Tem
Kotokoli
Region	Togo, Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso
Ethnicity	Tem people
Native speakers	390,000 (2012–2018)[1]
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Gur Southern Gurunsi Eastern Tem
Writing system	Latin (Tem alphabet) Tem Braille Arabic (former)
Official status
Recognised minority language in	Benin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	kdh
Glottolog	temm1241

Tem, or Kotokoli (Cotocoli), is a Gur language spoken in Togo, Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso. It is used by neighboring peoples. In Ghana the Kotokoli people comes from a northern part of the Volta Region a town called Koue. Koue shares boarder with Togo with a small river which is called the Koue river separating it from Togo.

Aside their traditional home in Koue, the Tem/Kotokoli people are scattered all over Ghanaian communities. They are mainly live in Zongo settlements in Nima-Mamobi, Madina, Dodowa, Asaman, Jamasi, Aboaso, Mamponteng, Ahwiaa, Offinso Asamankama, Kokoti, Fanteakwa, Kinyako, Fianko, Ahmasu, Kejebi, Hohoe, Nkwanta, Kpassa, Karachi, Dambai and a host of others. The Chieftain is called the Wuro and is the overlord of the Koue lands, the Kotokoli people, at home and in diaspora. He name is Wuro Dauda Cheddere Brenae I. Some of the notable Kotokoli tribesmen include the National Youth Chief of Kotokoli, Wuro Alhaj Ismael Bameiyin, Wuro Alhaj Salifu Haruna of Madina, Sheikh Salis Shaban of the blessed memory, Sheikh Muhammad Qassim Kpakpaturu of Jamasi, Mallam Abdul Muhaimin of Kumasi, the assembly member of Tunsuom Electoral area at Jamasi, Hon. Basharu Zakaria Kooli, the Honourable Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East, Hon. Naser Toure Mahama, the former Black Stars goalkeeper Fatau Dauda, the former DCE of Fanteakwa district Hon. Abass Fuseini Sbaabe, Alhaj Great Anyass of blessed memory and the list continues. Kotokolis are adherents of Islamic faith with a large base in Ahlul-Sunna wal Jamaa, Tijaniyya and Shia as well. Most mosques around Zongo communities have either their Imams, Muazin/Ledeni, or tutors/Mallams as Tem people making them one of the notable tribes in the affairs of Islam.

Writing System

High tone is indicated by an acute accent: á é ɛ́ í ɩ́ ó ɔ́ ú ʊ́, no accent indicates low tone. Long vowels are indicated by doubling the letter: aa ee ɛɛ ii ɩɩ oo ɔɔ uu ʊʊ, both are accented if the tone is high: (áá etc.), only the first is accented if the tone is descending (áa), only the second is accented if the tone is ascending (aá).

References