Guang
The present-day Guang languages, subdivided into South Guang (e.g. Awutu, Cherepon) and North Guang (e.g. Chumburung, Gonja, Nkonya) are thought by some (e.g. Ampene, Dickson) to be derived from the language of the original settlers of Ghana. A short summary given by GhanaWeb describes the early process of settlement:
"The Guan are believed to have begun to migrate from the Mossi region of modern Burkina around A.D. 1000. Moving gradually through the Volta valley in a southerly direction, they created settlements along the Black Volta, throughout the Afram Plains, in the Volta Gorge, and in the Akwapim Hills before moving farther south onto the coastal plains."
Nkonya
A brief description of the Nkonya language and people is given by the Ghana Institute for Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation:
"In the language itself, the language name is pronounced Nkunyá. A single speaker is an Okunyáyin with the plural being Nkunyáfɔ. The land where they live is also called Nkunyá. They live mainly in about 13 towns in the Volta Region, bordering on Lake Volta, between 7° 5" N and 7° 17" N and between 0° 15" E and 0° 22" E. This is an area along the Kpando-Worawora road from about 11 km north of Kpando up to (but not including) Kwamekrom, 34 km north of Kpando."
K.Ampene describes the more recent origin of the Nkonya people as a northward migration from the earlier coastal settlements:
"Politically, Nkonya is made up of two independent traditional set-ups namely, Ahenkro and Wurupong. ... The name Nkonya originated from the expression 'Nko-anya' i.e. 'Nko' (wars) and 'anya' (unconquerable and invisible {sic; possibly 'invincible'}). Historically, their ancestors jointly migrated from the savannah land in the north at a place called Kpembe (lit. Stone Axe) near Salaga and came down to the coast where they settled at the present site of Cape Coast. .. Soon the slave trade began to rear its ugly head .. As a result, their ancestors wandered from place to place along the coast until they settled for a while among their kith and kin at Larteh-Akuapem. Due to the pressure exerted on the part of the Akwamu at Nyanawase, most of the Guan communities nestling on the Akuapem mountains deserted bag and baggage. They included Nkonya, Nawuri, Krachi, Yeji Kakyinpoh, Dwan and Nchumuru. The Nkonya section settled together at Senchi on the west bank of the Volta for a while before the historic split occurred. One section (Wurubito or Ahenkro) under king Tegyi crossed the Volta at Senchi and settled at Nudu.. The other section, the Wurupong, led by king Asiakwa moved northwards along the Volta bank .. and .. decided to cross the Volta at the confluence of the Obosom River."
Toponyms: Nkonya Ahenkro, Nkonya Tepo, Nkonya Wurupong
Sources:
Ampene, K: “History of the Guan speaking peoples of Ghana — The Undisputed Aborigines of Ghana”, Star Spirit Press Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 2011
Ampene, K: The Story of Nkonya Wurupong
Dickson, KB, "A Historical Geography of Ghana", CUP, 1969
GhanaWeb: Guan
GILLBT: Nkonya Language Website