The main cause for setting out to write this piece is a press statement that was sent out today by five Oromo political parties on current issues. What has become so controversial and ire on social media now is the quite insensitive and unsubstantiated claim that the statement makes about Addis Abeba, the capital city of Ethiopia.
The statement Watch:
” We Oromo political parties state that Addis Abeba is always Oromo’s city. However, this does not mean that non-Oromos cannot live in Addis Abeba (Finfine).”
This is a dangerous claim. Irresponsible and baseless!
It has been a while since Oromo activists have been arguing that Addis Abeba “is actually not the original name of Addis Abeba but Finfine (an Oromiffa word they say) and the city belongs to Oromo people since they were the “natives or indigenous” and the rest of the population are “immigrants or settlers.” Many have chosen to disregard these claims as foolish and ignore them. They never imagined such outlandish ideas held by some extremist Oromo activists would be taken up and mainstreamed by senior Oromo politicians who are now openly and irresponsibly repeating this wildly unreasonable agenda that could have so many negative consequences. Yet, they did.
Is Addis Abeba’s name Finfine? Are the Oromo people the natives of Addis Abeba and the rest settlers?
We first tried to conduct an online search for scientific literature on Google Scholar, Jstor and other scientific journals that could corroborate their claims.
One of the few official sources is found in the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) statement issued in 2014 titled “Finfine is the Central and Integral Part of Oromia.” The statement justifies Addis Abeba (Finfine according to their lingo) is an Oromo city and the rest especially Shoa Amhara are settlers because ” The area historically and legally belongs to the Oromo people. Before the conquest of Emperor Menelik, the present land on which the city of Finfine is erected had been the ritual, political and economic center of the Tulama branch of the Oromo society…The traditional owners of the land were mainly the Oromo clans of Gulalle, Eka and Galan. The former name of the area Finfinne was replaced by Amharic name that came to be known as Addis Ababa. Subsequently names of different places in and around Finfine took Amhara names. Among others Burqa Finfine was changed to Filwaha, Birbirsa Ya’ii Goro took the name Arada Georges, Chaffe Arara was designated Arat Kilo, Dalati was labeled Arat Kilo, Tullu Hexo was named Tallaquu Beta Mengist (Grand Palace), Beda Ejersa Ras Kasa Sefer, Luqo Kormaa was changed to Ras Birru Sefer, Barro Korma named as Ras Tesema Sefer, Arbu Irrecha to Ras Hayilu Sefer…” In the six pages of the statement, there is no other archaeological, historical or scientific evidence given to corroborate the claims. A good question to ask is “so how did the Tulama or other groups of Oromo come to Addis Abeba?”
The only information is that the current sub cities of Addis Abeba had an Oromo name before therefore they are the native lands of the Oromo people. This is a simplistic and unevidenced claim. Prof. Fikre Tolosa in a book he adapted from a so called rare book argued that Oromo and Amhara people have the same ancestral lineages because previous kings of Ethiopia and places held names that had meanings both in Oromiffa and Amharic. Such are foolishly speculative and indefensible arguments.
An earlier text submitted to the UN OHCHR by Mr.Tarekegn Chimdi “On Forced Change of the Capital city of the State of Oromia: Ethiopia, from Finfinne (Addis Ababa) to Adama and its Consequences” argues that the Oromo people are indigenous to Addis Abeba (Finfine). He also argues “Prior to colonization of Oromia, the present day Addis Ababa had an Oromo name – Finfinne. ” The only book evidence he attempts to corroborate is Major W. C. Harris’ “The Highlands of Aethiopia (1844)”. He quotes Harris “rolling on like the mighty waves of the ocean, down poured the Amhara host among the rich glades and rural hamlets, at the heels of the flying inhabitants—tramping under foot the fields of the ripening corn, and sweeping before them the vast herds of cattle which grazed untended in every direction.”His book was written nearly 30 years before the foundation of Addis Abeba in 1887. The book narrates about conflicts in late 18th and early 19th century, which have nothing to do with the foundation or “colonisation of Finfine” as Tarekegn argues.
So far we cannot find ANY evidence that shows Finfine was named Addis Abeba before 1887 or the indigenous population of the city were Oromos. No research, literature, architecture, or clues to prove that.
All the pro-Finfine writings do not mention anything before 1887. Their literature and argument is all post 1887 i.e that former Oromo names of the city were changed as Menelik resettled in Addis Abeba. Menelik’s granddad, Sahle Selassie was also reported to have said that “My grandson will re-conquer my father’s land.” This is an evidence that Emperor Menelik and Empress Taytu Bitul re-founded the land, Addis Abeba, which Menelik’s grannies built during the Medieval Christian period.
The problem with most of the above and even legal documents currently being used by the government to give a special right and interest to Oromia on Addis Abeba does not have any robust historical and scientific evidence. There is no archeological material present until today showing Qubee language or even any structure in today’s Addis Abeba showing that there was an Oromo civilisation or rule as old as the medieval Ethiopia. There is no scientific research or literature showing Finfine as the old name of Addis Abeba or even any clue that only Oromo people were the singular and native residents of Addis Abeba. If there is, it is not anything beyond foolish “listing of old Oromo names of places and arguing because they bore an old Oromo names, they are and belong to Oromos.”
Archaeological, historical and scientific evidence of Addis Abeba pre-15th C
Photo of Washa Mikael Church
Sire: Sire is also about 35 kms south of Addis. Cities like Sire debunk the method used by extremist Oromo activists to deny residence and rights to Ethiopian people in the surroundings of Addis Abeba based on the very abstract zoning system of the “Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne.” Sire city of the 15th century based on recent scientific findings is located in what is today outskirts of Addis Abeba around Dukem on the way to Debre Zeit (Bishoftu) in the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne. “Some 15 km north of Debre Zeyt, mid-way on a secondary road to Chefe Donsa and only some 2 km beyond passing the rural market town of Godino, a remarkable archaeological site has been investigated in detail. The area is locally known as “Sire” and making reference to the archaeological evidence the authors named the site the “City of Sire”. Some 6 km to the north-west of this place are found the medieval ruins of the Church of Ginbi and not far to the west looms Mt Yerer.42 Only some 2 km to the north-east the terraced hill-top of Ichichie is located.” found Breternitz & Pankhurst (2009). Sire is another important evidence of tangible, researchable and scientific evidence about who lived here before Ahmed Gragn’s invasion and the Oromo expansion of the 16th & 17th Century. 
Southern Abassia section of the Fra Mauro map indicating toponomy and geographical features – Note: The southern orientation means that south is above. (Source: Walker (2014))
The press statement by a cluster of Oromo opposition forces, who now feel to have become the de facto rulers of the country, after the TPLF clique lost most of its power within the key sectors of the government, have likely issued this presser as a strategy of giving the rest of the opposition forces, as well as Addis Abebans, another assignment. Instead of focussing on the major events happening in the country such as the targeted ethnic attack against Gamo and Gurage people in Burayu, Oromo region by alleged Qerro youth, the mass arrest of youth in Addis Abeba and the entrenchment of key government posts mainly by officials from the OPDO, they are focusing on minor issues that could create more problems and clashes.
Hence, if there was anyone to rightfully claim more rights in today’s Addis Abeba, then It would have been especially of the people related to the Shoans of the medieval period. However, this is a futile venture because before the Shoan reign, there were other people, who also called themselves “natives”. And, also before these people, there were people of certain ethnic group, who lived in this region and called themselves “indigenous.” Hence, the “we are the natives” argument holds little or no water at all. There is no ethnic group that should be given special rights and interests in Addis Abeba. Current city laws and articles of the constitution giving special rights and privileges to the Oromia region should immediately be revised. Oromo activists and opposition parties should also refrain, as well as apologise, for making such divisive, isolating and conflict inciting statements. It is unbelievable that Oromo elites are making such claims, when most of them are based in the Western world, where they are considered as Londoner, Torontonian or American equal to those those born there. People born in Addis Abeba might be considered “a native of Addis” but Addis Abeba is and must be for all Ethiopians, also anyone, who legally resides in the city respecting the laws of the country and the people. There is no first class or second class Ethiopian! More good research and scholarship is necessary to end the claims and counterclaims once and for all.
Excellent rejoinder to the irresponsible and nonsensical claim of Oromo political Organizations. Addis Ababa is Shoan Amara fundamentally with other Amaras from Gondar and Wollo. the indigenous people as is the case allover Ethiopia Agew and Angot. Oromos came into the area after Gragn in the late 16th Century. At any rate they never were even then settlers, they were pastoral people traveling for good pasture and water. The land designated as Oromo Kilil is totally absurd and unacceptable. There is no historical ground for such idiotic designations. It was very wrong to arbitrarily create territories as was done by the TPLF dominated EPRDF. The sooner we get back to the old Teklie Gizat administrative structure that fits our limited managerial abilities the sooner we will solve all these ethnic conflicts. Kilil system is a monumental error so is the language based ethnic emphasis in governance. Tecola W Hagos
The blind Oromo leaders, blinded by hate, are laying the ground for another century of strife for our poor people. They think they are being smart and politically savvy by taking extremist positions so as to make Abiy’s group appear all the more reasonable. But they should beware that it could have the opposite effect of painting all the great but humble Oromo people as dangerous and unpredictable. The meek shall inherit the earth while pride will go before a catastrophic fall.
I call the Analysis simply amicable and requesting all diverging views to reflect on historical reality. To have a constructive dialogue, we all need to be open minded, guided by facts and well researched evidence and not emotions and tips from the various interest groups. Personally, I am not taking any position as it stands now. Rather want to get more historical facts. Whoever is going to win the historical ownership, it should be very clear that Addis Ababa is a common interest place for all Ethiopians and legal residents without any form of discrimination.
May God give us all the wisdom to manage our emotions and to be guided by facts & principles!
Those who supposed to lead Oromia people and represent the public should be alert on making propaganda for silly issue of Addis Ababa –Finfine is the city of Oromia. Provoking on this way and trying to gain political succession don’t bring any solution to Ethiopia rather thinking about the nation at large and forecasting the possible consequence and outcome are unavoidable.
If we think like this, why New York, Washington DC, … etc don’t belong to Red Indians and there are many examples in world which can be a case study to us. We have to be more rational and no one can gain from claiming this. No way whether we call Addis Ababa, Finfine, Arada, …etc it is a capital city of all people and whether Oromo, Amahara, Afar, Tigray, Somalia … etc have an interest on city and belongs to them.
So we advise those political leaders to focus on major issues that can bring change to our poor society but don’t waste time on igniting conflict.
Long live to Ethiopia!!
“So far we cannot find ANY evidence that shows Finfine was named Addis Abeba before 1887 or the indigenous population of the city were Oromos. No research, literature, architecture, or clues to prove that.”
What a non-sensical argument is this?? Typical Habesha illogical argumentation! According to you, anything that is not documented by Debteras did not exist, whether history, people or cultures! Second, one Habesha makes some hypothetical claims in some writing, the second one quotes that as an evidence, and the third stamps it as true history! Garbage in, garbage out!
The city “Addis Abeba” was founded in 1887 around Hora Finfinne, a seat of the Abba-Muda of Tulama Oromo, after the indigenous inhabitants were exterminated as graphically described by Colonel Harris and later by Bulatovich. Since then, the city has expanded to its present extent by evicting and exiling millions of Oromo farmers. In the last 27 years alone, about 1.5 Millions oromos were evicted.
You are searching in Google and co. about these evictions, and finding none, want to tell us that no such thing has ever happened! Is it stupidity, or you think you can hypnotize all others with your garbage writing?? Habesha mentality is really amazing!!
You may make archeological diggings down to the times of Lucy, and her most direct discendants may make a final claim. Meanwhile, the people who have been evicted due to TPLF’s social engineering and children and grand-children of victims of Habesha empire building rightly demand back the plot of land they were forcefully removed from. Oromos are not Australian Aborigines or American Red Indians. You can not make claim to the soil from which you removed the original inhabitants through genocide! Finfinne and its environs (present Addis Abeba) has been soaked with the blood and bones of generations of Oromo clans of the Gullale, Ekka and Abbichu, as any other part of Oromia. Finfinne/Addis was integral part of Oromia, and it will remain so.
To abba caala.
Can you prove the name Finfine exited att all? have you a written dokument that proves this part, that is Addis Abeba belonged to the Oromos? After the war of Gragn, the country was week. and the Oromos migrated to a large part of the country. and the POromos changed their ancient names to “”The native ancient names of the territories were replaced by the name of the Oromo clans who conquered it while the people were made assimilated and sometimes became Gabbaros(serfs). mr Abba Caala, it is probable that you the desendant av these Gabbaros. ask your grand parents.