The Gurma peoples east of the Mossi plateau: the later Gourma country round Fada N'Gourma, Bogande, Gayeri, Diapaga and Pama, the Liptako round Dori and Sebba, and the right bank of the Niger in the later Niger Republic (the 'Gurma' of the chronicles, as against the 'Hausa' left bank), round Tera, Torodi and Makalondi.
Izard thinks a Gurma state existed before the present Lompo dynasty of Nungu (Fada N'Gourma), probably as a confederation of semi-independent territorial commands, but its origins are unknown and Levtzion could give no date for it; Gurma tradition says the first king of Nungu came down from heaven. On 1 January 1200 the Gurma are shown as a people under their lineage heads and earth priests; any chiefdoms among them are not attested.
Who holds it
- Title
- lineage heads and earth priests; perhaps territorial chiefs
- Since
- not known
- Confidence
- low
How things stand that morning
Self-governing. Borgu to the south-east and the Togo hills to the south are the yor and gui researchers' ground.
Customs and assemblies
Lineage heads and earth priests; possibly territorial chiefs (Izard).
Overlord claims
None attested.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1200No dated event is recorded.
Where the sources disagree
- Popular accounts date Diaba Lompo's founding of the Gurma kingdom to the thirteenth century or earlier on the long Mossi chronology; Izard gives no date and treats the dynasty's origin as unknown.
Evidence: Izard (UNESCO GHA IV ch. 9) and later tradition; no dated evidence.
On the map: The Liptako and the Niger's right bank are given to the Gurma as the nearest attested people; their population in 1200 is not known.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.