THE NKONYA PEOPLE

The Nkonya are Ga-Akan Related Guans who speak a language closely related to Efutu and Akuapem however, it has lots of Ewe and GTM loan words. They are originally Akuapems who spoke the Gua language of Anum-Boso but then they broke off in the course of time. For the fact that they are Guans; they have close relations with the people of Gonja and Likpe as well. They are found in the Oti Region of Ghana. They migrated from the Ga land to Amanfrom then to Nsawam where they continued to Larteh before getting to an area around the Volta Lake after Kpong where they were attacked by the Akwamu which forced them to migrate to their current location when the people of Anum-Boso remained at present day Anum-Boso. It is because of their migration that the name Senkyi came into existence.

They migrated with their brothers as the Shuoyi people. It is said that they came from a place in somewhere Egypt and they proceeded to Kenya. They further continued to Mali with the Akans and then to Burkina Faso. From Burkina still as the Shuoyi people, came to Bono Manso where they made settlement with the Bono people. They were attacked by Akan warriors during the Asante conquest which made them flee to present day Ayawaso and its environs in the Greater-Accra Region. From Ayawaso, they migrated again due to the Ga-Dangme presence on the land so as to maintain their language. As they moved, the Larteh and Okere ancestors settled on the Akuapem Mountains whereas the Anum-Boso and Nkonya ancestors also settled on the Akuapem lowlands.

Interestingly you cannot talk of the Guans without mentioning the Akwamu. The Akwamus were led by Ansah Sasraku I to journey from the coast to Nyanoase. He led them to settle at Nyanoase near Nsawam. The Anum-Boso-Nkonya ancestors were also settled there. Nana Sasraku was assisted by the Anum-Boso-Nkonya ancestors under the leadership of Asafoatse Apatashi of Owulubitor to build Nyanoase. Nyanoase was built on the hills and later became the capital of the Akwamu Kingdom.

At Nyanoase, the Akwamu people settled among the Guans and ruled over them. Later the war was waged against the Akwamu liberating them from Akwamu control. The Akwamu (then Akwambo) were very powerful and they do not give up easily. Their warlord died and the Guans moved under the leadership of the crowned prince Asiakwa to Larteh to settle. There was no language like Nkonya, Gua or Kyripon then. It was just one language understood by all Guans. They joined and settled with their brothers on two different parts of the mountains: Larteh and Okere. The Okere areas span from Abiriw, Dawu, Awukugua, Adukrom, Asesieso, Abonsen and Akuni and the Larteh areas include Ahenease, Mangoase etc.

The Guans moved again from Larteh to present day Akwamu land where they settled along the River Volta. It was at their present settlement that the name Senchi came about. An account by one of the chiefs at the Royal Senchi palace goes that the Akwamu people came to meet the Nkonya people by the River Volta. The Nkonyas at first sight of the Akwamus pushed themselves into the Volta River forgetting that the water is deep. They exclaimed to each other in Guan that “Ani sankyi! ani sankyi!” The Akwamu misheard and mispronounced “Sankyi” as “Senkyi.” They sought to leave peacefully without fighting with the Akwamu people so they were allowed to cross the river in peace. After crossing the river, some failed to continue with the migration which is why till date the Anum, Boso, Assikuma etc. are Guans who are found right after the Akwamu lands after Juapong. These Guans speak a blend of Kyripon and Larteh called Gua almost exactly as it is spoken in Nkonya but then the Akwamu speak Twi so the Gua people have been greatly influenced by the Twi language. Then again according to one Emmanuel Biggah, the people of Nkonya have their gods in the Senkyi waters till date.

From Anum-Boso, the others continued to present day Nkonya land. The Nkonya have one of the widest settlements among the Guans within the Oti Region. Nkonya language is a very unique language among the Ga-Akan Guan languages. The Nkonya language is a blend of Awutu, Kyripon, Gua and Larteh. They have conserved most of the ancient Guan words like “fu” to mean “you” and “nyinkpasa” to mean “human” unlike their fellow Ga-Akan Guan counterparts who have with time modified most of the Guan grammar.

Nkonya could be seen as the Gua language of the Anum-Boso which have adopted and modified its core vocabulary in the course of time.  In Efutu, “continues tenses” have the “laa” as a helping verb and it has been modified to “ta” in Nkonya. An example would be “Amulaa ba” which means “they are coming in Efutu”. This is said as “Amuta ba” in Nkonya.

The Nkonyas are divided into two groups: Wurupong and Ahenkro with Nkonya-Ahenkro the de facto capital of the Nkonya territory. The Wurupong extend from Bumbila, Adenkensu, Subriso, Aboto and Ahobrase. The Ahenkro communities would also include Asatsri, Nkonya-Zongo, Akloba, Ahodwo, Owulubitor, Ahenkro-Ntsumuru, Kpoji, Nkonya-Tayi, Nkonya-Tepo and Ntumada.

I had adressed the Nkonya-Alanvanyo war in the previous chapter THE EWES. And, I would like to adress this same issue here. Indeed, the past could have been a bitter one but let us look unto progress rather than constant wars. The wars are drawing Guans back and it is time Guans and Ewes unite and look at progress rather than retrogression. I will plead with all youth of Nkonya to strive to make Nkonya a tourist destination and promote Nkonya rather than fight. Let us end this war. Thank you all!  

COMMON COURTESY IN NKONYA

ASU	MMUAYꜪ	WORD	RESPONSE
Nkali gyi fu we?	Miyo bɔale! Ewe bɔ mi ɔli!	How are you?	I am fine!
Nkali gyi mutɔ?	Bulu adaroma!	How is it?	God’s grace!
Ɔya/ Ꜫlɛkɛ!	Ꜫdɔɔ!	Good morning!	Good morning!
Kyiani!	Ꜫdɔɔ!	Good afternoon/evening!	Good afternoon/evening!
Fa bɔi atɔ!	Ma dã pã!	Thank you!	Do not mention!
No buyipa!		I beg you!
Fa bɔ i atɔ!		Well done!
Fulanate!	Yaa!	Welcome!	Thank you!