A Pillar in the Diaspora: The Deep Loss of Ob Maammaa Argoo and the Meaning of Home
By Maatii Sabaa
A community’s strength is often measured in its quiet pillars—the individuals who don’t just inhabit a space, but who become synonymous with its heartbeat, its memory, and its sense of home. When such a pillar falls, the tremor is felt across oceans, reaching from a neighborhood in Seattle to the soul of a global nation. The recent, stark announcement from the Oromo community carries this profound weight: “OROMOON har’a nama jabaa tokko dhabne; Keessumattu Oromoon Seattle, Ob Maammaa Argoo dhabnee jirra. Ob Maammaa Argoon Abbaa Margituu Argoo ti.”(Today, the Oromo people have lost a strong one; Especially we, the Oromo of Seattle, have lost Ob Mama Argoo. Ob Mama Argoo is Abbaa Margituu Argoo.)
This is more than an obituary. It is a communal acknowledgment of a foundational fracture. The title “Ob” or “Abbaa” is not given lightly; it denotes fatherhood, leadership, and a gravitas earned through steadfast presence. He was not just a resident of Seattle, but a cornerstone for Oromoon Seattle, a vital node in the vast diaspora network that sustains Oromo culture, politics, and mutual aid far from the physical borders of Oromia.
The loss of such a figure in the diaspora cuts with a unique sharpness. For a community shaped by displacement, struggle, and the constant work of preserving identity in a foreign land, people like Ob Argoo are more than leaders. They are living archives and architects. They are the ones who remember the names and stories of new arrivals. They are the organizers behind cultural festivals that transform a community hall into a pocket of Oromiyaa for an evening. They are the first call in times of crisis—whether it’s navigating a bureaucratic system or mourning a loss back home. They become the embodied answer to the unspoken question: Where is our home here?
Abbaa Margituu Argoo—Father of Margituu Argoo—this final identification roots him in the most sacred of Oromo traditions: lineage and relational identity. Even in announcing his passing, the community defines him by his cherished role as a father, reminding us that the strongest community pillars are always, first, pillars of a family. His strength (“nama jabaa”) was likely not the loud, theatrical kind, but the resilient, reliable strength of a great tree: providing shade, stability, and a point of orientation for all who gathered beneath.
His passing leaves a silence that is both personal and structural. Who will now hold the intricate web of connections with the same familiarity? Who will offer that specific, grounding wisdom that comes from having witnessed decades of the community’s joys and struggles in this particular city? The grief expressed is for the man, undoubtedly, but also for the irreplaceable role he occupied—a role that represents the very glue of diaspora life.
In mourning Ob Maammaa Argoo, the Oromo community of Seattle, and indeed the wider Oromo nation, confronts a poignant truth about diaspora. The greatest assets are not buildings or institutions, but the living human repositories of memory, commitment, and unwavering presence. The work of a community is to build upon the foundation such individuals leave behind, to ensure that the “home” they helped construct does not crumble with their passing.
Today, Seattle feels less like home for many. But in their collective grief and in the powerful, simple act of naming his loss and his title, they perform the very culture he helped sustain. They affirm that an Oromo community exists, that it feels its losses deeply, and that it honors its fathers. Ob Maammaa Argoo’s legacy is not just in what he did, but in the palpable space his absence reveals—a space that testifies to the immense weight of the presence that once filled it. May his roots nourish the generations that follow.
Title: The Unbent Reed: A Commentary on Colonel Gammachuu Ayyaanaa and the Cost of Truth
By Maatii Sabaa
In the suffocating political atmosphere of empires, where silence is often traded for security and allegiances are bartered for comfort, a singular figure stands apart not for the power he wields, but for the truth he refuses to relinquish. Colonel Gammachuu Ayyaanaa, as profiled in a recent and fervent tribute, is presented not merely as a man, but as a phenomenon—an unbent reed in a storm of compromise. He embodies a rare and dangerous archetype: the native son who, understanding the inner workings of the Ethiopian imperial system, chooses not to dine at its table but to speak its crimes aloud.
The commentary paints him with the brush of absolute conviction. He is a man who “knows no malice” and “speaks no falsehood.” This is his foundational identity. In a landscape riddled with coded language and strategic ambiguity, his clarity is itself a revolution. He does not speak truth as a strategy for a better personal life; indeed, his truth-telling guarantees the opposite. As the piece starkly notes, he has “no private life,” existing instead in a state of “lowly livelihood.” The trade-off is explicit: his comfort for his people’s cause. What worries him is not personal hardship, but the “encroachment on the rights of the Oromo people and the violation of Oromia’s borders.”
This is where Gammachuu transcends the typical political or military figure. He is portrayed not as a commander giving orders from a safe remove, but as a “dhaabee”—one who is stationed, rooted, and bearing the brunt. He stands not on a podium, but in the line of fire. His advocacy is particular and painful, giving voice to the displaced communities of Tulama Oromos, whose land and heritage have been erased by force. He channels their specific grief into a universal indictment.
The tribute makes a searing observation about the Oromo community itself, suggesting a troubling tendency to withhold honor from those who most deserve it. It frames Gammachuu as a man whose primary, overriding identity is Oromummaa—Oromo nationhood—which supersedes all clan, regional, or religious affiliations. This unitary focus makes him a stark anomaly in a system, and a society, often fractured by internal divisions the empire readily exploits.
His fearlessness is not born of ignorance, but of profound understanding. Having “analyzed the politics of the Ethiopian Empire,” he comprehends the full weight of its machinery. Yet, this knowledge does not paralyze him with caution; it liberates him with purpose. The system, the commentary asserts, has already declared its verdict on such men, whether they are called “scholars” or “heroes.” In the face of this, Gammachuu speaks with “no fear,” save the fear of failing his unwavering commitment.
The final exhortation—”Nama kana Kunuunsadhu Oromoo!” (Oromo people, support this man!)—is the crucial pivot from admiration to action. It recognizes that such singular courage is not a self-sustaining artifact. It is a flame that must be shielded by the collective will of the people it seeks to illuminate. Colonel Gammachuu Ayyaanaa, as presented, is the unwavering voice. The question implicit in the commentary is whether the people for whom he speaks will become the unshakeable chorus, ensuring that the cost of truth is borne not by one man alone, but shared by a nation determined to hear it. In an age of calculated silence, his story is a piercing reminder that the most potent form of resistance is a life lived in uncompromising alignment with truth, regardless of the price.
Legacy in Learning: World Food Prize Laureate Professor Gebisa Ejeta Honors Mother with New School in Hometown
EJERSA LAFO, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA – In a powerful tribute to maternal sacrifice and the roots of education, a newly constructed secondary school in the rural heartland of Ethiopia now bears the name of a mother whose vision changed a family’s destiny. The “Mootuu Ayyaanoo Secondary School,” named in honor of Professor Gebisa Ejeta’s late mother, was officially inaugurated in Ejersa Lafo, West Shewa Zone.
The state-of-the-art facility, built at a cost of over 60 million Ethiopian Birr, stands as a permanent monument to the enduring power of a parent’s belief in education. The school is equipped with modern classrooms, laboratories, and facilities designed to provide quality education for the community.
Professor Gebisa Ejeta, a globally renowned plant geneticist and 2009 World Food Prize Laureate, was born in the nearby village of Holonkomii in 1950. In numerous interviews, he has consistently credited his mother, Mootuu Ayyaanoo, as the foundational force behind his academic journey. He has recounted how she sold firewood and walked vast distances to markets to earn the funds necessary for his early schooling, instilling in him the values of perseverance and the transformative power of knowledge.
“It is the deep wish of every child to honor their parents. We are profoundly moved and grateful that this school, a place of learning and future-building, carries our mother’s name,” said Professor Ejeta, reflecting on the inauguration. He and his family have long championed the critical importance of education for rural development.
The school’s inauguration is more than a local event; it is a symbolic closing of a circle. The boy who walked dusty paths from Holonkomii, propelled by his mother’s sacrifices, has become a world-leading scientist whose work on drought-tolerant sorghum has improved food security for millions. Now, his legacy ensures that children from his homeland will walk into a modern school bearing the very name that set him on his path.
“For us, this is the fulfillment of a long-held hope,” said a community elder during the celebrations. “Professor Gebisa has not forgotten his home. This modern, clean, and high-standard school is a gift that will change generations. We are overjoyed.”
Local residents expressed immense pride and gratitude, highlighting that the “Mootuu Ayyaanoo Secondary School” is a beacon of inspiration. It serves as a constant reminder that from the humblest beginnings—fueled by love, sacrifice, and education—global leaders can emerge.
The naming elegantly weaves together personal history and national progress. It honors a mother’s silent labor while investing directly in Ethiopia’s most vital resource: the educated mind of its youth. As students begin their studies within its walls, they will learn not only from textbooks but from the story embedded in the school’s very name—a story of unwavering belief and the seeds of greatness sown by a mother’s hands.
Feature Commentary: “መመለስ” – The Return of a Voice and the Resonance of Memory
In the rich tapestry of Ethiopian political life, few contemporary figures command the blend of unwavering principle and administrative acumen quite like W/ro Burtukan Mideksa. Her journey—from the bench to political leadership, from imprisonment to international diplomacy—has been a defining narrative of Ethiopia’s turbulent recent decades. The recent ceremonial launch of her Amharic-language memoir, “መመለስ: ቦጌ ትውስታዎቼ” (“Return: My Bogé Memories”), is therefore more than a literary event. It is a significant political and cultural moment, a formal re-entry of a pivotal perspective into the nation’s ongoing dialogue about its past and its future.
The title itself, “መመለስ” (Return), is profoundly evocative. On one level, it refers to a physical and spiritual return to Bogé—a place steeped in personal and national history, likely referencing a period of reflection, struggle, or origin. On another, it signifies the return of Burtukan Mideksa’s own voice to the public sphere in a new, enduring form. After years of being analyzed, quoted, and defined by others—as a judge, an opposition leader, a prisoner of conscience, and most recently as the Chairperson of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE)—this book represents her opportunity to define her own narrative, to “return” the story to its source.
The launch event, as reported, was fittingly dignified, attended by a host of guests and featuring readings by prominent figures like Abba Balcha and Konjit Seyoum. The participation of intellectuals and analysts such as Soliana Shimelis, Worqneh Tefera, Hirut Tefaye, Tewodros Aylaw, and Dawit Birhanu underscores the book’s perceived weight. It is not treated as a mere personal account but as a primary source document, a contribution to the collective understanding of Ethiopia’s political evolution over the last thirty years.
The book’s structure—37 chapters spanning 292 pages—suggests a comprehensive and detailed reckoning. For students of Ethiopian politics, the promise lies in the granular, firsthand account of critical junctures: the fraught 2005 elections, the experience of political imprisonment, the internal dynamics of opposition politics, and the complex challenges of leading an institution like the NEBE in a polarized environment. It offers a rare, insider’s view from a figure who has operated at the highest stakes of the country’s democratic struggle.
However, the publication of “መመለስ” arrives at a deeply complex moment. Ethiopia is a nation still grappling with the wounds of a brutal civil war, severe internal fractures, and an uncertain political transition. In this context, a memoir by a figure of Burtukan’s stature is inevitably a political act. It will be read not just for its recollections, but for its judgments, its silences, and its implicit commentary on present-day actors and crises. It has the potential to reframe debates, validate certain historical narratives, and challenge others.
Ultimately, the significance of “መለሰ” extends beyond its immediate political insights. It represents the power of personal testimony in a national story often dominated by grand ideologies and collective movements. By sharing her “Bogé memories,” Burtukan Mideksa does more than recount events; she invites a conversation about resilience, principle, and the personal cost of public life in Ethiopia. Whether as a tool for historical clarification, a mirror for the present, or a guide for future leaders, this “return” of memory to the public domain is a vital addition to the fragile architecture of Ethiopia’s national understanding. Its true impact will be measured not just in book sales, but in the depth and quality of the dialogue it inspires.
GREATER DANDENONG, VIC – In a proactive move to strengthen the social fabric of one of Australia’s most diverse regions, three neighbouring councils are joining forces to host a unique community workshop. The City of Greater Dandenong, the City of Casey, and the Shire of Cardinia are calling on local residents to help define and build a shared vision for a stronger, fairer future.
The initiative, a facilitated workshop titled “Defining Social Cohesion,” aims to create a safe space for residents to explore what unity, belonging, and mutual respect mean in their rapidly growing communities today.
Turning Shared Visions into Reality
“Every voice matters,” states the joint announcement, framing the workshop as a foundational step in collaborative community planning. The goal is to move beyond abstract ideals and turn collective aspirations into tangible outcomes. The facilitated discussion will focus not only on defining social cohesion but also on the practical role each resident plays in shaping it.
“Together, we can turn our shared visions into reality,” the councils propose, positioning the event as a grassroots opportunity to directly influence the social landscape of Melbourne’s vibrant southeast.
A Call for Diverse Voices
Participation is specifically limited to residents of the southeast Melbourne area, ensuring the conversation is grounded in local experiences and challenges. With limited spots available, organisers are urging interested community members to register early.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, 28 January
Time: 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Location: Dandenong Civic Centre – Training Rooms 1 and 2
Registration & Info: Residents are encouraged to register promptly via their local council websites or contact the organising academic partner for questions at tmiletic@unimelb.edu.au.
Building Resilience from the Ground Up
This workshop comes at a time when communities nationwide are reflecting on social harmony and resilience. By facilitating these conversations locally, the councils of Greater Dandenong, Casey, and Cardinia are investing in a community-led model for social planning, recognizing that the strongest cohesion is built from the ground up, one conversation at a time.
The event represents a significant opportunity for residents to become active architects of their community’s future, ensuring the southeast continues to be a place where diversity is not just acknowledged but is the very source of its strength.
Condolence News: The Passing of Dr. Lata Tesfaye Jule
It is with profound sorrow and heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Dr. Lata Tesfaye Jule, former President of Dembi Dollo University and a senior advisor to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Dr. Lata passed away in his hotel room at the Hilton Hotel in Virginia, USA, earlier today.
He was in Washington D.C. as part of an official Ethiopian government delegation, having arrived just yesterday. The cause of death is not yet publicly known, pending the results of a hospital examination. His remains are expected to be repatriated to Ethiopia tomorrow, Sunday, through the coordination of the Ethiopian Embassy.
Dr. Lata was also a member of the Ethiopian Parliament. He was widely recognized as a brilliant and accomplished scholar, having earned two doctorate degrees at a young age and playing a pivotal role in the expansion and development of Dembi Dollo University during his presidency.
A colleague who knew him personally from his time in Washington shared these reflections:
“I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Lata closely when he came to Washington D.C. for work. In our time together, I came to understand what a profoundly knowledgeable man he was—a scholar with great dreams. He never stopped learning. He had come to America to pursue his third doctoral degree when his life was tragically cut short in his hotel room, leaving his ambitions unfulfilled. The grief is double when people of such integrity and grand vision are taken from us so soon.”
The news of Dr. Lata’s untimely demise has sent shockwaves through communities in Ethiopia and abroad, prompting an outpouring of grief. Many express a deep sense of loss, mourning a dedicated public servant who worked with humility for his community and a man whose character and expertise transformed many lives.
Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and loved him. May God grant strength and solace to his loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
The Return: Burtukan Mideksa’s Memoir Set to Unveil Decades of Political Journey
ADDIS ABABA – One of Ethiopia’s most resilient and influential political figures is set to share her remarkable story in a keenly anticipated autobiography. The life memoir of Burtukan Mideksa, titled “መመለስ” (The Return / The Answer), is scheduled for release in the coming days, promising an intimate account of three turbulent decades at the heart of the nation’s politics.
A symbol of strength for many, especially women and youth, Burtukan—often affectionately called “Birtu Kan” (The Strong One) by her admirers—has navigated a journey few can match. Her forthcoming book chronicles a path that has spanned from the judiciary to political leadership, from exile to the helm of the National Election Board.
A Title with Dual Meaning
The choice of the single-word title “መመለስ” is profoundly evocative. It is a word loaded with dual significance in Amharic, reflecting the dual arcs of her narrative. It can be read as “The Return”—signifying her physical and political comeback to Ethiopia and to the public stage. Simultaneously, it resonates as “The Answer”—suggesting her response to long-standing questions about her role, her struggles, and the nation’s transformative journey. In either interpretation, the title promises a compelling and revealing narrative.
Charting a Nation’s Journey Through One Life
The memoir is expected to trace her unique passage through Ethiopia’s modern history. From her early career as a judge and her bold stance for judicial independence, to her political activism, subsequent imprisonment, and years in exile, Burtukan’s life mirrors the nation’s own struggles with democracy, justice, and change.
Her later return to Ethiopia and her historic appointment as the first woman chairperson of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) marked a pivotal chapter, placing her at the center of the country’s most consequential democratic exercises. The book is anticipated to provide an insider’s perspective on these critical moments, detailing both the triumphs and profound challenges faced along the way.
Highly Anticipated by Scholars and Public Alike
The announcement has generated significant excitement among political analysts, historians, and the general public. Many hope the memoir will shed new light on untold stories, private reflections, and the inner workings of Ethiopia’s political evolution over the last 30 years. It is viewed not just as a personal history, but as a vital primary source for understanding contemporary Ethiopia.
A High-Profile Launch
Plans are underway for a high-profile official book launch ceremony this month. Arts TV has been named as the exclusive media partner for the event, ensuring comprehensive coverage and bringing the proceedings to millions of viewers across the nation and the diaspora.
Burtukan Mideksa’s “መመለስ” arrives at a critical juncture, offering a deeply personal lens on Ethiopia’s ongoing quest for stability and democracy. It is poised to be one of the most significant political memoirs of the year, providing answers, prompting reflection, and celebrating the return of a formidable voice to the literary and public sphere.
Bringing ‘Oromummaa’ into Focus: Four Decades of Reclaiming an Indigenous Legacy
JANUARY 9, 2026 – As the Oromo Studies Association (OSA) approaches its 40th anniversary, it has released a landmark statement that is part historical reflection, part scholarly triumph, and part urgent defense. The statement, authored by OSA President Dr. Ibrahim Amae Elemo, chronicles a transformative journey: from the systemic erasure of Oromo history to the global recognition of its indigenous democratic systems, and now, to a new wave of attacks targeting the scholars who brought this legacy to light.
Central to this four-decade effort is the concept of Oromummaa—a term embodying the collective values, institutions, and worldview of the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia. Once dismissed, Oromummaa has been meticulously restored by OSA scholars through research that has redrawn the map of Horn of Africa studies.
From Erasure to Reclamation
The OSA’s founding in the 1980s was a direct response to a void. Prior to its establishment, Oromo heritage was not merely absent from academia and state narratives; it was actively suppressed. As the statement details, a state ideology of “Ethiopianism” promoted Orthodox Christianity, the Amharic language, and Abyssinian culture as the sole legitimate national identity. The Oromo language, Afaan Oromoo, was banned in schools and public life until 1992, and students were punished for speaking it or using Oromo names.
“The national project,” the statement asserts, “was to ‘Ethiopianize’ the peoples of the south and center through enforced cultural unification.” In this process, the Oromo—despite constituting about half of Ethiopia’s population—were portrayed as backward and ahistorical.
OSA’s intervention was revolutionary. Its scholars, many of whom were part of that first generation of students reclaiming their language, engaged in rigorous research that recovered suppressed histories. Through conferences, journals, and collaborative work, they produced a substantial body of knowledge that countered centuries of denigration and “restored collective dignity.”
Reshaping History and Highlighting Indigenous Democracy
A cornerstone of OSA scholarship has been re-examining Ethiopian state formation. Drawing on archives and oral histories, researchers have framed the expansion of the Abyssinian empire in the late 19th century as a colonial project, supported by European powers and marked by violent conquest, dispossession, and the enslavement of independent societies like the Oromo.
More celebratory research has focused on Oromummaa as an indigenous democratic worldview, anchored in three core institutions:
The Gadaa System: A complex socio-political system featuring an eight-year leadership cycle, checks and balances, and principles of accountability and rule of law. Its global significance was recognized by UNESCO’s inscription on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Siinqee (Siiqee): A women’s institution that ensures gender balance and social justice.
The Qaallu: The spiritual authority maintaining harmony between society, nature, and the spiritual realm.
Together, these institutions embody values of democracy, peace (nagaa), and ecological stewardship that OSA argues offer lessons of “global relevance.”
A New Era of Attacks and a Call to Action
This hard-won scholarly recognition is now under threat. The OSA statement warns of “renewed attacks on Oromo scholars and scholarship” from actors seeking to “restore inequitable power relations.”
These attacks have evolved from formal complaints accusing scholars of “hate speech” to coordinated social media campaigns that vilify Oromummaa itself as a dangerous ideology. Internationally respected figures like Professor Asafa Jalata, a pioneering sociologist, have been targeted.
“These attacks do not represent scholarly debate grounded in evidence,” the statement declares. “Rather, they reflect a politicized rejection of any scholarship that challenges centralized authoritarian narratives.” It draws a stark warning: “History demonstrates that vilification of a people’s identity is often a precursor to mass violence.”
In conclusion, the OSA issues a powerful call to the global academic community and the public. It urges the defense of academic freedom and support for Oromo scholarship, framing it not as a niche field but as vital to understanding one of the continent’s oldest continuous democratic traditions. The Oromo legacy, the statement concludes, is a contribution not only of “agricultural and animal bounty” but of a resilient, indigenous democratic way of life whose study is now more critical than ever.
The story of the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, has long been narrated as a history of resistance against centuries of marginalization. But history is not a closed book. As the community moves through the 21st century, its narrative is one of a profound and tense present—a reality where deep-rooted political challenges coexist with an unprecedented cultural revival, and where the struggle for self-determination is being redefined by a new generation.
This sixth chapter of Oromo history is not about the past; it is a living document, written daily in protests, in songs, in displacement camps, and in the global halls of advocacy.
The Persistent Political Paradox
Demography has not translated into democracy for the Oromo. Constituting an estimated 35-40% of Ethiopia’s population, they remain in a paradoxical position: a numerical majority without commensurate political power. Critical decisions concerning land, security, and resources are still centralized, leaving many Oromos feeling politically sidelined in their own homeland. This structural marginalization is the bedrock of ongoing discontent and the primary catalyst for the powerful protest movements that have shaken the nation over the past decade.
A Landscape of Insecurity and Displacement
The political tension has a human cost. In recent years, several Oromia regions have been plagued by instability. Reports from human rights organizations and media detail cycles of violence involving armed groups and state security forces, leading to civilian casualties, widespread internal displacement, and persistent allegations of rights abuses. Families have been uprooted, farms abandoned, and a pervasive climate of fear has disrupted the social fabric, casting a long shadow over daily life and economic stability.
The Unbreakable Spirit: Cultural Renaissance
Against this challenging backdrop, a powerful counter-narrative flourishes: a cultural renaissance. The Oromo language, *Afaan Oromo*, once suppressed, is now a working language of the Oromia region and is thriving in media, education, and digital spaces. Oromo music, art, and literature are experiencing a golden age, with artists like the late Hachalu Hundessa becoming national icons of resistance and identity. This cultural reawakening is not a retreat but a reclamation—a tool of resilience and a defiant affirmation of existence. Young people, in particular, wear their Oromo identity with a pride that is both personal and political.
The New Architects: Qeerroo and Qarree
The engines of this new chapter are the youth (*Qeerroo*) and women (*Qarree*). The *Qeerroo* movement, a leaderless network of young Oromos, demonstrated its formidable power in the 2014-2018 protests that helped usher in a political transition. Simultaneously, *Qarree*—Oromo women—are moving powerfully from the background to the forefront, organizing, advocating, and demanding a seat at every table, challenging both external oppression and internal patriarchy. Their grassroots activism represents the most dynamic force in contemporary Oromo society.
A Global Struggle with a Peaceful Heart
Oromo activism has consistently emphasized peaceful resistance, even in the face of violence. This principled stance, coupled with the strategic work of a large and mobilized global diaspora, has successfully internationalized the Oromo question. From parliaments in Washington and Brussels to universities worldwide, the call for Oromo rights and self-determination is now part of the global discourse on human rights and federalism in Ethiopia.
Hope Anchored in Unity and Knowledge
The path forward is fraught but illuminated by a clear vision. Community leaders and intellectuals stress that the future hinges on internal unity, a deep understanding of their own history, and an unwavering commitment to peaceful struggle and dialogue. The goal is not just political change but the building of a society where Oromo identity is the foundation for dignity, justice, and shared prosperity.
Conclusion: A Story Still Being Told
This Oromo history confirms that their story is still unfolding. It is a present-tense narrative of simultaneous pain and power, of loss and limitless cultural vitality. The struggle for a truly equitable place within Ethiopia continues, but it is now carried by a generation armed with history, mobilized by technology, and inspired by an unbroken spirit. The Oromo history, as it is written today, remains—above all—a enduring story of survival, resistance, and an undimmed hope for a future of their own making.
Feature Commentary: The Covenant Renewed – How a Washington D.C. Celebration Forged a Blueprint for Continuity
On the surface, the gathering by the Washington D.C. chapter of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF-Konyaa) was a familiar ritual: the commemoration of Oromo Liberation Army (WBO) Day and the celebration of Amajjii, the Oromo New Year. Yet, within the traditional prayers (eebba), speeches, and shared resolve, a powerful and sophisticated blueprint for the struggle’s future was being articulated—one that skillfully wove together gratitude, clear-eyed assessment, intergenerational blessing, and a philosophy of endurance.
The ceremony, opened by the spiritual invocation of veteran leader Jaal Qaxalee Waaqjiraa, immediately grounded the political in the spiritual. His thanksgiving prayer, “We thank God who, after years of wandering, has brought us here,” was profoundly layered. It acknowledged a journey—a long, arduous “wandering” of exile, displacement, and conflict—while celebrating the “here”: a community intact, organized, and capable of gathering in defiance of that very displacement. It framed the present not as an endpoint, but as a providentially granted platform, creating a sense of both debt and opportunity.
This spiritual framing set the stage for a starkly realistic assessment from chapter chairperson Jaal Bilisummaa Tasgara. By openly detailing “the current situation of the struggle,” he performed a crucial act of transparency. There was no empty triumphalism. Instead, there was a communal acknowledgment of the “complex and difficult” (ulfaataa) reality. This honesty is the bedrock of trust and mature mobilization. It prevents disillusionment and transforms collective understanding from a source of despair into a foundation for strategic perseverance. As he noted, the day was both a “day of mourning and celebration,” a duality that honestly captures the Oromo condition—grieving the fallen while celebrating the unbroken spirit.
From this realistic ground sprang the core directive: “Our people must become stronger and more resilient.” This was not a vague wish but a clear, operational imperative. The call for jabeenya (strength) and ijaarsa (building/construction) shifts the focus from merely reacting to oppression to proactively building communal, institutional, and personal fortitude. It answers the “how” of continuing in a difficult phase.
The most poignant moment of strategic continuity was the virtual participation of legendary elder Jaal Dhugaasaa Bakakkoo. His Zoom presence was a powerful technological bridge across time. By thanking him for his “guidance and perseverance,” the assembly did more than honor a hero; it ritually drew a line of legitimacy and tactical wisdom from the founding generation directly into the present. It signaled that the current path is not a divergence but an inheritance, blessed by those who laid the first stones.
This synthesis of elements reveals a sophisticated political culture. The event masterfully connected:
Spiritual Legitimacy (Eebba) with Political Analysis.
Honest Acknowledgment of Hardship with a Call for Proactive Strength.
Reverence for the Past with a Practical Roadmap for the Future.
The closing reflection, “Our struggle is alive and will continue to be remembered as one with a clear direction and sustainable objective,” is thus not a hopeful slogan but a conclusion drawn from the evening’s architecture. They have defined “alive” not as mere existence, but as the state of being guided, united, building strength, and connected to one’s source.
The Washington D.C. celebration, therefore, was a masterclass in sustaining a liberation movement in the long haul. It moved beyond mere remembrance into the realm of active stewardship. It showed that the covenant of struggle is renewed not by ignoring the present cost, but by confronting it with faith, honesty, unity, and an unwavering commitment to building the resilience needed to see the journey through. The message was clear: the wandering has brought us to this point of clarity. Now, we build, we endure, and we march, strengthened by the very weight of the journey itself.
Oromedia 