Tesfaye G/Aab, becomes Gadaa Gebreab

By Rundassa Asheetee | September 29, 2014

Yesterday September 28, 2014, Tesfaye Gebreab changed his name to Gadaa Gebreab before thousands of people in Washington Dc, USA. Of course, Tesfaye never considered himself stranger but an Oromo. He (Gadaa) has written books on Oromo more than most Oromos and he has attended many conference sessions related to the Oromo political matters. Further, there is absolutely nothing in this world that Tesfaye hasn’t done to bring comfort and happiness to his people, the Oromo, as much as his power permitted him. Tesfaye Gebreab has depth of knowledge of the Oromo history and culture and he has already achieved a lot when it comes to telling the Oromo story.

Any way, there were thousands of Oromos who attended the Hammachisaa ceremony and changed their names to Oromo name. Among them was a young women named Mesert and four more who were able to change their Amhara names to Oromo. According to the person who informed me of the situation, because of lack of time, the name change request was postponed to next year. Since there were many kids who have gone through the Hammachisa process, the individuals in charge of the process didn’t have enough time to cover as many people they wished to help with the name change and with the Hammachisaa process at the same time.

It is interesting that the Oromo identity is finally pulling itself out of the cloud of religious domination and intense struggle from the Habashas who fought so hard to keep the Oromo people under their oppressive and rude culture. Even though many religious sects still seek to add each Oromo to their flock, wise and matured Oromians seem not too impressed by these theological turmoil hungry to grab those who have doubts about their identity. In the past, the Oromo people found themselves in the heart of these religious revival and gave in but now things seem clear to the majority and thus they are coming back to their senses.

True, still there thousands who dance to the tune of the Western religion, not because they believe that God lives in America but just to make a good living. Yet, now time is different and those Oromos who share their feelings and testimonies that a degraded life doesn’t worth living, they are showing a desire to rejoin their Oromummaa.

As to Tesfaye Gebreab, he too has endured serious persecution by the TPLF and the diaspora Amharas who hated him for writing the truth about the Oromo people. Like any of us, Tesfaye was raised inside the Oromo cluture and that is the binding link between all of us and it is what is going to be the binding covenants among us all as families of the larger Oromo society.

Congratulations! Gadaa GebreAb!

Rundaasaa Asheetee ti