Monday, 2 March 2015

Now You Can Have Oromia News

By Olivia Cross


The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, situated on the Horn of Africa, is the most heavily-populated country in the world without a coastline. It is also the second most populous country on the entire African continent. The Oromia region is one of Ethiopia's nine regional states. Now, you can get Oromia news.

The regional capital of Oromia has an interesting history. Up until 2000, it was located in Addis Ababa, which was known also as Finfinne. As the new millennium dawned, the capital was moved to Adama. According to government sources, Addis Ababa was inconvenient from the point of view of developing the region's culture, history, and language. This turned out to be a controversial move, with critics declaring that the government wanted to play down the importance of Addis Ababa in the region. In 2005, the Oromo People's Democratic Organization returned the capital back to Finfinne.

The fact that we are now able to read about this is a huge step forward for the country as a whole. Until very recently, the Ethiopian government kept a tight lid on what was going on inside their country. It will be interesting to see how events unfold as Ethiopia takes its place under the world's microscope.

In the Finfinne Tribune, it is possible to read about the mythical origin of the Abyssinian Solomonic dynasty. The Judeo-Christian Bible tells the story of a visit to King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba. What the Bible does not mention is a child born to the Queen months after the historic meeting. This baby allegedly grew up to become King Minilik I.

Illicit relationships are nothing unusual in the Bible. King Solomon himself was the result of a romance between his father, King David, and Bathsheba, who was also married to Uriah, a Hittite soldier in David's army who was conveniently killed in battle. In any event, Minilik's birth is not mentioned in the Bible.

What is more likely is that the royal heritage of Minilik I was claimed by himself. Rulers in ancient times would often claim some mythical, mystical origins in order to distinguish themselves from ordinary mortals. Their mystical roots were then used to justify the use of unlimited power over their subjects.

The notion that kings were demigods persisted right up until the overthrow of Emperor Haile Sillaasee in 1974. Sillaasee, too, was a member of the Solomonic dynasty. Born Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael, he served as regent of Ethiopia between 1916 and 1930 before taking over as Emperor until 1974.

It is exciting to be exposed to new stories about old countries that never seem to have a big role on the world stage, at least from a western point of view. It is unfortunate that records of the Solomonic Dynasty, kept by the Christian monks of the Ethiopian orthodoxy, were demolished when Judith I destroyed the monasteries. Following the revolution in 1974, most of the Ethiopian royal family were put in prison, later to be released and entered into exile. Today, many members of the royal family have been allowed to come back and life in Ethiopia.




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