Karaga , where he resided. The king became known as Yaa Naa , 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
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#17327753577551008-452: 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. In the late 19th century, Dagbon was threatened at all angles. The Germans 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
1092-493: A surge in the number of phytoplankton and zooplankton, allowing large fish to migrate seasonally within the watershed to feed and breed in the fertile floodplain when floods arrive. There are more than 30 million residents in the Chad Lake Basin. There are more than 70 ethnic groups around the lake, most of whom are distributed on the south bank, where the population density exceeds 100/km (260/sq mi). They rely on
1176-669: A tropical savanna climate, characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. The predominant vegetation type is Guinean forest–savanna mosaic , characterized by a band of interlaced forest, savanna, and grassland. Dagbon scholars used a modified Arabic script, the Dagbanli Script, in its communication. Dr. Phllis Ferguson describes it as lexically Arabic , but syntactically Dagbani . Much of this writing system has been lost due European colonisation. Archives and manuscripts that were housed in Moliyili were burn during
1260-542: 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 ,
1344-707: Is almost twice that of the rainy season, and the lowest nighttime temperature sometimes drops to 8 °C (46 °F) in December and January. April is usually the hottest month of the year, with temperatures occasionally reaching 40 °C (104 °F) , the lowest water levels appear in June to July, and the highest water levels in November to December, with surface water temperatures ranging from 19 to 32 °C (66 to 90 °F) . The Chad Basin covers an area of about 1 × 10 ^ km (390,000 sq mi), and
1428-420: Is an important part of the culture of Dagbon. There are several types of dances performed individually or in groups. The kingdom holds the largest iron ore reserve in the country. Trees: Shrubs: Herbaceous plants: Grasslands: Common foods include sakoro (pounded yam), and tuya (rice and beans) Traditional breakfast is made of koko or kukuaɣli (porridge) made from either of maize, millet, guinea or
1512-421: Is between 0 and 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in), and that of the eastern archipelago is between 0 and 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The climate of the Lake Chad region is strongly influenced by continental and maritime air masses . The maritime air mass moves northward during the summer, producing seasonal precipitation. In late summer, continental air mass dominate again. The average annual precipitation in
1596-407: 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
1680-580: Is injected by the Chari , Logone , and Yobe Rivers . The water supply of the lake is seasonal. Most of the precipitation comes from the Adamawa Plateau in the south of the basin, which is transported to the lake basin through the Chari River and the Logone River. The two contribute 95% of the total inflow of Lake Chad, while the Yobe River only contributes less than 2.5%. The lake seeps through
1764-500: Is only slightly salty. The water volume of most large lakes in Africa depends on rainfall and evaporation, which means that temperature and precipitation are crucial for regulating the water balance of these bodies of water, and any fluctuations can cause significant changes in their water level and area. Lake Chad is a shallow inland lake, and the rainfall in the Chad basin is very sensitive to small changes in atmospheric circulation, so
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#17327753577551848-599: Is permanently or seasonally inhabited by hundreds of species of birds such as northern shoveler , Egyptian goose and marabou stork . It is an important wintering ground for European anatidae and wading birds. There are raptors such as steppe eagle and booted eagle on the lakeshore, and more than one million ruff can be observed on the lake at one time. The once common large mammals include red-fronted gazelle , dama gazelle , patas monkey , striped hyena , cheetah and caracal , while African elephant , otter , hippopotamus , sitatunga and kob are distributed in
1932-481: Is regarded as the "mother" of the Mossi kingdoms , a people who constitute nearly half of the nation of Burkina Faso . The Gundo Naa is the head of all female chiefs, and Zosimli Naa forges friendships, collaborations, and friendships. On 18 January 2019 Yaa Naa Abubakari Mahama , was elected by Dagbon's kingmakers as king. The Lunsi are the court historians of Dagbon and play the foremost role in preserving
2016-401: Is rich in reeds and swamps, and the plain along the lake is fertile, making it an important irrigated agricultural area. The lake is rich in aquatic resources and is one of the important freshwater fish producing areas in Africa. Lake Chad is divided into deeper southern parts and shallower northern parts. The water source of the lake mainly comes from rivers such as the Chari River that enter
2100-421: Is steep with a dip angle of about 55°, while the western fault has a dip angle of about 45°. The overall thickness of the inner layer in the slope area is relatively thin. In the central area of the basin, the thickness of the sedimentary strata is large, and the thickness of the sedimentary center zone reaches over 10,000 m (33,000 ft). The northern part of the basin appears steep in the west and gentle in
2184-811: The Benue River through the Mayo Kébbi , and finally flows into the Atlantic Ocean through the Niger River . The vast waters formed during the African humid period provided conditions for the emergence of lakeside fishermen's settlements, and the Nilo-Saharan ethnic group also migrated to Lake Chad during this period. Agriculture also emerged in the Sahel region at this time. By 1800 BC,
2268-619: The British-administered mandated territories established by the League of Nations 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
2352-538: 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
2436-504: The German Invasion and Loot of Dagbon . Significant amount of this archives were transported to Denmark in the twentieth century. Today, Dagbon uses an English derived writing system. 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 ,
2520-656: The Kanem Empire in the northeast of Lake Chad. At the beginning of the founding of the country, the Kanem people continued to live a nomadic life until the 11th century, when they were Islamized and settled in Njimi . Through trans-Saharan trade , the power of the Kanem Empire reached its peak in the 13th century, but as the empire declined in the 14th century, its southwestern vassal state of Bornu began to rise, causing
2604-694: 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 Nayil Liman, the imam of the Yaa Naa , and the Yidan Kambala, were also credited with the imamship. The extension of trade with the Dyula, and later with
List of kings of Dagbon - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-531: The 100-man well-armed German army. In 1899 the British and the Germans split Dagbon between German Togoland and the Gold Coast . 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
2772-720: The 5th century AD camels were being used for trans-Saharan trade via the Fezzan, or to the east via Darfur . After the Arabs conquered North Africa during the 7th and 8th centuries, the Chad Basin became increasingly linked to the Muslim countries. Trade and improved agricultural techniques enabled more sophisticated societies. Around 900 AD, the Kanem people who spoke the Kanuri language unified numerous nomadic tribes and established
2856-611: 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 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
2940-639: 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. The Sapashina are the military of the Kingdom Dance is called Waa in the Dagbani language. Dancing
3024-610: 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 origin, led by Sabali-Yarna, and the Hausa 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
3108-549: 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
3192-679: The German invasion of Eastern Dagbon at the Battle of Adibo , 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 , eastern Dagbon became part of British Togoland . The Gold Coast achieved independence in 1957 and became Ghana. The result of interference of British and German imperialism
3276-476: 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. Following World War I , eastern Dagbon became part of
3360-741: The Hausa, linked the Dagbon state with neighbouring kingdoms, like the Fezzan , Egypt , and the Bight of Benin . By 1788, Yendi was said to be bigger than Kumasi and Salaga . It was culturally closer to, and was the result of, other Sahelian kingdoms , especially to the Mossi Kingdoms , Mali Empire , Songhai Empire , and Hausa Bakwai , with which Dagbon were major trading partners for salt, kola nuts . When Naa Gbewaa died, many subkingdoms arose including Mamprugu and Nanung . While Gbewaa
3444-512: 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
List of kings of Dagbon - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-427: The Lake Chad area is 330 mm (13 in), with an average annual precipitation of 560 mm (22.0 in) on the south bank and about 250 mm (9.8 in) on the north bank. The highest temperature in the rainy season is 30 °C (86 °F), and the highest temperature rises to more than 32 °C (90 °F) when October and November enter the dry season. The temperature difference between day and night
3612-568: 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 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
3696-682: 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
3780-690: The Songhay forced Kpogonumbo and his followers southward. Kpogonumbo then seized power and ruled over Biun in Gurma . His son, Naa Gbewaa (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
3864-572: The area of Lake Chad shrank from 22,772 to 15,400 km (8,792 to 5,946 sq mi), further shrunk to 4,398 km (1,698 sq mi) in 1975, and only 1,756 km (678 sq mi) in February 1994. Since then, the area of Lake Chad has entered a relatively stable stage with a slight increase. From 1995 to 1998, it fluctuated within the range of 1,200 to 4,500 km (460 to 1,740 sq mi). The area once reached 5,075 square kilometres (1,959 sq mi) in 2000, and
3948-685: The average area of surface water from 2013 to 2016 was about 1,876 km (724 sq mi), with the largest area being 2,231 km (861 sq mi) in July 2015. Part of the Chad Basin is located within the Chad Basin National Park in Nigeria, and the country and Cameroon have established the Lake Chad Ramsar Wetland with a total area of 8,225 km (3,176 sq mi). The wetland plants in
4032-453: The basin is characterized by an asymmetric fault depression composite rift with steep slopes in the east and gentle slopes in the west on the profile, and is distributed in an NNW direction on the plane. There are two large basin‐bounding normal fault developed on both sides of the basin, with a graben style fault and depression in the middle. The east and west sides are outward dipping low angle gentle slope areas. The eastern boundary fault
4116-419: The benefits of new land from the receding waters. The surrounding residents who used to rely on lake water were forced to relocate, causing the economy of the lake area to continuously shrink. Since 1970, five countries in the southern part of the basin have constructed numerous water conservancy projects in the upper reaches of the Chari River, Logone River, and Yobe River to intercept river water, resulting in
4200-438: The borders of the Dagbon Kingdoms. Naa Gbewaa remains in the histories of the kingdoms of Dagbon and the kingdoms of the Mamprugu and Nanumba , as their first king, founding their ruling dynasties through these sons. 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
4284-464: The climate became drier. Around 20,000–40,000 years ago, eolianite sand dunes began to form in the north of the basin. The area of Lake Chad experienced four heydays between 39,000 BC and 300 BC, leaving thick diatomaceous earth and lacustrine deposits in the strata. This has been called Mega-Chad. The maximum depth of Mega-Chad exceeds 180 m (590 ft) and covers an area of approximately 400,000 km (150,000 sq mi), flowed into
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#17327753577554368-464: The committee is located in N'Djamena , Chad. The commission's tasks include managing Lake Chad and its water resources, protecting the ecosystem, and promoting regional integration, peace, security, and development in the Lake Chad region. The surrounding countries' water replenishment plan for Lake Chad includes the construction of a 2,400 km (1,500 mi) canal to transport 100 × 10 ^ m (130 × 10 ^ cu yd) of water from
4452-495: The drought in the 1970s, the soil that can be planted without irrigation and fertilization has been exposed at the bottom of the lake, and it has been reclaimed as a polder for planting maize, cowpea , rice , sorghum and other crops. Farmers have shifted from planting mainly dry crops, such as wheat, to rice with high water demand, resulting in more serious soil salinization and water eutrophication. The adverse effects of reduced water sources on fishing, farming, and herding outweigh
4536-400: The early 1960s to the mid-1980s, the lake water level decreased by 3 m (9.8 ft) compared to the average level from 1900 to 2010. In 1870, the area of Lake Chad was about 28,000 km (11,000 sq mi). The lake was able to flow out of the Bahr el-Ghazal during the rainy season. At the turn of the 20th century the area of Lake Chad shrank briefly, and reached a new high in
4620-472: The east on the profile. Five fault structural zones parallel to the basin‐bounding faults have developed from west to east. Lake Chad is divided into north and south parts by a shallow sill called the Great Barrier, with the bottom of the northern basin at an altitude of 275.3 m (903 ft) and the bottom of the southern basin at 278.2 m (913 ft). When the water level in the south exceeds 279 m (915 ft) above sea level, it will flow into
4704-501: The growing interest in Africa among European academic and business communities, the Lake Chad area was extensively described by Europeans in the 19th century. Three scientific expeditions were conducted between 1898 and 1909. During the Berlin Conference in 1884–1885, Africa was divided between the European colonial powers. By the second decade of the 20th century, Lake Chad had been colonized and occupied by Britain , France , and Germany , defining boundaries that are largely intact with
4788-472: 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 , Hans Gruner and Gaston Thierry clashed with the Dagomba at the Battle of Adibo , 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
4872-456: 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 capital of Dagbon was relocated from Yani Dabari (Ruins of Yani), near Diare , to current Yani ( Yendi ) in the east because of the invasion of the Gonja people . Gonja attacks in Western Dagbon (Tomo), especially at Daboya dealt
4956-467: 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
5040-525: The lake are all facing the problem of extreme poverty, and due to the difficulty in meeting their livelihoods, some local residents have been involved in drug and arms trade. This has been exacerbated by the activity of Boko Haram , an insurgency that has displaced millions of people and disrupted development through the region. Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad established the Lake Chad Basin Commission on 22 May 1964. The Central African Republic joined in 1996, and Libya joined in 2008. The headquarters of
5124-481: The lake. The water level varies greatly seasonally, and the area of the lake also changes dramatically. During the African humid period , the area of Lake Chad reached 400,000 km (150,000 sq mi). Due to the increasingly arid climate, the lake surface gradually shrank. In the 19th century, Lake Chad still had an area of 28,000 km (11,000 sq mi). However, due to climate change and human water diversion, Lake Chad has been greatly reduced since
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#17327753577555208-416: The mid-1970s, and its area has fluctuated between 2,000 and 5,000 km (770 and 1,930 sq mi). The Chad Basin was formed by the depression of the African Shield . The floor of the basin is made of Precambrian bedrock covered by more than 3,600 m (11,800 ft) of sedimentary deposits. For most of the Quaternary , the basin had abundant water sources. Towards the end of this period
5292-470: The middle of the 20th century and overflowed from the Bahr el-Ghazal again. A major drought started in the Sahel region in the late 1960s and caused severe damage in 1972 and 1984. It was thought to be related to vegetation loss, global warming, and sea surface temperature anomalies. During this period, Lake Chad shrunk considerably and fluctuated in the range of 2,000 to 5,000 km (770 to 1,930 sq mi) thereafter. From June 1966 to January 1973,
5376-399: The north. In the south, there is continuous open water at the mouth of the Chari River, and the western part of the water is covered by reed swamps, and the sand dunes that are not completely submerged in the eastern waters form an archipelago. The average depth of the southern lake basin is between .5 and 2 m (1 ft 8 in and 6 ft 7 in), that of the northern lake basin
5460-445: The office of the tindana –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 , located in the area of Diyali , near Tamale , and developed
5544-420: 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 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
5628-401: The people of the lake area, which almost ceased during drought periods and only resumed in the mid-1990s. Most fishing products are dried, pickled, or smoked. The natron produced in the depression on the northeast bank of the lake has long been of significant economic significance. Traditionally, it has been excavated in blocks and transported across the lake to enter the Nigerian market. Since
5712-415: The power center of the empire to shift to Bornu around 1400. In the second half of the 16th century, the Bornu Empire began importing firearms from North Africa, consolidating its military hegemony. The Bornu Empire declined in the 18th century, and later lost its western region to the Sokoto Caliphate during the early 19th century. It was later colonised by European powers in the 20th century. Following
5796-408: The present post-colonial states . At the beginning of independence, the countries surrounding Lake Chad not only had a poor economic foundation, but also had more complex ethnic, religious, and political conflicts. Nigeria and Niger , which had just gained independence, experienced continuous coups, while Chad also experienced ongoing civil war. The inability of countries along the lake to consider
5880-405: The protection of Lake Chad has led to a series of environmental problems. The Chad Basin includes Chad , Nigeria, Cameroon , Niger, Sudan , and the Central African Republic . It is an extensional fault depression type rift basin , which can be divided into four secondary structural units : southern depression, northern depression, central uplift, and eastern slope. The southern depression of
5964-408: The royals of Dagbon. These are the House of Abudu and the House of Andani . 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. Dagbon experiences
6048-720: The south mainly include cyperus papyrus , etc. Reeds mainly grow in the north where the salinity is high, and the floating plant pistia sometimes covers large areas of open water. Plants such as hyparrhenia rufa grow on the shores of lakes with long floods in the south. The area of permanent vegetation has increased from about 3,800 km (1,500 sq mi) in 2000 to about 5,200 km (2,000 sq mi) in 2020 as water levels have dropped and temperatures have increased. The surrounding dense woodland has been converted to open forest with acacias , baobabs , palms and Indian jujube . The lake has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International . It
6132-472: The story of Tohazhie, who left Tunga, east of Lake Chad , with a small band of cavalry men into Zamfara , present-day Nigeria, before moving on to Mali . 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 in western Africa, and reprisal attacks from
6216-490: The surface area of Lake Chad is greatly affected by climate change. Dry climate due to vegetation loss from overgrazing and deforestation and large-scale irrigation projects that diverted water from the rivers that feed the lake are the main reasons for the shrinkage of Lake Chad. The Atlantic multidecadal oscillation and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation have affected precipitation in the Sahel region. From
6300-473: The underground to the lowest point of the Chad Basin, the Bodélé Depression , approximately 480 km (300 mi) northeast of Lake Chad, with the deepest point reaching an elevation of only 155 m (509 ft) above sea level. This takes away most of the salinity and maintains the low salinity of Lake Chad. The southwestern waters of Lake Chad being freshwater, and the water in the northeast
6384-442: The upper reaches of the rivers entering the lake changed the time and scope of seasonal floods and disrupted the migration of fish, resulting in a sharp reduction in the populations of Alestes baremoze and Nile perch , the main catches of Lake Chad, and a significant reduction in the catch. At the same time, the conflicts between countries and ethnic groups competing for water and land are also escalating. The four countries along
6468-409: The water source of Chad Lake for irrigation, breeding, animal husbandry and drinking. Local self-sufficient crops include sorghum , maize , finger millet , beans , and vegetables . Gourd is widely planted for making utensils. The collection of forest products such as gum arabic , honey , beeswax , and firewood is of great significance in the region. However, the reduction in forest area has had
6552-833: The wetlands. At present, most of the large mammals have been hunted to extinction, replaced by a large number of cattle. The entire Chad Basin has 179 species of fish, of which 127 are the same as the Niger River Basin, 85 are the same as the Nile River Basin, 47 are the same as the Congo River Basin , and 84 fish species are distributed in the lake. This makes it a rich fishing ground for communities across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. The seasonal influx of floods combined with seasonal increases in air temperature leads to decreased salinity, increased turbidity, and increased trophic levels, which catalyzed
6636-561: 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,
6720-458: 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. 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
6804-592: Was found in the Chad Basin, charred together with wild grasses, and their era can be traced back to 800–1000 cal BC. Permanent villages were established to the south of the lake by 500 BC, and major archaeological discoveries include the Sao civilization . According to the records of Claudius Ptolemy in the mid-2nd century AD, the Romans of the 1st century AD had already come into contact with Lake Chad through their connections with Tunisia, Tripolitania , and Fezzan . By
6888-468: Was founded by Naa Gbewaa , a great-grandson of a famous warrior named Tohaʒee . Tohazie fathered Kpuɣnambo (ʒinani) and these line of successors journeyed from east of Lake Chad , stopping at several places including Zamfara , present-day northern Nigeria , and in the Mali Empire . Archaeological evidence suggest that there were thriving civilisation in Dagbon before the neolithic period. There
6972-524: 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
7056-639: Was still alive, his daughter Yennenga , travelled north and founded the Mossi Kingdoms of Ouagadougou (Dagbani: Waɣaduɣu), Tenkodogo (Dagbani: Tingkurgu) Yatenga (Dagbani: Yatiŋa), and Fada N'Grumah , who constitute the majority of present-day Burkina Faso . Other kingdoms that emerged from Dagbon include the Bouna Kingdom of Ivory Coast, and the Dagaaba states of the Upper West Region of Ghana. There are two main houses among
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