Oromiyaa belongs to the Oromo. It is governed by rule of law. Oromo is the third or fourth populous ethnic group in Sub-Sahara Africa. It is a fertile land fitting for agriculture. It is rich in natural resources below and above the ground. It has many rivers which irrigate other lands. The Gada system which is now disturbed was rooted in human rights and peace. That is why Oromo love peace but oppose abuse on anyone. Abuse brings the absence of peace. As a country Oromiyaa has no shortcoming that all envy it. We repeatedly talk about this issue so that everyone understands the outlook and stand Oromo have about themselves. By any criteria, be it history, having own language and culture, unbroken territory, common economic life, rich natural resources and reliable human power there is nothing that hinders it from living independently.
After formation of OLF Oromo youth have entered covenant to guard Oromummaa by their blood. Whatever their ideological tendency may be most have agreed on one Kaayyoo, of decolonizing and free their beloved country Oromiyaa. Itophiyaa is not a sacred name that dropped from the sky as told, but name Greek historians gave to peoples beyond Egypt and in general for black peoples. Except this empire there had been no people or country that called itself by this name. And that was officiated in 1931. The Greeks refer more to civilizations of Nubia and Mesopotamia by this name. The present Ethiopians forward as evidence that this name was cited in the Holly Books. Unfortunately, at that time this country was not called Ethiopia. To whichever the reference is made, when they translated from the original document, some translated as Ethiopia and others as Kush. Both names are ways aliens call those with black skin and there had been no people that called themselves as Ethiopia.
Be that as it may, at that time those that had communication with Palestine and her surrounding could have been civilization of Merowe and Napata. Habashaa clerics creating their own fiction and mixing facts try to distort history. They made the same with Oromo history. Amaaraa elites did not publicly recognize Oromiyaa but continue with their tirade of abuses against the nation in their propaganda. This is something that takes apart not bringing together. Freedom and independence for Oromo and Oromiyaa are birth rights that no one can deny. The world had agreed that all people who are occupied by force or those that want independence can do so. It is accepted universal right, to force one that refuses to let them free. People
of Africa are going to live together for eternity. They have experienced that there are other groups that had denied their being human, enslaved and turned them to subhumans while enjoying their resources and labor and developing and building power at their expense. If they continue to practice what they learned from them on each other and spend their time on local skirmishes they are going to lose everything to such groups very soon.
Segment of East Africa from Mediterranean to the equator had been the surrounding of Kushitic language speakers which they consider as their home in their life as settlers and nomads from time immemorial. Oromoo are big people among them. They were pushed southwards by newcomers from this home until they made victorious return. Semitic speaking people had joined them at different times crossing the Red Sea. After joining them not only their language they retained their culture which is different from Kushitic speaking people. Even in modern times they forcefully impose their own on colonial peoples while majority of them did not try to learn that of people they colonized.
They had imposed their language and culture on government of Kushitic speaking Axum which existed before their arrival. Their government started to be called Habashaa government named after tribe of their origin (Habashat?). They do not have descent name with the Arabs, they call them “Abash anush (snake)” This government was not only expanded to south to the heart of Agawu land but also lost the Crown to Agawu (Zaaguween). A group that speaks a language that seems similar to them overthrew the Zaaguwee king and usurped power. One that usurped power created own fiction and claimed to belong to Solomonic dynasty. Most dynasties in the world used to be created in the same way. He controlled the whole Agawu land and expanded to Qimaant, Wayixoo, Beejjaa, Argobba, Northern Oromiyaa and Shawaa. This was all what is called Abyssinian kingdom until the coming of Minilik II.
The kingdom of Abyssinia led by Minilik II occupied Oromiyaa and her neighbors with the help of European imperialists starting mid-19th and beginning of 20th centuries to form the Modern Ethiopian Empire. He denied the people human rights, killed half the population, enslaved many selling them to foreign markets, he made the remaining serfs and plundered what they have, and used their labor free as he liked. It is failing to accept this truth nowadays, that is denying peace to the colonized peoples and people from which the colonizer originated. The Abyssinian ruling class has never occupied Oromiyaa before the 19th century.
Both plundered and kidnaped from each other and returned to their headquarters but occupying each other’s country permanently was not known.
In the 19th century they allied with European colonizers that came to scramble Africa; with the war machines and experts they got from them they defeated and permanently occupied free people to their south. Trying to distort this truth will only cause more blood to spill but cannot return to yesterday’s history. So far, the colonizer did not leave; Powers from across the sea did not stop advising and helping. Because they refused when the Oromo asked them to leave their country in peace, armed struggle was started. Because of defects history brought on them so far, many Oromo are remaining enemy’s running dogs and galtuu. This will continue for the time being, but when all become conscious no one will excel them and no one will match them, in population, intelligence, resources, and bravery. The enemy is joking at them saying “Being numerous does not help the fly open a lid”. It will be shown to them when with more political consciousness, organization, and better arms existing defects are overcome.
When colonies were liberated, the leading administrators went back to “the mother land” while some of the rank and file were left behind. They are required to abide by laws of the country liberated; they should not expect special or more rights than natives but equal. The rank-and-file nafxanyaa except some showing empty bragging of belonging to the ruling class had lived life of Oromo peasants impoverished like them. Still, they have choices; their rights to be respected just like country people or return to countries where their masters brought them. Their ruling class is raising terror, taking them as excuse and wanting to return to their past dominance. Those that are left behind cannot be loyal to two forces; they need to decide for one. They have either to live free and equal with past colonial people or join the enslaving oppressor of ruling class and fight against Oromo. If a nafxanyaa descendants opt for being Oromiyaan one has to be ready to fight for freedom of Oromiyaa. In this era when people are standing for their rights, organized and armed, those that came from outside cannot defeat them. Regional and world conditions are not like that of 19th century.
There is bringing the end to the beginning on part of Oromo politicians. First, Oromo must be free to be taken as equal by any willing partner. After that, future relations with neighbors will be discussed in good faith and with will on all sides. Until then the struggle shall continue until victory in the battlefield or through peaceful negotiations. However, the drawn initial program by OLF had no reason
to change as some politicians suggest. Policy that seems positive to morning kaayyoo, is seen interfering to fail it giving advantage to the enemy. Those that are misguided by that say that we must not cling to morning strategy but change it. Morning kaayyoo was one that nationals having different outlooks agreed upon, the founding of People’s Democratic Republic Oromiyaa. And that will be realized after the Oromo people decided on their right of national self-determination.
Oromo freedom fighters accepted the concept of Federation believing in words of partners who pretended to recognize sovereignty of Oromo over Oromiyaa and the right of national self-determination including independence. The federation was not implemented according to the law and the big colonizer, Amaaraa did not accept even the concept. They did not abandon the slogan, “One Ethiopia or death”. PP also says, “We shall restore Ethiopia to her height and glory”. And it has started building statue for Oromo enemies, Minilik and the likes. All have goal to assimilate all other people, nationalities and nations into Amharic speaking Ethiopian empire. This Oromo refuses. PP and those before it had massacred Oromo to reduce their number without age indiscriminating. Even jobs for which they have paid taxes are not allowed to compete for them in afaan Oromo. Things are not yet matured. Federation can be formed only after dismantling the empire. When peoples are free, they can create any connection they want by their own will. Until then changing the initial objective will not be necessary.
Amaraa clerics had put down false theory concerning Oromo. The present Amaarinyaa speaking elites are continuing strengthening that lie by more polishing it. They are deceiving their youth by saying Oromo came out of Africa and took our land. They are driving them to fire to dispute what is not theirs. Those Amaarinyaa speaking that call themselves Amaaraa, they should study their history of the 13th century from Yakuno Amlak to Minilik II. To be ignorant of that could lead to uncorrectable mistakes. It is told that Yakuno Amlak was a Zaaguwee soldier whose mother was Oromo. Those that stand for identity, justice and equality do not care if one is an in-law or a sibling. Yakuno Amlak was crowned by overthrowing Agawu’s king. That army was built from different language speakers. As told the present language called Amaarinya started as code language for the soldiers. It was that army that was called “Nafxanyaa” after growing and armed with fire spiting weapons.
Nafxanyaa is Minilik’s army. Minilik recruited the strong from nations he defeated, baptized them, made them to speak Amharic and Amaarized them.
Therefore, nafxanyaa means one who is armed with gun, one that was baptized into Tawahido Church, and can speak Amharic; does not indicate the nation or clan from which one is originated. Therefore, that means, each nafxanyaa if one traces one ends in a people from which one is originated. Federalism respects people’s nationalities and nations equality. This does not fit Amaaraa elites. Therefore, they want to hide und the common word “Ethiopia”. Until Amharic speaking individuals go back to people they originate from, the region will not have peace. The name Ethiopia to have a chance of being retained in the future may be cancelled because of them.
For many Oromo nationalists the word, Ethiopia does not include Oromo and Ethiopian colonies. The feeling is mutual for Amaaraa or those that call themselves Ethiopian when they speak from their hearts. This is obvious from the context of what is spoken or written every day at every forum. De jure people of the empire are called Ethiopians, but de facto Ethiopianess is reserved to selected people. Amaaraa history, language, religion and culture for many solely still represent that of Ethiopian empire. One who questions this will be a laughingstock and considered deviant and divisive. Federation indicates decentralized power, but still Ethiopian empire is no less centralized than the time of the emperor. States’ activities and appointments emanate from the center instead of being elected by people of the states.
Ethiopians are struggling to leave the fake constitution as it is or to pronounce its true nature loudly that Ethiopia is a unitary state. Those who aspire to be taken as Ethiopians sincerely and are making effort to democratize the empire turn deaf ears when they are told empires melt down and are never democratized. The peoples, nationalities and nations under it must be free to choose willingly how, and with whom, to live in the future. Enough time is given to their adversaries to realize that they are not stronger than their predecessors, which come being defeated at every turn in the past more than fifty years and correct their erroneous outlook. They, however bitter it may be, to live in peace have to swallow that Oromiyaa belongs to Oromo and her sovereignty is inviolable. Oromiyaan haa jiraattu!
Honor and glory for the fallen heroines and heroes; liberty, equality, and freedom for the living and nagaa and araaraa for the Ayyaanaa of our fore parents!
Ibsaa Guutama
December 2025