The Man Who Lived His Dream- An Assessment of Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa's Life Journey

Written by-- Libah Leencoo

Contributors-- Jawar Mohammed and Jilcha Hamid

His given name is Abdulkariem Ibrahim Hamid. But he is well known by his nom-de -guerre "Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa". He is a great grandson of Ibroo Shaxaa, one of the ministers in the last Raabaa Doorii of the Afran Qalloo Oromo which was on power on the eve of the Egyptian occupation of Harar (1875-1885).

Jaarraa was born in 1936 in the village of Mudir Gorro which is found in Gara Mul’ata plains of Hararge province. He attended Islamic education within his family. He started modern education thereafter and completed his secondary school in the city of Harar in early 1960s. In his stay in Harar, Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa helped found the first Oromo students union in history. The union was very instrumental in the renaissance of Oromo culture and the use of Oromo language. Jaarra then joined Harar Military Academy but left shortly when the academy's administrators prohibited him from exercising his faith freely.

Jaarraa went to Assabot (in Carcar, the current West Hararge zone) to farm on his family's land in the mid 1960s. There, he could see the miserable life of the Oromo tenants very closely. His heart was filled with a great sorrow; he understood that the cause of the misery was the prevailing "Gabbar" system and the remedy to end that misery was seeking the independence of his nation by all possible means. The incidence had a tremendous effect on the young Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa that his life journey totally changed thereafter; on that spot he decided to immerse himself in his half-century old quest for Oromo freedom.

In 1966, Jaarraa Abba Gadaa and his few men went to join the armed revolt of the Bale people which was lead by famous patriots like Waaqoo Guutuu, Waaqoo Luugoo and Aliyi Cirrii.  There, Jaarraa demonstrated his bravery earning respect from his compatriots at the battle of Laga Dhare. Until 1968, he would travel back and forth between Somalia and battlefield taking part in such combat missions as the battle of Eela Rooji where the Ethiopian military attacked Oromo fighters using warplanes.

As the Ethiopian government forces started to get upper hand over the Bale people’s revolt, Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa made up his mind that the military training and modern armaments were important to have a meaningful contribution in the struggle. Hence, he and his followers crossed the border and entered Somalia to seek the training and the weapon.

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Jaarraa and his men were welcomed by the Somalis at first. And on the advice of the Somalis and the Oromos in exile, they grouped themselves under the infamous movement of the time called Liberation Front for the Somali West (LFSW). Apart from using the name “Somali West” and the immense Somali morale and material supports, the movement was purely devoted for the cause of the Oromo people and the Ogadenis in South east Ethiopia. But short time later, when the dictatorial regime of General Mohammed Ziad Barre came to power, the Somalis totally changed their long tradition of supporting the Oromo freedom struggle; the newly created government started to advocate a policy claiming that the Oromos of Hararge, Bale and Sidamo were actually Somalis even though they speak a different language. Further, the Somalis re-organized the LFSW in accordance with their new expansionist dream. The organization was renamed Western Somalia Liberation Front (WSLF, popularly known as "Somali Galbeed") and all Oromos except few were removed from high position in its leadership. And it was declared by the Somali government that only WSLF had a legitimate right to free the provinces of Hararge, Bale and Sidamo and all fighting units must be organized under it.

Few Oromos accepted the new Somali plan. But Jaarraa and most of the Oromos in Somalia decried it as an act of self denial and totally rejected it. From the latter group, more than a half left the idea of undertaking the armed struggle and returned back to the homeland. But Jaarraa and few people crossed the Indian Ocean in order to seek another way of continuing the Oromo national struggle. On the help of some brilliant Oromo individuals living in Yemen such as Hassan Ibrahim (popularly known as "Elemoo Qilxuu"), and Bakhar Yusuf (Bakharee Galo) , they were gathered at the port city of Aden (the then capital of Yemen People's Democratic Republic a.k.a. "South Yemen") to lay down the foundation of a new organization fully determined for Oromo freedom.

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When the Oromos in Yemen were about to start discussions on the foundation of the new organization, another delegation of Oromo elites joined them. The delegation was lead by Hussein Mohammed Ali (popularly known as "Sheikh Hussein Sura" or simply "Hussein Sura"). Hussein was the Secretary General of WSLF at the time; but he was being frustrated by the new Somali policy which denied the Oromo freedom. On the order he got from the Somali government, he came to Yemen to recruit fighters for his organization. However, the morale and determination of Oromo nationalists he saw in Yemen caused him to change his course. So he abandoned WSLF and joined the Oromos in Yemen. Learning this, the Somali government send to him a death threat which had little effect on bringing him back.

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The Oromos in Yemen agreed on the objectives and strategies of the new organization. But a very hot debate erupted over its naming. Hussein Sura and few people favored using the name “Ethiopia” for the organization; Elemoo Qilxuu, Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa, Bakhar Yusuf and many others argued that the name of the organization should indicate the Oromo people for whom they would fight for. However, both groups agreed to postpone the naming and to focus on the launching of an armed struggle. And for that, Hussein Sura, Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa, Elemoo Qilxuu and other leading figures of the nationalists in exile went on diplomatic missions that took them to Cairo, Baghdad and Damascus. The Iraqi and Syrian governments agreed to provide them some weapons. And the Palestinian Fighters (based in Damascus, Syria) agreed to train the personnel that would launch the armed struggle.

It was also about that time that the flag of Oromia (Alaabaa Oromiyaa), which has been used by almost all Oromo political groups, was developed by those fathers of Oromo national struggle. When they did so, they primarily referred to the "Oda" (sycamore tree) which had long been used as the logo of the Macca Tuulamaa Self Help Association (MTSHA); it is said that Haile Mariam Gammadaa, one of the founders of MTSHA, proposed the use of "Oda" as the symbol of Oromo unity, ancient history, integrity and dignity. The Oromo nationals in exile took this symbolism of "Oda" and made it the center of the flag; they added the two red colors, the central green color, the rising sun and the red start.

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The arrangements over the armed struggle went according to the plan; the training and the equipping were accomplished. And 37 of the trainees were selected to be included in the unit that would be dispatched to the homeland to start the armed struggle. Jaarra Abbaa Gadaa was assigned as the commander of that historical military unit which was named "Qeyroo Ganamaa". The combatants in the “Qeyroo Ganama” group were mostly the Oromos who had been in Somalia and fled to Yemen. The following is the list of the members of the “Qyeroo Ganamaa” group.

1.      Abdukariim Ibraahim Haamid ( Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa ).

2.      Abdulkariim Aadam Lakkuu ( Soowraa )

3.      Mahmuud Sh. Mahammad Umar ( Bookhee)

4.      Umar Abuubakar Ibraahim

5.      Muhammad Abdulkariim (Areedoo)

6.      Muhammad Abdullaahi (Koosum)

7.      Bakrii Ibraahim (Abbaa Fatoo)

8.      Bakrii Ahmad Baabbilee

9.      Muhammad Ahmad Umar (Kormooso)

10.   Muhammad Abdulqaadir Shaltaataa

11.   Ahmad Mahammad Umar (Caalaa)

12.   Muhammad Abdullaahi Alii (Muudee)

13.   Ahmad Mahammad Muussaa (Mullata)

14.   Muhammad Kabiir Iissaa (Jarjarso)

15.   Ahmad Mahammad Usmaan (Daammacaa)

16.   Mahammad Sanii Umar (Horoo)

17.   Husseen Abbaa Waaqaa (Baale)

18.   Jamaal Abdulqaadir

19.   Ahmad Iissee

20.   Aadam Mahammad Alii (Laafaa)

21.   Ahmad Nuur Alii (Arroo)

22.   Ahmad Nuur Hassan

23.   Abdulkariim Mahammad Anas (Jifaaraa)

24.   Mahammad Sheikh Hassan (Nibarbaannaa)

25.   Aadam Abubakar (Moluu)

26.   Ahmad Mahammad Abdurahmaan

27.   Mahammad Ibraahim Wadaay (Shantam)

28.   Ahmad Nuur Muussaa Na’ee

29.   Abdallaa Bakhrii

30.   Mahammad Alii

31.   Ahmad Umar Abdalla

32.   Ahmad Haashii

33.   Hajji Maamoo

34.   Ramadan Husseen Khalil

35.   Abdurahman Mohammed Yonis (Tuujii)

36.   Ahmad Yuusuf Ibraahim (Turee Leencoo)

Jaarraa and his "Qeyroo Ganamaa" unit started their journey. They crossed the Gulf of Aden by boat and few days later, they offshored on the northern Somali coastal area known as Bulhaar which is found near the port city of Berbera. According to the plan, they had to travel to the Gara Mul’ata Mountains of Hararge and launch on the armed struggle. But when they were about to start their long journey, the Somali troops surrounded them and opened a fire instantly. A combatant named Ramadan Husseen Khalil died from the Qeyroo Ganamaa group and the rest of them were imprisoned at Mandheeraa (now in Somaliland). 

Jaarraa and his comrades were detained for five years. But that was not without a cost; they passed through a serious torturing and starving. Later on, the Somali government started to show amnesty to them in order to amalgamate them with the poisonous ideology of “Somali Aboo” which was a generalization of the Somali expansionist doctrine on the Oromo lands. However, the Oromo detainees didn’t retreat an inch from their stance. They were lastly freed in 1975.

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When Jaarraa was released from Mandheera prison, many things were already on the scene; Hussein Sura split with his comrades over calling the exiled Oromo political organization “ENLF”, the Haile Silassie regime fell down and replaced by the military junta called “Dergue”, and Elemo Qilxuu was martyred in Carcar along with Ahmad Taqii (Hundee) and other comrades. Jaarraa took some time to analyze the situations of that period and he made up his mind that an armed struggle must be launched in Oromia. To that end, he and his long time fellow Mul’is Gadaa traveled from Somalia to Sharif Khalid, a rural village in the south of the town of Awaday, and stayed there for months. With a help of different networking channels, Jaarraa could reach many underground Oromo study cells that spread from Finfinne to Dire Dawa and Harar and gave them necessary directives on the course of the struggle.

While Jaarraa was undertaking the political activities in Hararge, the Oromo nationals in Finfinne invited him to help them in the proclamation of a new Oromo political organization whose establishment activities were already started in late 1973 when Elemoo Qilxuu visited the capital. Jaarraa went to Finfinne and stayed there for some time on the works of laying the foundations of the new organization. But when the Oromo comrades serving in the Dergue regime were made busy by the state in the formation of the Union of Ethiopian Marxist Leninist Organizations (UEMLO), he assigned his representatives in Finfinne and went back to Hararge to perform another equally important activity. This was the foundation of an independent Oromo fighting unit with clear objectives and directions.

Jaarraa recruited many nationalists who would be included in the fighting unit intended to be established. With the help of some Oromo nationals, he could get two AK-47 guns and some bullets which were buried in Carcar by Elemoo Qilxuu and Ahmad Taqii. And with those arms, he traveled to the valley of Gobelle and disclosed the foundation of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA); and it was there that he accomplished the resurrection of the armed struggle of the Oromo people which was buried following the death of Elemoo Qilxuu and his comrades. Many Oromos joined the new struggle from all directions. And within short period of time, OLA got wide popularity throughout the nation.

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When the Dergue regime proclaimed a mass killing campaign known as “Red Terror”, many Oromo nationalists, including the OLF leaders disguised in the state’s higher positions, escaped the assault and joined the OLA in Gara Mul’ata. But some time later, schism was created in the organization. The cause of the schism was still unclear; some people assume that it was caused by a power struggle, and others think it was a mere factionalism which was motivated by regional differences. But in the sight of this writer, it seems that it was a spilt driven by the international political order of the time that bisected the old and pragmatic leaders who put more trust on practical armed struggle from the young theoretically stimulated leaders who gave more weight for the struggle assisted by ideological warfare. Consequently, older leaders like Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa and Mul’is Gadaa break away from their younger fellow and went on their way. Both groups used to call their organizations “Oromo Liberation Front” until 1985 when Jaarraa and his fellow men renamed their organization “Islamic Front for Liberation of Oromia” (IFLO).

OLF and IFLO coexisted in east and south east Oromia until the fall of the Dergue regime. The two parties fought each other many times. Efforts made to bring reconciliation between them turned fruitless. But in 1991, the organizations settled their dispute once and for all. This resolution was turned to the formation of the Union of Oromo Liberation Forces (ULFO) in 2000.

 The IFLO lead by Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa was the participant of the transitional government of Ethiopia which was founded in July 1991. And the organization opened its offices in many towns of Oromia for the purpose of undertaking political activities. The head quarter of the front was located in the town of Bisidimo (20 kms east of Harar) where Jaarraa delivered his highly revered speeches to the public. But in 1992, a disagreement with EPRDF (the main actor in the transitional government) forced him to an exile again.

In 2005, the IFLO was renamed Front for Independent Democratic Oromia (FIDO). And Jaarraa continued to lead the struggle with his newly reorganized front. But on March 3/2013, after spending four decades for the freedom and sovereignty of his nation, he died of kidney complications in the city of San’a, the Capital of Yemen. Jaarraa was married to Mariam Jamal and fathered two boys.

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The Oromo of Harerghe: Some Remarks on “Galamso”, “Aw-Seid” and “Oda Bultum”

By Afendi Muteki

The town of Galamso has historical significance in the tradition of the Oromo of Harerghe. Yet its name is very odd; it has no exact meaning in Afan Oromo and other languages. No town or village in Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world is called by this name except the single town which is situated at the heart of Carcar province. So what does “Galamso” mean? The answer to this question takes us to some interrelated topics which can show us the impressiveness of the ancient tradition of the Oromo people.

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The Ittu Oromos, who are native to “Carcar” province, say that the name “Galamso” came from a compound noun “Galma Usso” which was to mean “Usso’s hall” or “Usso’s worship house”. The name refers to a small mosque built by a man called “Usso”. Basically “galma” refers to a worship house of the ancient “Waqqffannaa” religion of the Oromo people. However, the Oromos used to call a worship house of any religion by this name. An interesting point here is not the way the name was derived but how the mosque could be built on the Oromo land where the law of the time didn’t allow it.

The Ittu Oromos say the man who built the mosque at Galamso was actually “Aw-Seid”, a saintly figure who tried to Islamize the Oromos of Carcar province in ancient times. His given name was “Seid Ali”. Latter on the public added a prefix “Aw” to his name to indicate his sainthood (this is done in the manner of the Somalis and the Hararis who call their saints and national heroes so).

The elders say when the Oromos were reformulating their constitution and workings laws (“Heera” and “Seera”) at “Odaa Bultum” in early 13^th century, they asked “Sheikh Abadir” of Harar to send with them a scholar who would assist them by giving legal advices. So Sheikh Abadir send “Aw Seid” to Oda Bultum up on certain agreements; that “Aw Seid” would live and act according to the law of the Oromo land, that he would assist the Oromos in drafting the laws; that he would remain as a legal adviser of the people, that the Oromos take care of him and his family; that he would practice his religion freely and build his mosque at his place of residence, that he can work and own properties.

Based on the aforementioned agreement reached between the Oromos and Sheikh Abadir of Harar, elders say, “Aw Seid” came to the Oromo land and built his residential house at Galamso. He was officially adopted to the Oromo citizen and made “ilma gosaa” (adopted son) of the Warra Qallu clan (one of the ten clans that make up the Ittu Oromo). On the adoption ceremony, the Oromos gave him the name “Usso”.

When “Aw Seid” built his mosque short time later, the Oromos started to call it “Galma Usso” just to mean “mosque of Usso”. The newly built structure became a sign that would indicate the place and its surroundings. And in the long period of time, the Ittu elders say, the name “Galma Usso” evolved to “Galamso”.

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The Oromo elders say “Aw Seid” became a chief legal adviser of the “Caffe Gadaa” assembly of “Oda Bultum and the “Mana Bokku” of the Ittu Oromo and he lived on this service for many years. He also became a chief traditional healer of the era since he had wide knowledge of Arabian and African medicines. Because of his preaching efforts, few people accepted Islamic faith.

As time passed, dispute rose between the Oromos and “Aw Seid”. The origin of the dispute is narrated in different ways; some elders say “Aw Seid” has changed many of the traditional working laws of the Oromos and thus the land of Oromos was attacked by serious drought that persisted for three consecutive years. The people felt that they became sinful for altering the traditional law of their forefathers. The leaders of those dissatisfied people gathered and asked for the return of the ancient Oromo laws. The Caffee Assembly called an extra-ordinary congress and reformulated the laws according to the ancient tradition of the Oromo people. And at the end, they sent back “Aw Seid” to Harar where he passed the rest of his life and died. 

Contrary to the above, other elders say that a son of “Aw Seid” was killed by certain Ittu man but the Oromos paid the blood money of the dead as though the he was “amba” (non-citizen). “Aw Seid” asked for higher payment arguing that his dead son was already a “lammi” (citizen) because he was born in the Oromo land. He couldn’t reach an agreement with the Oromos so that he became frustrated and returned back to Harar where he came from.

These two views are widely narrated in different story lines. But the writer of this essay observed that the latter view has many supporters. An act that strengthens this view happened in 1991 when the renaissance of “Caffee Gadaa” assembly was celebrated at Oda Bultum after its disappearance for more than hundred years. At that time, thousands (and this writer as well) attended a ceremony on which the Oromos gave many cattle to the family (clan) of Aw Seid as unpaid blood money of his dead son. The Oromos say when their land was conquered by Emperor Minilink’s army, their forefathers told them that the trouble was happened to them because they annoyed a big saint which contrary to the Oromo ethical code (the ancient Oromos used to pay a respect to saints of any faith and they wouldn’t attack the shrines and worship houses of those religious figures) and that they established a tradition urging the future generations to pay the blood money of Aw-Seid’s son whenever they will get their freedom.

On the other hand, the interrelation between “Aw Seid” and “Oda Bultum” can be expressed by one vital fact; throughout the life experience of the writer of this article, “Oda Bultum” is also called “Aw Seid” and many people continue to call it by this name.

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The history of the mission of “Aw Seid” partly appears in scholarly written records, many hagiographic documents as well discuss it. On the other hand, the name of “Aw Seid” appears many times in the list of the saints of Harar (in his full name “Aw Seid Ali”). Accordingly, the validity of the above Oromo oral traditions is unquestionable. However, the time is disputed. Many scholars including Professor Ulrich Braukamper say that the mission of Aw-Seid was probably a phenomenon of 16^th Century. This view makes good historical sense on two grounds. First, many written sources agree that the Eastern Oromos established their separate Caffee Assembly at Oda Bultum only after the second half of 16^th Century. Second, the Ittu elders say that it’s 69 Gadaas  (i.e. 552 years) since the Oda Bultum assembly was founded separately to serve the eastern Oromos; prior to that the Oromos of Harerghe held their Caffee Assembly at Oda Walabu (found in Bale) together with Arsi and Karrayu Oromos.

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“Aw Seid” is a saint associated with Galamso town. An establishment of permanent settlement on the current site of the town is ascribed to him although its urbanization process took many years (few centuries). On the other hand, a perennial river that rises from the western side of the town is called in the name of “Aw Seid” which can show the strong bond existing between the saint and the town. In the last century, a small “galma” (prayer house) and a shrine was built at a place thought to be a sight of the ancient “Galma Usso”.

Why “Aw Seid” selected the site of Galamso town and built his mosque there is still unclear. Some say Galamso was the seat of “Mana Bokku” (President’s Office) in ancient times and Aw-Seid settled there in order to be close to the administrators of the time; others say he’s residence was decided by the Warra Qallu clan who adopted him as their son. As the town is surrounded by two places called “Caffee” which are regarded as the remnants of ancient local “Caffee”s, as a place like “Halaya Buchoro” where the Oromos used to execute criminals by throwing to a chasm is located in its vicinity, and as the town was the only one which had seven “karra” (gates) in the Oromo tradition (five “karra” according some sources consulted recently), then it seems to the writer of this essay that the former story can tell us the most likely reason. That is, Galamso might had been the seat of “Mana Bokku” of the ancient Ittu Oromo tribal administration and that could be a reason for which “Aw Seid” settled there and built his mosque (“Galma Usso”).

Written by Afendi Muteki
February 8, 2013
Harar, East Ethiopia

Consulted Works

1. አፈንዲ ሙተቂ፡ ፉጉግና የሀረርጌ ኦሮሞ ፣ በአዲስ አድማስ ጋዜጣ፣ አዲስ አበባ፣ ሰኔ 20/2001
2. አፈንዲ ሙተ: ኦዳ ቡልቱም  በሀረርጌ፣ በአዲስ አድማስ ጋዜጣ፣ አዲስ አበባ፣ ሰኔ 27/2001 
3. Bahru Zewde: A History of Modern Ethiopia 1855-1991, Addis Ababa University Press, Addis Ababa, 2007
4. Mohammed Hassan: The City of Harar and the Spread of Islam Among the Oromo in Hararghe, A Paper Presented on African Studies Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, November 11–14, 1999
5. Mohammed Hassan: Minilik's Conquest of Harar and its Effect on the Political Organization of the Surrounding Oromos, in D.L. Donham and W. James , Working Papers of Society and History in Imperial Ethiopia, The Southern periphery up to 1900s, School of African Studies, London, 1980
6. Richard F. Burton፡ First Footsteps in East Africa or The Exploration of Harar, Longman, Green, Brown and Longman, London, 1856
7. Ulrich Braukamper: Islamic History and Culture in Southern Ethiopia: Collected Essays: Lit Verlag Münster, Munster, 2004

The Oromo of Harerghe: On the Evolution of Urban Centers (Part I)

By Afendi Muteki 

 Most of the urban centers of Harerghe are of short ages. Harar is the oldest one in the whole of East and Southern Ethiopia (In his book written 160 years ago, Sir Richard Burton also claimed that Harar is the only permanent settlement in East Africa) . It was the capital of Adal Sultanate up to 1577 and an independent city state (Amirate) from 1648-1887. Harar was the main market place for the Oromos as well as other peoples of East Ethiopa.

 Next comes Funyaan Biiraa (Gursum) which is said to be a remnant of a nearby town. Professor Ulrich Braukemper says that it had been a capital of an old time Amirate. Imam Ahmed ibn Ibrahim Al-Ghazi was born at a place called “Hubat” which was near to Funyan Biiraa (as recorded in Fat’hul Habasha, the chronicle of Imam Ahmed ibn Ibrahim).

 With the exception of these two towns (Harar and Funyan Biiraa), no urban center is said to be an extant of the medieval age. However, there is a high speculation that the towns called with a prefix “Biyyoo” (such as ”Biyyoo Kharaaba”) are old aged as the Oromos have been calling the long-lived Harar by a name “Biyyoo Adaree” meaning “the city of Adaree” (“biyyoo” is to mean “town” in Mahdi Hamid Muudee’s English-Oromo Dictionary and information I obtained from elderly people).

 There is an oral tradition that the town of Balbalettii (in West Harerghe, 25 kms south of Gelemso) have also a long age. But I doubt this information is true because no old time documents mention about it. Rather than Balbaleettii, we can see the names like Gelemso and Hirna in the books and travel accounts of many writers.

 As trading activities increased in the Harerghe region, certain important religious and cultural centres started to show some urban features. The spread of Islamic preachers among the Oromos also intensified the urbanization process because these preachers came with new house building and furnishing skills in addition to their religious knowledge  Eventually  important cultural places like Gelemso, Qunnii, Hirna, Watar, Babille etc changed to true urban centres.

 The last quarter of the 19 century brought the most remarkable effect on the urbanization process in Harerghe. This happened in two ways. After the defeat of the Oromos by the army of emperor Minilik, many garrisons was established for the administrative purposes and as a living places for the conquering army which had responsibility of watching over the conquered lands. With construction of living houses, churches, water wells etc, these garrisons were transformed to true urban centres. Gurawa, Dadar, Komona, Anchar etc were founded in this way.

 The construction of Ethio-Djibouti Railway Line was the other factor that fastened the urbanization process in Harerghe. Dire Dawa, Erar, Mieso, Bikke, Afdam etc were the direct results of this process.

The urbanization process in Harerghe hasn’t stopped. More urban centres are coming, and the old ones are expanding in all direction.

On the Tradition of “Oda Bultum”

The Oromo of Harerghe
(Part Three)
On the Tradition of “Oda Bultum”

By Afendi Muteki

As it was the case in other parts of Oromiya, the Oromos of Harerghe had a traditional self administration system. The highest body of the administration was the “Caffee Gadaa” assembly which used to hold its congress at Oda Bultum every eight year. The center called “Oda Bultum” was located at a place called “Hora Baaduu” which is found at 15 Kms distance from Baddessa town. Since the Oda Bultum is surrounded by the Ittu Oromos, some people wrongly assume that it was serving the tribal assembly of Ittu Oromos only. But both oral and written records show that originally “Oda Bultum” was the common assembly of the three tribes of the Harar Oromo (Ittu, Afran Qallo and Anniya). It was only in the 18^th century that the three groups install their own local assemblies; however, Oda Bultum remained an important cultural and administrative center for all of the three groups and they regarded it “the well-spring of Oromo wisdom” (Mohammed Hassen:  cited from Encyclopedia Aethiopica, 2004, pp 244)

 The congress of “Caffee Gadaa” assembly, called “Kora Gadaa” or “Yaa’ii Gadaa”, which was held at Oda Bultum would be undertaken for eight consecutive days and it had been attended by delegates called “luba”. Each “luba” must had a minimum of 40 years age and he would be elected by a local assembly of sub-clan. Then all “lubas” would gather at Oda Bultum and they would elect the future leaders. The congress was hosted by a group of appointed deputies which was lead by “Abbaa Caffee”. The “lubas” would stay in eight huts made from hay. (The “number eight” indicates the eight years of one cycle of “Gadaa”).

Under the instruction of “Abba Caffee” the “lubas” would elect “Abba Gadaa” who would be the future ceremonial head of state. Under “Abbaa Gadaa”s moderation and the participation of every “luba”, the assembly would evaluate the pervious performance of the administration and issue new laws and make strategic decisions. At the end of the congress, the assembly would form a new administrative through democratic election. The election criteria were bravery, oratory skill, knowhow of the society’s norms and customs, good discipline, good health etc… (Handicapped people wouldn’t be elected). On the whole, all nominees must had passed through the five cycles of “Gadaa”; that is, they must be of 40 years of age but under 48 years.

The assembly would elect six people who would fill the administration. The six people would be lead by “Abbaa Bokkuu” (the president) who was the head of the government; the other five would be members of his cabinet and each of them had ministerial position. The five ministers were called “Abbaa Biyyaa” (which was roughly equal to Minister of Land and Administrative Affairs), “Abbaa Duulaa” (equal to Minister of War), “Abbaa Horii” (equal to Minister of Economy), “Abbaa Seeraa” (equal to Minister of Justice) and “Abbaa Diidaa” (equal to Minister of Transport and Foreign Affairs). Generally, the five ministers were called “Shanan Gadaa”. The office of the governor (president) was known as “Mana Bokkuu” (House of the President). It was these two houses that would run the day to day administrative affairs of the state in the forthcoming eight years.
In all of its activities, the administrative body was supported by a council called “Mana Hayyuu” which was filled by a group of skilled and scholarly people called “Hayyuu”. These “Hayyuus” were usually people who reached the age of “Gada Moojjii” (meaning “retired from Gadaa” or “retired from administrative age”). “Hayyuu” can be re-elected but “Abbaa Bokkoo” and the five ministers (“Shanan Gadaa”) serve only one term.

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The laws and rules issued at Oda Bultum would be ratified at “Garbii Darrabbaa”, a place located at two Kms north of Oda Bultum. There, a congress of lawyers would study the laws and strategies issued by “Caffee Gadaa” assembly on the constitutional basis; unconstitutional law would be called “Heer malee” and rejected, and the constitutional laws would be accepted as the working directive of the state. The member of “Garbii Darrabbaa” congress would be called “Abbaa Heeraa” and he was also elected by lower (local) assembly. A man who was elected as “Abbaa Heeraa” would be called by this title until the end of his life. (Note: “Abbaa Seeraa” is different from “Abbaa Heeraa”. The former was “Minister of Justice; the later was member of the law making congress. In modern term, we may call the latter one “congressman”).

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 It is also noteworthy to mention “Raabaa Dorii” which was the “Council of Defense”. This council runs the military affairs of the state and it was lead by “Abbaa Dulaa” (Minister of War).  Military campaigns and defense programs would be implemented only after they have got good support by the “Raabaa Dorii”. On the other hand, the budget of the army and mandatory military service programs would be decided by this military council.

The army was called “Raayyaa”. The most trained and best equipped section of “Rayyaa” was known as “Qeeyroo” or “Qeerroo” (to mean “fierce and fast as leopard”). According to the information obtained from different sources, the chain of command of the army looks like the following.

1.      The smallest unite of the army had nine personnel and it was called “Saglii” /Seylii. Each “Seylii” was commanded by “Abbaa Seylii”.

2.      Three “Seylii” form “Muraasa” which was lead by “Abbaa Muraasaa”.

3.      Three “Muraasaa” form “Buttaa” and it was lead by “Abbaa Buttaa”

4.      Three “Buttaa” form “Cibraa” (Cifraa) and this was commanded by “Abbaa Cibraa”

5.      Three “Cibraa” form “Gubbaa” and this was lead by “Abbaa Gubbaa”

6.      Three “Gubbaa” form “Hoomaa” and this was “lead” by “Bobbaasaa”

7.      Three “Hoomaa” form “Raayyaa” which was commanded by “Abbaa Duulaa”.

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In the latter half of 19^th century the power of “Mana Bokkuu” and “Shanan Gadaa” offices shrinked while the “Raabaa Dorii” became the most powerful body in the state. The “Abbaa Duulaa” started to exercise full authority over the state. On the other hand, wealth became the most important criteria to be elected as a leader. Skilled and wise people lost a chance to serve the society at any position. This had created a leadership crisis and the Oromos of Harerghe lost their common strength. Up on the arrival of foreign invaders, their ancient and democratic administrative system totally collapsed.

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Written by Afendi Muteki
January 15, 2013

Harar, East Ethiopia