Precolonial Gonja society was stratified into
castes, with a ruling class, a
Muslim trader class, an
animist commoner class, and a
slave class. Its economy depended largely on trade in
slaves from
Central Africa and
kola nuts, particularly through the market town of
Salaga, sometimes called the "
Timbuktu of the South." The
Gonja language, properly called Ngbanya or Ngbanyito, is a
Tano language within the
Kwa languages family, closely related to
Akan languages. Most Gonja are Muslims but still incorporate traditional practices and beliefs. The Gonja converted to Islam around the 18th century due to the influence of Muslim missionaries and merchants who settled in the region. Healing powers attributed to the Muslims and perceived strength of Islamic prayer encouraged conversion, together with trade. ==Notable Gonja people==