Damongo

Damongo is a town and the capital of West Gonja Municipal, a municipal in the Savannah Region of northern Ghana. On 12 February 2019, Damongo was declared the capital of the newly created Savannah Region; With the coming into force of the Constitutional Instrument (CI) 105, which was signed into force by the President of the Republic of Ghana and presented to the Yagbonwura in Jubilee House Accra. Damongo hosts the Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom; the Yagbonwura. It is also the capital (biggest town) in the Damongo Constituency whose current MP is Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor (Minister of Lands and Natural Resources). The languages spoken in Damongo include Gonja, Vagla, Hanga, Dagaare, Waale, Frafra, Kasim, Twi, Ewe, and Hausa. History Damongo, also recognized as the capital of the Gonja Kingdom by the Declaration of Customary Law (Gonja Traditional Council) Instrument, 2010, traces its roots back to the ancient Songhai Empire and migrated to present-day Ghana in 1546, led by Askia Mohammed. Successive rulers, such as Musa Askia, Landa, Wam, Amoah, and Lanta Limu, paved the way for the establishment of the modern Gonja Kingdom, with Yagbonwura Ndewura Jakpa as its founder. Damongo is renowned for hosting the prestigious Yagbon Skin. The seat of the Gonja Kingdom was moved from Nyange to Damongo by Yagbonwura Awusi Ewuntomah Bunyangso, who ruled from 1942 to 1975. At that time, Damongo was a small community with less than ten households. Nevertheless, it became the focal point of Gonja's leadership and heritage. Throughout history, notable Yagbonwuras like Yagbonwura Mahama Abudu Kurabaso (1975 to 1982), Yagbonwura J.A. Braimah Timu (1983 to 1987), Yagbonwura Kanyiti (1987 to 1990), Yagbonwura Bi-Awuribi (1990 to 1992), Yagbonwura Ale Adengi Tikpiri (1992 to 1993), Yagbonwura Amantana Bore Nyinche (1993 to 2000), Yagbonwura Bawa Abudu Doshie (2000 to 2010), Yagbonwura Sulemana Jakpa Tuntumba Boresa I (2010 to 2023), and presently Yagbonwura Bikunuto Jewu Soale.