Illubabor Province
Encyclopedia
Illubabor was a province in the south-western part of Ethiopia
, along the border with Sudan
. The name Illubabor is said to come from two Oromo
words, "Illu" and "Abba Bor(a)". "Illu" is a name of a clan, and "Abba Bor" was the horse name
of Chali Shone, who founded the ruling family of the area when it was conquered by Shewa
; hence IlluAbabor means the Illu belonging to Ababor(a). There is also a place called Illu-Abasambi named in the similar fashion.
Originally, its capital city was Gore
, then around 1978 the capital was moved to Metu
. With the adoption of new constitution in 1995
, the territory of Illubabor was divided between the Gambela
, Oromia and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regions of Ethiopia.
state which was conquered and occupied by the forces of Emperor Menelek II
in 1889. The last king of Illubabor was Fatansa Illu. When the Shewan forces invaded Illubabor, the king sent messengers to Kumsa Moroda of Leqa Naqamte and Abba Jifar
of Jimma
to form an alliance to resist the Shewa
n army. Although the messengers were warmly accepted by Kumsa Moroda, when they presented their message he declined the offer, saying that the Oromo forces could not resist Shewan troops well armed with modern firearms. The messengers who went to Abba Jifar were unsuccessful. Both rulers had previously secured their autonomous status from Menilek.
It was under these conditions that Ras Tessema Nadew led Emperor Menelek's force into Illubabor. When the lead elements of the Shewan forces reached the Gebba River
, Fatansa's main forces began defensive attacks using spears and shields. However, when the major Shewan forces headed by Ras Tessema reached the Gaba river, the Illu defensive lines were broken and many Oromo villages were burnt down at the order of the Ras. After this incident the Shewan forces marched to the heart of Illubabor and camped at a place called Qarsa Gogila, near modern-day Metu.
After realizing the strength of the Shewans, Fatansa Illu made a show of accepting the Shewan victory. Fatansa even prepared a fabulous feast for the invaders at their camp at midnight. However, Fatansa had his soldiers surround the camp to make a surprise attack on the invaders and a bloody battle took place; Fatansa's forces were overwhelmed by the firepower of Ras Tessema's men. Fatansa was captured and imprisoned at Barroi, about five kilometers from Metu.
Ras Tessema made Gore
the seat of his administration. It was at this time that the semi-feudal system of naftagnas, balabats, and gebbars was introduced to Illubabor. The Shewan officials and soldiers who settled in Illubabor, known as naftagna or "riflemen", were assigned to a number of peasant households, or gabbars depending on their rank and position. A Dejazmach was granted 1,000 peasant households, a Fitawrari 300, a Kenyazmach 100 to 150; a Shambal 70 to 90; a Mato Alaqa 40 to 60, Hamsalaqa 25 to 35 and an ordinary soldier 5 to 10. Each peasant household had to deliver one-third of his produce to his overland. Taxes were collected from every married couple. In addition to payment of taxes and tribute the indigenous Oromo had multiple obligations. They had to construct houses and fences for their master. They had to supply honey, butter, chicken and fattened sheep or goat on holidays. Each household had to produce fifty kilos of grounded cearls to each naftagna every month. Furthermore, the peasants had to transport grain crops to the nearest government granaries. If a gabbar failed to fulfill his duties, he would be summoned to the court. As C.F. Rey had noticed ". . . The judges are the sub governor creatures of course take the side of the plaintiff in nine cases out of ten." The Naftagna could pass any judgment they wanted, short of capital punishment
, which required Emperor Menelek's approval. But people were killed without even the consent of the governors especially in case of rebels or bandits.
The importance of Gore as a center for invaluable export trade items in Illubabor depended upon smaller markets such as Hurumu, Noppa, Metu and Bure. By 1930 each of these markets had a population of about 500 including resident foreign merchants. Import trade items to Illubabor were textiles, liquors, sacks, salt, soap, ironware, abujedid, machinery, glass bottles (birrile) and others. Exported trade items included ivory, rubber, coffee, and wax. Ras Tessema monopolized the ivory trade
and controlled it for his own benefits. He deployed spies and prohibited any one from engaging in selling and buying of ivory. Rubber grew wild in Illubabor, and Gore was the center of the rubber trade. This was exported to Europe through the port at Gambela
. Another important item exported through Gambela was coffee, which was brought there through Gore and Bure.
For the peasant society of Illubabor, the only means of earning money was to serve as porters of coffee, wax, hides, skins and salt bars between Gore and Gambela through Bure. The round trip journey took about eight to ten days. Porter
s were usually cheated of their earnings. A porter would carry a load with a certain weight and when he reached his destination, merchants would complain that it was some pounds lighter than what the porter had started with and thus deprived of most of his pay. It is important to note that the trade of the area was in the hands of foreigners and immigrants from the highlands and Shewa. Particularly, Ras Tessema and his officials benefited from the trade of the area. It is reported that he had frequently led punitive expeditions against the Gimira and captured thousands of slaves for himself and his soldiers.
When Lej Iyasu
was designated as a successor of Emperor Menelik II, Ras Tessema was summoned to Addis Ababa
in 1908 to serve as Iyasu's regent. Ras Tessema was replaced as governor by his son Dejazmach Kabada Tessema (1908 - 1910); Dejazmach Kabada did not make any changes in the administrative system set up by his father. He was in turn succeeded by Dejazmach Ganame. The process of land measurement
began under this governor, which was one of the most dramatic consequences of the consolidation of the new system in Illubabor. This process classified the land into various categories. The major ones were: Yemengist Meret (government land), Samon Meret (church land) and Siso (land to the balabats, or local supporters). Government land was registered exclusively as government property. It was from this category that land grants were made to the soldiers, or granted to government employees in lieu of salary. Samon Meret was Church land given to the church and was cultivated by the peasants for its benefit. Siso was a portion of land that was allocated to the local supporters. The balabats were allowed to retain one-third of the measured land, and the rest went to the government.
It was during the governorship of Dejazmach Ganame that the cultivation of coffee
was further developed in Illubabor. Coffee became one of the most important trade items exported through Gambela to the Sudan. Traditionally, the Oromo cultivators were made to pay taxes on the amount of coffee they have actually picked from the trees and were permitted to retain those fallen coffee beans on the ground. In 1914 when Dejazmach Ganame started collecting taxes on the fallen coffee beans, the peasants protested against the new tax burdens. They sent a delegation to Addis Ababa to appeal the case to Ras Tafari (the future Emperor Haile Selassie. Dejazmach Ganame was summoned to Addis Ababa and ordered to cease this tax on the fallen coffee beans.
The Italian rule
in Illubabor led to the disintegration of the Naftaanya-Gabbar system. The Italians proclaimed that all the land in the area belonged to the Italian government, but allowed gabbars to use the land under better terms. The Naftagna were deprived of their usufruct
and their leading members were exiled from Illubabor, which led to the local Oromos accepting Italian rule. Despite this, some of the local balabats remained and collaborated with the Italians in administrating Illubabor. These included Eba Seko and Marga Karo: Marga Karo administered the people west of the Gebba river while Eba Seko was in charge of the people living east of the river
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, along the border with Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. The name Illubabor is said to come from two Oromo
Oromo language
Oromo, also known as Afaan Oromo, Oromiffa, Afan Boran, Afan Orma, and sometimes in other languages by variant spellings of these names , is an Afro-Asiatic language, and the most widely spoken of the Cushitic family. Forms of Oromo are spoken as a first language by more than 25 million Oromo and...
words, "Illu" and "Abba Bor(a)". "Illu" is a name of a clan, and "Abba Bor" was the horse name
Horse name
A Horse name is a secondary noble title or a popular name for members of Ethiopian royalty; in some cases the "horse names" are the only name known for a ruler. They take the form of "father of X", where "X" is the name of the person's warhorse....
of Chali Shone, who founded the ruling family of the area when it was conquered by Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
; hence IlluAbabor means the Illu belonging to Ababor(a). There is also a place called Illu-Abasambi named in the similar fashion.
Originally, its capital city was Gore
Gore, Ethiopia
Gore is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located south of Metu in the Illubabor Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2085 meters....
, then around 1978 the capital was moved to Metu
Metu
Metu is a market town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located in the Illubabor Zone of the Oromia Region along the Sor River, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an altitude of 1605 meters...
. With the adoption of new constitution in 1995
1995 Constitution of Ethiopia
The current Constitution of Ethiopia, which is the supreme law of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, was adopted by the Transitional Government of Ethiopia in December 1994 and came into force in August 1995. The constitution was drawn up by the Constituent Assembly elected in June of that year.The...
, the territory of Illubabor was divided between the Gambela
Gambela Region
Gambela is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. Previously known as "Region 12", its capital is Gambela. Lying between the Baro and Akobo Rivers, the western part of Gambela includes the Baro salient....
, Oromia and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Regions of Ethiopia.
History
Illubabor was an independent OromoOromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
state which was conquered and occupied by the forces of Emperor Menelek II
Menelek II of Ethiopia
Emperor Menelik II GCB, GCMG, baptized as Sahle Maryam , was Negus of Shewa , then of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death. At the height of his internal power and external prestige, the process of territorial expansion and creation of the modern empire-state had been completed by 1898...
in 1889. The last king of Illubabor was Fatansa Illu. When the Shewan forces invaded Illubabor, the king sent messengers to Kumsa Moroda of Leqa Naqamte and Abba Jifar
Abba Jifar II
Moti Abba Jifar II was King of the Gibe Kingdom of Jimma .-Reign:Abba Jifar II was the son of Abba Gomol and Queen Gumiti...
of Jimma
Kingdom of Jimma
The Kingdom of Jimma was one of the kingdoms in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 19th century. It shared its western border with Limmu-Ennarea, its eastern border with the Sidamo kingdom of Janjero, and was separated from the Kingdom of Kaffa to the south by the Gojeb River. Jimma...
to form an alliance to resist the Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
n army. Although the messengers were warmly accepted by Kumsa Moroda, when they presented their message he declined the offer, saying that the Oromo forces could not resist Shewan troops well armed with modern firearms. The messengers who went to Abba Jifar were unsuccessful. Both rulers had previously secured their autonomous status from Menilek.
It was under these conditions that Ras Tessema Nadew led Emperor Menelek's force into Illubabor. When the lead elements of the Shewan forces reached the Gebba River
Gebba River
The Gebba is a river of southwestern Ethiopia. It is a tributary of the Baro River, which is created when the Gebba joins the Birbir at latitude and longitude ....
, Fatansa's main forces began defensive attacks using spears and shields. However, when the major Shewan forces headed by Ras Tessema reached the Gaba river, the Illu defensive lines were broken and many Oromo villages were burnt down at the order of the Ras. After this incident the Shewan forces marched to the heart of Illubabor and camped at a place called Qarsa Gogila, near modern-day Metu.
After realizing the strength of the Shewans, Fatansa Illu made a show of accepting the Shewan victory. Fatansa even prepared a fabulous feast for the invaders at their camp at midnight. However, Fatansa had his soldiers surround the camp to make a surprise attack on the invaders and a bloody battle took place; Fatansa's forces were overwhelmed by the firepower of Ras Tessema's men. Fatansa was captured and imprisoned at Barroi, about five kilometers from Metu.
Ras Tessema made Gore
Gore, Ethiopia
Gore is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located south of Metu in the Illubabor Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2085 meters....
the seat of his administration. It was at this time that the semi-feudal system of naftagnas, balabats, and gebbars was introduced to Illubabor. The Shewan officials and soldiers who settled in Illubabor, known as naftagna or "riflemen", were assigned to a number of peasant households, or gabbars depending on their rank and position. A Dejazmach was granted 1,000 peasant households, a Fitawrari 300, a Kenyazmach 100 to 150; a Shambal 70 to 90; a Mato Alaqa 40 to 60, Hamsalaqa 25 to 35 and an ordinary soldier 5 to 10. Each peasant household had to deliver one-third of his produce to his overland. Taxes were collected from every married couple. In addition to payment of taxes and tribute the indigenous Oromo had multiple obligations. They had to construct houses and fences for their master. They had to supply honey, butter, chicken and fattened sheep or goat on holidays. Each household had to produce fifty kilos of grounded cearls to each naftagna every month. Furthermore, the peasants had to transport grain crops to the nearest government granaries. If a gabbar failed to fulfill his duties, he would be summoned to the court. As C.F. Rey had noticed ". . . The judges are the sub governor creatures of course take the side of the plaintiff in nine cases out of ten." The Naftagna could pass any judgment they wanted, short of capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, which required Emperor Menelek's approval. But people were killed without even the consent of the governors especially in case of rebels or bandits.
The importance of Gore as a center for invaluable export trade items in Illubabor depended upon smaller markets such as Hurumu, Noppa, Metu and Bure. By 1930 each of these markets had a population of about 500 including resident foreign merchants. Import trade items to Illubabor were textiles, liquors, sacks, salt, soap, ironware, abujedid, machinery, glass bottles (birrile) and others. Exported trade items included ivory, rubber, coffee, and wax. Ras Tessema monopolized the ivory trade
Ivory trade
The ivory trade is the commercial, often illegal trade in the ivory tusks of the hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, mammoth, and most commonly, Asian and African elephants....
and controlled it for his own benefits. He deployed spies and prohibited any one from engaging in selling and buying of ivory. Rubber grew wild in Illubabor, and Gore was the center of the rubber trade. This was exported to Europe through the port at Gambela
Gambela, Ethiopia
Gambela is a city in Ethiopia and the capital of the Gambela Region or kilil. Located in Administrative Zone 1, at the confluence of the Baro River and its tributary the Jajjaba, the city has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 526 meters....
. Another important item exported through Gambela was coffee, which was brought there through Gore and Bure.
For the peasant society of Illubabor, the only means of earning money was to serve as porters of coffee, wax, hides, skins and salt bars between Gore and Gambela through Bure. The round trip journey took about eight to ten days. Porter
Porter (carrier)
A porter, also called a bearer, is a person who shifts objects for others.-Historical meaning:Human adaptability and flexibility early led to the use of humans for shifting gear...
s were usually cheated of their earnings. A porter would carry a load with a certain weight and when he reached his destination, merchants would complain that it was some pounds lighter than what the porter had started with and thus deprived of most of his pay. It is important to note that the trade of the area was in the hands of foreigners and immigrants from the highlands and Shewa. Particularly, Ras Tessema and his officials benefited from the trade of the area. It is reported that he had frequently led punitive expeditions against the Gimira and captured thousands of slaves for himself and his soldiers.
When Lej Iyasu
Iyasu V of Ethiopia
Iyasu V , also known as Lij Iyasu was the designated but uncrowned Emperor of Ethiopia . His baptismal name was Kifle Yaqob...
was designated as a successor of Emperor Menelik II, Ras Tessema was summoned to Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
in 1908 to serve as Iyasu's regent. Ras Tessema was replaced as governor by his son Dejazmach Kabada Tessema (1908 - 1910); Dejazmach Kabada did not make any changes in the administrative system set up by his father. He was in turn succeeded by Dejazmach Ganame. The process of land measurement
Land reform in Ethiopia
The problem of Land reform in Ethiopia has hampered that country's economic development throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. Attempts to modernize land ownership by giving title either to the peasants who till the soil, or to large-scale farming programs, have been tried under imperial...
began under this governor, which was one of the most dramatic consequences of the consolidation of the new system in Illubabor. This process classified the land into various categories. The major ones were: Yemengist Meret (government land), Samon Meret (church land) and Siso (land to the balabats, or local supporters). Government land was registered exclusively as government property. It was from this category that land grants were made to the soldiers, or granted to government employees in lieu of salary. Samon Meret was Church land given to the church and was cultivated by the peasants for its benefit. Siso was a portion of land that was allocated to the local supporters. The balabats were allowed to retain one-third of the measured land, and the rest went to the government.
It was during the governorship of Dejazmach Ganame that the cultivation of coffee
Coffee production in Ethiopia
The coffee production in Ethiopia is critical to the Ethiopian economy with about 25% of the population depending directly or indirectly on coffee for its livelihood...
was further developed in Illubabor. Coffee became one of the most important trade items exported through Gambela to the Sudan. Traditionally, the Oromo cultivators were made to pay taxes on the amount of coffee they have actually picked from the trees and were permitted to retain those fallen coffee beans on the ground. In 1914 when Dejazmach Ganame started collecting taxes on the fallen coffee beans, the peasants protested against the new tax burdens. They sent a delegation to Addis Ababa to appeal the case to Ras Tafari (the future Emperor Haile Selassie. Dejazmach Ganame was summoned to Addis Ababa and ordered to cease this tax on the fallen coffee beans.
The Italian rule
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
in Illubabor led to the disintegration of the Naftaanya-Gabbar system. The Italians proclaimed that all the land in the area belonged to the Italian government, but allowed gabbars to use the land under better terms. The Naftagna were deprived of their usufruct
Usufruct
Usufruct is the legal right to use and derive profit or benefit from property that either belongs to another person or which is under common ownership, as long as the property is not damaged or destroyed...
and their leading members were exiled from Illubabor, which led to the local Oromos accepting Italian rule. Despite this, some of the local balabats remained and collaborated with the Italians in administrating Illubabor. These included Eba Seko and Marga Karo: Marga Karo administered the people west of the Gebba river while Eba Seko was in charge of the people living east of the river
See also
- Illubabor ZoneIllubabor ZoneIllubabor is one of the 17 zones of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Illubabor is named for the former province Illubabor. It is bordered on the south by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the southwest by the Gambela Region, on the west by Misraq Welega, on the north by the...