UE/R: The Untold Truth Behind Bolgatanga’s Name: A Story of Abolga, Rocks, and a Colonial Twist

BY: MILLICENT L. DAHAMANI

The popular belief that Bolgatanga,  the Upper East Regional capital, got its name from “bole” (a kind of soil) and “tanga”  has been officially debunked. New light has been shed on the Region’s name origin, thanks to insights from renowned  Author,  Dr.  Gheysika Adombire Agambilla.

Contrary to the myth, Bolgatanga’s name has nothing to do with women collecting soil from rocky lands. The real story traces back to the first settler of the area, a man named Abolga, whose legacy shaped the future identity of the town  all the way to colonial records.

According to oral accounts shared by Dr. Agambilla on GBC URA Radio’s Curious minds, a children’s program, Abolga was the first to settle in a place called Yekine, which means “large house” in the Gurene language. As his family grew, his people spread out to Tanzui, and later to areas like Atulbabisi, founded by a man named Atulba, believed to be from Abolga’s lineage.

Abolga had four sons from two wives, and these sons later became the Tendaadema (traditional landowners or custodians) of various communities in present-day Bolgatanga. These include: Tindonsobligo, Daporetindongo, Tindonmolgo and Tindonsio.

Abolga was also a deeply spiritual man who worshipped his god, Ayea, at a rocky location that  become known as the Bolga Old Market.

The name Bolgatanga, as it turns out, came from a misunderstanding during colonial times. One day, a white colonial officer passed through the area and saw a group of young men sitting on rocks. Curious, he asked  through a translator  what the place was called. The young men replied:

“Te ma zila Abolga tanga zuugu” , (“ we are sited at Abolga’s rocky place”)

The translator shortened the response to simply “Abolgatanga”. But knowing that locals often added an “A” as a prefix, the colonial officer dropped it and recorded the name as Bolgatanga. And just like that, the town received a name that was neither native nor intentional  but rather, a colonial-era invention.

Dr. Agambilla further  noted that the entire Bolgatanga area is made up of multiple communities, each with its own name and history  including Zaare, Sumbrungu, Yikene, Zuarungu etc. “There is no place originally called Bolgatanga,” he explained. “The name is artificial, born from colonial documentation.”

Before it developed into a regional capital, Commercial Street was the first road that ran through the area, serving as the main route connecting Tamale to Navrongo. It became the heartbeat of early Bolgatanga.

Dr. Agambilla concluded by urging young people to take pride in knowing their heritage. “Every town has a story,” he said. “Understanding our history helps us know who we are and where we come from.”