[8] The kingdom was formed when Naa Gbewaa and his descendants unified the Dagomba and related peoples who were ruled by decentralised chieftains known as Tindaamba.

While lineage of chiefs are external, historical evidence affirms the presence and integral role of both the Tindaamba and the general Dagomba populace within the fabric of Dagbon society, prior to Gbewaa.

[19][20] Historically, its noble daughter, Yennenga, is regarded as the "mother" of the Mossi kingdoms,[21][22][23] a people who constitute nearly half of the nation of Burkina Faso.

[26] They constitute a guild of specialists charged with the duty of preserving historical and genealogical information, duly arranged in accordance with the succession of chiefs and noble lineages.

[29][30] Tohazie fathered Kpuɣnambo (ʒinani) and these line of successors journeyed from east of Lake Chad, stopping at several places including Zamfara, present-day northern Nigeria, and in the Mali Empire.

These histories narrate the story of Tohazhie, who left Tunga, east of Lake Chad, with a small band of cavalry men into Zamfara, present-day Nigeria, before moving on to Mali.

His son, Naa Gbewaa (or Bawa), left Biun with some of his followers to settle at Pusiga in the northeastern corner of Ghana, where he ruled until he became blind.

[33]: 25 Gbewaa established Dagbon in present-day northern Ghana, unifying small decentralised states headed by the Tindaamba.

As Sitobu moved south, he unified indigenous Dagombas, Konkomba, Nafeba, Basare and Chamba, who did not have centralised political structures, except for the office of the tindana–the earth priest.

[33]: 25  Sitobu's son, Naa Nyaɣsi (r. 1416–1432) succeeded him and embarked on a war of expansion, overthrowing many of the Tindaamba and holding sway over the indigenous people.

Naa Nyagsi established his capital at Yani Dabari, located in the area of Diyali, near Tamale, and developed a stable political organisation by installing his sons, brothers and uncles as rulers over the conquered people.

The division of Dagbon by the Germans and British without regard to the peoples history brought several challenges, mainly in its traditional leadership.

Gonja attacks in Western Dagbon (Tomo), especially at Daboya dealt a lot of damage to the Dagomba people.

[33]: 25–26 The extension of trade with the Dyula, and later with the Hausa, linked the Dagbon state with neighbouring kingdoms, like the Fezzan, Egypt, and the Bight of Benin.

The predominant vegetation type is Guinean forest–savanna mosaic, characterized by a band of interlaced forest, savanna, and grassland.

The diverse range of topics covered in their manuscripts, spanning chronicles, biographies, jurisprudence, pilgrimage guides, Arabic linguistics, and Qur'anic commentaries, mirrors their status as a semi-autonomous intellectual and spiritual elite.

[43] These writings not only underscore their independent economic standing but also illustrate that Mole learning was intricately linked to various societal activities, organizations, and institutions.

[50] Their method of historical preservation involves the recitation and rhythmic drumming of proverbs, each laden with references to the history of the Dagbon royalty and their achievements.

[51] Through this oral tradition, the Lunsi not only safeguard the historical legacy of their people but also serve as the storytellers who continually reaffirm the profound connection between the citizens and their revered royal ancestors.

In 1888, Dagbon became part of a neutral zone called Salaga Area, stretching from Yeji to Yendi, that was established to forestall conflict between the Germans and the British.

Naa Andani, however, had already told German colonial administrator Hans Gruner beforehand that he believed that "it is the white man who makes the roads unsafe".

[53] In 1896, the Germans led by Valentin von Massow, Hans Gruner and Gaston Thierry clashed with the Dagomba at the Battle of Adibo, destroyed Yendi and made away with valuables.

[56] Meanwhile, Na Andani's eldest son Idi had moved with his retinue to Sang in the Gold Coast colony and gathered up with those who had fled Yendi.

Following World War I, eastern Dagbon became part of the British-administered mandated territories established by the League of Nations and reunited with the west, allowing the Yaa Naa to resume control of his people.

To pay the head tax the British imposed, Dagomba had to migrate to the southern Gold Coast to work in mines and on cocoa plantations.

Certain chieftaincies, such as Karaga, Savalugu and Mion, are reserved for the sons of the former Yaa Naa, and their occupancy qualifies one to test for the Namship, or head chiefdom, at Yendi.

Following the death of Yaa-Na Mahama II in 1954, a succession dispute arose and the federal government sent troops to Yendi and intervened.

[63][64][65] After eight years, on 10 April 2010, around thirty to forty people were arrested for the murder in Yendi and parts of Accra in preparation for prosecution.

[62][66] On 16 November 2018, a Mediation Committee that consisted of three Eminent Chiefs finalized its plan to resolve the conflict in Dagbon.

The two Houses agreed to the Committees proposal that the Abudu Royal family perform the funeral rites of the late Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai from 14 to 28 of December 2018.