The Boy Who Named Himself: A Tale of Defiance and Wit

 In a Dagara village in West Africa, a tyrannical chief shocked the community with a decree that stripped families of their right to name their children. From then on, he alone would choose names, disregarding long-standing traditions. However, an unexpected challenger emerged: a newborn boy who defied the chief from his crib.

On her way to the chief’s house to have her son named, a mother heard her baby speak. He asked where they were going, and when she explained, he declared he already had a name: Yagangnaa, meaning “wiser than the chief.” The mother, astonished, turned back home, respecting her son’s choice.

Years later, the chief overheard someone calling Yagangnaa’s name. Infuriated, he demanded to know who had named the boy. When Yagangnaa replied that he had named himself, the chief’s anger grew. Determined to prove his dominance, the chief devised a series of impossible tasks to punish the boy and his family.

A Battle of Wits

First, the chief gave Yagangnaa a basket of millet mixed with pebbles and ordered his mother to brew pito, a millet beer, by the end of the day—a task that would normally take weeks. Yagangnaa countered by sending the chief gourd seeds, asking him to prepare calabash cups the same day for the pito. Recognizing the challenge, the chief abandoned his demand.

Next, the chief told Yagangnaa to tend his bull until it produced enough cattle to pay for his sons’ bridewealth. Yagangnaa agreed without protest. The following day, he began chopping wood near the chief’s house. When asked why, he replied that his father had just delivered a baby, prompting the chief to mock the impossibility of such an event. Yagangnaa then pointed out the absurdity of expecting a bull to bear cattle. Defeated again, the chief reclaimed the bull.

A Deadly Plot

Determined to end Yagangnaa, the chief sent him on an errand with his son. He gave Yagangnaa fine clothes and a strong horse while dressing his own son in rags and giving him a weak horse. Sensing danger, Yagangnaa swapped outfits and horses with the chief’s son. Moments later, a poisoned arrow, intended for Yagangnaa, struck and killed the chief’s son instead.

The chief’s fury only grew. He invited Yagangnaa to a drinking feast, setting a deadly trap. He covered a hidden well with a cowskin to serve as Yagangnaa’s seat, planning to pour scalding pito on him once he fell in. But Yagangnaa, anticipating the scheme, dug a tunnel from his home to the well. When he "fell," he escaped through the tunnel, collecting the pito his mother later retrieved.

Triumph of Tradition

Believing Yagangnaa had perished, the chief was shocked to receive an invitation from him the next day. Yagangnaa graciously offered to reciprocate the chief’s "hospitality." Realizing he could never outwit the boy, the chief finally conceded defeat. He abolished his decree and returned the right to name children to the community.

Through his courage and cunning, Yagangnaa not only restored a cherished tradition but proved the power of standing against tyranny, no matter the odds.