| Country = Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast,Ghana, | | | | under French rule after decades of fighting to |
| Togo, Benin. | | | | preserve their sovereignty from the latter. |
| Brief History The Mossi People | | | | The Mossi people are the largest ethnic group in |
| The Mossi people who are the dominant ethnic | | | | Burkina Faso where they are thought to be |
| group in Burkina Faso, are direct descendants of | | | | around 6 million. In the Ivory Coast, they number |
| the Dagomba of Ghana. | | | | about 2.5 million and they also have a significant |
| This makes them part of the mori-Dagomba | | | | populations in countries like Ghana, Togo, Mali and |
| group of people. Legend has it that, a daughter of | | | | Benin. |
| a once powerful Dagomba king got married to a | | | | LIFESTYLE AND BELIEFS |
| hunter she encountered when she got lost from | | | | The Mossi people like most of their neigbours are |
| her people. They gave birth to a baby boy and | | | | farmers who depend on the the rains to cultivate |
| named him Ouedraogo (Wedrawgo) which means | | | | their lands. Typically, the products from the Mossi |
| a Stallion, apparently in a tribute to the stallion the | | | | farm included maize, millet, sorghum and a |
| princess rode until she met the hunter. | | | | number of cash crops like sesame. After the |
| When the boy grew up he married to a woman | | | | rainy season the villages are almost without any |
| from the neighbouring people, the children from | | | | young men as they all move to the urban centers |
| this marriage are the ancestors of the Mossi | | | | in search of job opportunities. A large number of |
| people. | | | | the population belong to the Islamic faith whiles |
| The Mossi soon grew very powerful and decided | | | | though who profess animism are the second |
| to conquer the people around them. This | | | | largest group. Christian also boasts of a significant |
| happened as swift as wildfire because the Mossi | | | | amount of followers amongst the Mossi people. |
| were skilled horsemen which enabled them to | | | | GOVERNMENT |
| travel long distance within a short time. They soon | | | | In the Mossi system of government, the emperor |
| occupied a large part of the present day Burkina | | | | (Naaba) is the leader of the people. He then |
| Faso and thus became the existence of the Mossi | | | | appoints members of his family and other noble |
| empire. | | | | men to rule the people of a given area, thus |
| Continuous invasions by the Fulani/Hausa and | | | | making it easy for him to rule. Rebellion from |
| other neigbouring kingdoms who tried to capture | | | | these noble men has always been on the minimal |
| the Mossi territories were successfully repelled | | | | level due to the mostly blood relationship they |
| and it was not until during the later part of the | | | | have with the emperor, so he always has great |
| 19th century, that the Mossi were finally put | | | | trust in those he appoints. |