Gonja people

Definitely.

And to the north, other kingdoms like Gaiman, Gonja, Dagomba, and Mamprugu also came under Asante influence.

They often paid a yearly tribute, the ayy buad.

And that tribute included slaves? The source mentions a specific number.

And it freed him up to deal with internal issues.

Precisely.

It allowed Asante to suppress rebellions in the north, like in Gonja and Gayaaman, without worrying about British interference from the coast.

So ironically, the British distraction actually helped Asante consolidate its power further.

Why is the Asantehene known as the most powerful chief in Ghana? Because even though democracy is in Ghana, the Asantes have decided to keep this.

When you go to Gonja, there's a particular forest.

There's nobody doing galamsey there.

There's nobody cutting down the trees.