Yennenga

Yennenga (wey dem born for between 11th to 15th century) na one correct princess wey people dey call di mama of Mossi people for Burkina Faso. She be famous warrior for di Kingdom of Dagbon, wey dey for wetin today be Ghana. Na her papa Nedega start di Kingdom of Dagbon. But her papa no gree make she marry, so na im make she waka comot from di kingdom. As she dey waka wit her horse, she meet one young hunter wey dem call Rialé. Di two of dem come born one pikin wey dem name Ouedraogo. Di name Ouedraogo mean "male horse" to show respect to di horse wey help Yennenga find Rialé. Today, plenty people for Burkina Faso dey answer di name Ouedraogo. Yennenga or her pikin Ouedraogo na dem people dey call di founder of Mossi Kingdom. But different story dey about how Yennenga waka comot.

Her life story

Yennenga papa and mama na Nedega and Napoko. Dem be king and queen for Dagbon kingdom around di 12th century. Today, dat place na part of Ghana. For oral story wey people dey tell, dem talk say Yennenga fine well well. Her name "Yennenga" even mean "slim one" because she fine and her shape correct. Her papa train her well to sabi hunt and fight. From when she be 14 years, she dey follow her papa fight war against dia neighbour wey dem call Malinké people. Yennenga sabi throw spear, use javelin and shoot arrow well well. She sabi ride horse like pro and she even get her own soldiers wey dey follow her for battle. Na strong woman wey no dey fear anybody, and di people love her because she get her own mind.

When Yennenga don reach age wey she suppose marry, her papa no gree find husband for her. E no even allow her marry because he like as she sabi fight war for di kingdom. To show her papa say she no happy, Yennenga plant wheat for farm. When di wheat grow, she no harvest am — she just leave am make e spoil. When her papa ask her why, she tell am say na so her body dey do her — like how di wheat spoil, na so she dey feel for inside. But her papa no even send am, e come even lock her inside palace.

One of di king horseman come pity Yennenga, come help her escape. She wear man cloth make people no sabi say na woman. Dem climb horse waka comot. But as dem dey go, Malinké people ambush dem. Dem kill di horseman wey follow Yennenga, so she waka dey go alone. She ride her horse go north. One night, she cross river, she don tire well well. Her horse carry her enter one forest.

For di forest, she jam one hunter wey dey catch elephant, wey dem call Rialé. Di two of dem gree well well. As Rialé later sabi say Yennenga na woman, di two of dem come fall in love. Dem come born one pikin wey dem call Ouedraogo, wey mean "big strong horse". Today, plenty people for Burkina Faso dey bear dat name.

As Ouedraogo don big, e come visit im grandpapa Nedega. Nedega dey find Yennenga since she waka comot, so when e hear say Yennenga still dey alive, e happy well well. E do big party and send people go bring Yennenga and Rialé come back. Yennenga papa come welcome dem well well. E train Ouedraogo well and give am plenty cow, horse and other things wey e fit take start im own kingdom. Na so Ouedraogo take start di Mossi Kingdom.

Wetin people remember her for

Yennenga na di mama wey Mossi people dey respect well well because na she be di root of dia kingdom. For Ouagadougou, wey be Burkina Faso capital, dem get plenty statue of Yennenga. One golden horse statue wey dem call Étalon de Yennenga na di trophy wey dem dey give for Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO). Burkina Faso national football team self, dem dey call dem Les Étalons (di Stallions) because of Yennenga horse.

Since 2017, dem dey plan build new city near Ouagadougou, and dem go name di city Yennenga, to honour her name.