The idolization and obsession with Menelik is purely political in nature and only serves to meet the political needs of certain political parties, looking only at Menelik to understand what shaped Ethiopia is to make mockery of the rest of Oromo's history.
Whether willfully or out of naive ignorance you remove from the Oromos their true history. You fail to tell them that Iyoas I in 1755 was crowned King of Kings. You fail to tell them that his mother was Oromo, Welete Bersabe. Or how Iyoas I spoke Oromo as emperor of Ethiopia
and made it the court language. You fail to mention how Mentewab, his grandmother, gathered an army, while Wubit gathered an army from her Oromo relatives because the two women were going to "work out" their issues? Is this not the history of the Oromo people that shaped their
position in Ethiopia? How about Ras Gugsa and the Edjjow Oromos who ruled Ethiopia during the " ዘመነ መሳፍንት" or "Age of Prince"? This didn't shape Ethiopia? Ethiopia was controlled by Oromo, the Emperors of Ethiopia reduced to peasants? This is not part of Oromo history?
By why stop there? What about Abba Bahrey narration? The oldest book on the history of the Oromo people "ዜናሁ ፡ ለጋላ" written in Geez in 1593, "History of the Oromo". Where he describes the invasion of the southern lands by the Oromo, this is not their history?
But this laser focus on Menelik, why? Because when you study Ethiopian history you find that Atse Yohannes conducted more wars on the Oromo to restore the lands of Ethiopia than Menelik. Or that almost all historians agree that Meneliks conquest of Woliata was the bloodiest
conquest, yet the Woliata don't have this unhealthy focus on Menelik. In fact when Menelik conquered Anole, he was still King of Shoa, not even ruler of all Abyssinia yet. That being said, Menelik happened 130 years ago. There are so many things that shape Ethiopia and
Menelik is just one of them. Lets not forget that Menelik gave his own to daughter to marry an Oromo, Mohammed Ali, who upon becoming christian took the name Mikael.
Menelik appointed Mikaels son to be then next King of Kings. Many opposed his nomination, including Menelik's wife herself. Empress Taitu opposition was not because he was Oromo, infact, she was trying to get her son in law Gugsa Welle, another Oromo, to replace Lij Iyasu.
Of course the mothers intuition were proved more accurate. Lij Iyasu turned out to be pretty spoiled, emotionally unstable and politically inept. But his fall was brought about by his conversion to Islam and snubbing the church.
He would later align with the Arabs and began appointing islamic officials in high position.
(pic. Lij Iyasu dressed in Arab head attire)
(pic. Lij Iyasu dressed in Arab head attire)
So while discussing the legacy of Meneliks conquest, perhaps we can discuss the Oromo conquest in the 16th century? How did that shape the identity of the peoples conqured?
So lets not play around, there is no getting around the fact that OLF has politicized history in ways to benefit their cause: To create independent Oromo nation.
If you really want an honest reflection, you have to ask the Oromo hardliners to read the chapter before Menelik.
If you really want an honest reflection, you have to ask the Oromo hardliners to read the chapter before Menelik.
