Many who have lived all their lives in southern Ghana assume people from northern Ghana speak one language, are predominantly Muslims, have access to powerful magical charms, know one another’s hometowns, are troublesome by nature, live in primitive houses and practice primitive customs, eat weird food, and have parents who arrange marriages for children.

Such people might be surprised to find people from northern Ghana who speak English very fluently without a northern accent, do not have tribal marks and do not look like their typical roadside barbecue vendor or street hawker.

People with such myopic perceptions feel they need to fake their love for guinea fowls, cattle or some staple medicinal food found in the North  in order to not perforate the self-esteem of people from Northern Ghana.

Growing up in the extreme weather and underdeveloped conditions in the north naturally sets one up to be a tough resilient combattant in the quest to make it in life, which explains why many northerners attach a lot of importance to their studies and are among some of the best students in many classrooms across the nation. 

I am from the Northern Region of Ghana and I am very proud of my origin and heritage. In this short mini series, I will be sharing some insights about life in the north.