Legends have it that Daboya was formally known as Burugu which simply means a well in the Dagomba language as the area had very good and clean water bodies where the people could drink from.
The area stretching all the way to the Western part of the White Volta River was conquered by famous Gonja ruler and warlord, Ndewura Jakpa who then placed the entire area under the leadership of her daughter who in turn became known as Buruwuche meaning Chief of Burugu.
According to the folktales, Buruwuche did a favour for a leper who visited the town and the leper gave her some instructions to follow which would result in her land becoming very prosperous. Buruwuche followed these instructions and the result was that the rivers and lands of the area became rich in salt mineral.
As years went by, Burugu became more and more prosperous due to the salt mining activities resulting in attacks by nearby Dagomba towns who wanted to take over Burugu and its salt mining business.
Fearing her people might be defeated and forced into slavery, Buruwuche went back to her father to seek for help in fighting off the Dagombas. It is claimed she took along some of the salt to give to his father and siblings and her siblings after tasting the fine salt exclaimed in Gonja ‘Nda peye bo anyie yea’ meaning ‘Our elder sister’s land has the best salt’. It is this Gonja exclamation that was shortened to become Daboya as we know today.
Daboya is in the Savannah Region of Ghana.
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