First-ever history book on Pungu and Butu launched in Navrongo
Titled "History of Pungu and Butu Family, Navrongo" the book was launched on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the Navrongo Teachers Cooperative Credit Union.
Clement Tumfuga Bugase, a former Member of Parliament for Navrongo, and Francis Babongte Avura, a renowned policy analyst, have jointly authored a book on the history of the Pungu and Butu families.
Titled “History of Pungu and Butu Family, Navrongo” the book was launched on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the Navrongo Teachers Cooperative Credit Union.
The 14-chapter book presents a holistic history of the two families, drawing from accounts of indigenes.
The authors spent four years gathering information and compiling the book, which provides a comprehensive history of Pungu and Butu, covering diverse aspects of culture and tradition.
Its content is deeply rooted in primary sources of data and explores topics such as clan and lineage, chieftaincy, marriages, funeral performances, food, dance, music, traditional health practices, indigenous education, and colonial administration.
Speaking at the launch, Clement Tumfuga Bugase explained that the book was necessitated by the void in written historical data on the people of Pungu and Navrongo.
“This book came about as a result of a need; we’ve observed that in both Pungu and Navrongo when it comes to our history, there is a big gap. There’s no book anywhere that tells you about the people of Pungu or Navrongo.”
Bugase added that the publication of the over 200-page book would help preserve the culture and identity of the people by capturing oral history.
Avura, who co-authored the book highlighted the significance of the book’s cover, featuring a young man dressed in traditional regalia standing in front of a traditional bun, representing the customs and traditions of the people.
Gerald Atawora, who chaired the launch, praised the authors for their dedication to preserving history and encouraged attendees to develop an interest in history. “To gather historical facts and write a well-founded book of over 200 pages is no mean achievement. We should appreciate the authors. There’s so much to learn in this book for both young and elderly people,” Atawora said.
The book is available in major commercial bookshops in Navrongo and will be made available in public schools and libraries across the Kassena-Nankana enclave of the Upper East Region.
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