Sociolinguistics Account of the Dimensions of Naa Tia Sulemana’s Poem M Ba Yɛligu

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue II, February 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Sociolinguistics Account of the Dimensions of Naa Tia Sulemana’s Poem M Ba Yɛligu

 Sibaway Muhammed Habib
Department of Languages, E.P. College of Education, Bimbilla, Ghana

Abstract
The focus of this current study is to provide a sociolinguistics analysis of a poem entitled m ba yɛligu ‘my father’s advice’ written by Naa Tia Sulemana. My analysis focuses on the language use in the poem (diction), the structure of the poem. The lesson of the poem is also discussed in the work. I claim that the advice that is given in the poem is one that is relevant for the social upbringing of children among the Dagbamba. This is attributable to the fact that the notion of telling lies is frowned upon in the social structures of the Dagbamba. The paper is important because it addresses an important poem in the context of the Dagbamba, particularly that literature has not been investigated in the study of Dagbani language.

Key words: Dagbamba, child raising, sociolinguistics, diction, advice etc

1. Introduction

The poem under study was originally written in Dagbani language by Naa Tia Sulemana. However, this current study has made the efforts to get the poem translated into English language for the purpose of this study.
Dagbamba (also called Dagombas by nonnative speakers and even natives who are not into the language) is an ethnic group from the Mabia (Gur) language family of the Niger Congo language family. Speakers of Dagbani or Dagbanli occupy some 8082 square miles in area and the Dagbon Kingdom dates back to the fifteenth century, with its early warrior equestrian ancestors coming into the present Northeastern location in modern day Ghana, from the Chadic Region.
The author of the poem, Naa Tia Sulemana, born in 1927, comes from a royal lineage of Dagbon. He had an impressive education and career. He briefly worked with the Bureau of Ghana languages as a chief editor of Dagbani newspaper Lahabli Chuɣu”. Later in 1965 he joined the Information Services Department where he served on different levels as District Information Officer (DIO) and subsequently the Regional Information Officer (RIO) in different areas of Ghana. By dint of hard work he was posted to Kenya as information counsellor {press attaché) to Ghana’s Embassy. Unfortunately, he had to return to Ghana after a coup de tat that took place in 1983.
Naa Tia Sulemana was also a known political figure in the northern region of Ghana. He held several political offices and later become a member of the Council of state of Ghana from 2001 to 2008.
As a royal of Dagbon, he first obtained the chieftaincy title as Fazhihini Naa, and was later elevated to higher chieftaincy of Zoosali or Zoosali Naa.
As an author, he was among the early Dagbani elites to have started writing proverbs, poems, stories and history in the Dagbani language. He has to his credit Naa Luro mini o Bihi (Naa Luro and his Children), Naa Zangina mini o Bihi (Naa Zangina and Children) Kpamdi Fasara (Proverbs in Dagbani). His main objective was to encourage the reading, studying and writing in Dagbani. Some of his books are used in Schools, Colleges and Universities in Ghana.

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