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Death of a king, death of a kingdom? Social pluralism and succession to high office in Dagbon, northern Ghana

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2006

Wyatt MacGaffey
Wyatt MacGaffey
Affiliation:
Haverford College, Haverford, PA.
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Abstract

The ongoing dynastic dispute in the kingdom of Dagbon in northern Ghana, which led to the killing of the king in 2002, remains unresolved and perhaps unresolvable. This paper updates Staniland's account of Dagomba politics from 1880 to 1974, and elaborates on the contradictions inherent in the social pluralism of a post-colonial state.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 44 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 79 - 99
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

I have visited Dagbon once or twice every year since 1996. I wish to thank my wife, Tamale Zo-Simli Na, her elders, entourage and associates, for helping me to understand Dagbon. Also, two anonymous readers of an earlier draft, who stimulated its substantial revision. I also thank Haverford College for help with my travel expenses.