During the mid-19th century, the British slave traders had already established centres around Gambaga as trade was getting intense in Northern Ghana. This was because the Mamprusis was already established with a central ruler (the Nayiri).
Slaves were being transported from Tenkodougou, Ouagadougou and nearby settlements in Burkina to Gamba. The slaves were mainly Moshies and some other tribes like the Bissau.
Bok(now Bawku), Kugri around Garu and Tanga around Zebilla were the villages where the route of transportation passes. Kusasi were already occupying the aforementioned villages led by their family head or Tindaanas (Owners of the land) where they carried out their farming and hunting activities as their source of livelihood. This remains the main occupation of the Kusasis to date.
The quest to possess vast fertile lands for farming made families scatter and spread apart covering almost all the lands. Until recently when the kusasis learned to trade when a place was getting populated, the Kusasis prefers to move outskirts where they can get enough land for farming and their family. No wonder majority of the lands are owned by Kusasis.
Kusasis were having a sense of empathy, sympathy and peace-loving and therefore would not like to see others struggle in bondages.
Asia'r and Aweling were Kusasi brothers who were hunters and always successful in their skills.
They go out every afternoon to the bush and to their surprise for the first time, saw people chained and handled like animals through the bush towards Gambaga. They couldn't understand or believe what that means. They enquired from their father and were told about the slaves.
They monitored this incident from time to time and finally decided one day to attack and save a few slaves. Some of the slaves that were freed by the Kusasi hunters run into the bushes and were never seen again while others were accommodated and given land to settle. This continued for just a while until information got to the Nayiri.
Those slaves who could not trace their way back to Burkina remained in Bawku and its surroundings but still speak probably Moshies and Bissa.
No wonder some of the slaves that remained and lived with the Kusasis
grow up to support the Kusasis.
Those that became servants in the Kusasis homes because they were not strong enough to fend for themselves were given Kusasis to marry. In about three generations, their offspring will be part of Kusasis( either from the maternal or paternal side) and that is the kindness Kusasis is known for.
Unfortunately, Bawku Mamprusis think third Generation Kusasis is an insult.
By the late 19th century( around 1890-1900) the slave masters asked for permission from the Nayiri to assist them to handle the Kusasis (they referred to them as bandits )that interrupt the safety of slavery in Bawku areas. They were referred to as bandits not because they stole or kill but because they wanted to set slaves free. No wonder Kusasis love freedom and never wants anyone to be a slave to another.
Following the quest for a safe route, Nayiri released his son Identified as Ali and some others who were all colonial police force(not national) to station at Bawku, Kugri and Tanga which then weren't part of Ghana.
Ali was not the son of Atabea Zontuaa (the first Nayiri) as the Bawku Mamprusis are portraying even though same lineage as the son of Yamuza Bariga( the then Nayiri).
As time passed by few Mamprusis came to join their brothers which necessitate Nayiri to make Ali chief to oversee the mamprusis around the area.
As slavery intensifies by 1900, the colonial masters wanted to involve the indigenous people( Kusasis) as mediators and so raised the mamprusi chief to a paramountcy.
Even though Kusasis didn't have or know anything about chieftaincy, they were instructed by the white to learn and be made subchiefs by the Mamprusis. The Kusasis were not happy at the proposal, they didn't like to be under a traveller and a settler but had no option but to comply because a slave master and a Mamprusi police were just too much for them.
The oppression continued until 1930 when the peace-loving Kusasis who feared being fired started agitation to be made free because they are not used to oppression. The agitation was not effective because the Kusasis were not centralized and the mode of communication was not effective. However, the Kusasis had to endure another oppression for 20 years because spears and arrows the Kusasi weapon, could not just fight the white man's gun.
This agitation between the Kusasis and the Mamprusis continued until when Nkrumah conquered the whites in the freedom fight for independence and now captured Bawku as part of Ghana.
Nkrumah upon independence wanted to find out why there is agitation between Kusasis and Mamprusis. He set the Afari committee in 1957 to investigate the real indigenes of Bawku. The committee came back with a report that ascertain Kusasis as the rightful owners of the land. The Mamprusis only came as police for the slave masters.
Even though the Kusasis were ascertained rightful owners of the land, the mamprusis still wanted to rule.
But Nkrumah wanted peace, freedom and independence and so asked the mamprusis to relinquish the chieftaincy title.
Azoka Abugrago was selected by the Kusasis and coronated in1957 by the elders and chiefs who already had learnt about chieftaincy.
Mamprusis are settlers in Bawku even though they ruled over land against our interest for many years with the help of the slave master, the number of chiefs they are showcasing in Bawku history are all fallacies and written by them for their parochial interests.
It should be known that the kusasis were freedom fighters long before even though they were hunters.
It should not be seen that the Mamprusis came to a bush and cleared to settle there in the 17th century as portrayed. They came to the Bawku area as police to protect the interest of the slave master in the late 19th century (1890) when the Kusasis were already living there centuries before( not talking about the town in particular).
The then Kusasi man will bow and fear a Mamprusi man because of them being police. We were not even friendly with each other following the brutal nature of Mamprusis with the support of the slave master.
It should not be told that the kusasis were living peacefully with the mamprusis in that situation. What is peace when a Mamprusi chief could snatch a Kusasi woman from her husband? Seizing belongings and property of Kusasis forcefully from us just because they are the chiefs and u think that was peaceful coexistence? No!
No wonder the mamprusis enjoyed all these and wouldn't want to let go.
All Kusasis should never wish this thing comes back to happen cos the doom days are over.
We should stand to protect and be called bandits but we are not thieves or armed robbers but freedom fighters.
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