Mojo is a town in central Ethiopia

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...

, named after the nearby Modjo River

Modjo River

The Modjo is a river of central Ethiopia. A tributary of the Awash River, its own tributaries include the Wedecha and Belbela.A report by Action Professionals Association for the People, a non-governmental organization, claimed that laboratory analyses of toxic industrial chemicals in the river...

. Located in the Misraq Shewa Zone

Misraq Shewa Zone

Misraq Shewa is one of the 12 Zones of the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. This zone takes its name from the kingdom or former province of Shewa. Misraq Shewa is located in the middle of Oromia, connecting the western regions to the eastern ones...

 of the Oromia Region

Oromia Region

Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...

, it has a latitude and longitude of 8°39′N 39°5′E with an elevation between 1788 and 1825 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Lome

Lome (woreda)

Lome is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Shewa Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Lome is bordered on the south by the Koka Reservoir, on the west by Ada'a Chukala, on the northwest by Gimbichu, on the north by the Afar Region, and on the east by Adama...

 woreda

Woreda

Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...

.

Overview

Mojo is not only accessible by road (a road connecting the town to Adama

Adama

Adama , better known as Nazret or Nazreth , is a city in central Ethiopia and the previous capital of the Oromia Region. It is located in the Misraq Shewa Zone of Oromia, at at an elevation of 1712 meters, 99 km southeast of Addis Ababa...

 was built before the Italian conquest

Second Italo-Abyssinian War

The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...

) but has been the location of a train station

Railway stations in Ethiopia

All railway stations in Ethiopia are served by the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway. These include:- Now defunct : Addis Ababa - national capital* Akaka Beseka* Debre Zeyit * Mojo...

 of the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway

Ethio-Djibouti Railways

The Ethio-Djibouti Railways, also Ethio-Djibouti Railway Enterprise, is the successor of the Imperial Railway Company of Ethiopia and jointly owned by the governments of Ethiopia and Djibouti. It was formed after Djibouti gained independence in 1977 and received the French shares of the Imperial...

 since the line was extended from Dire Dawa

Dire Dawa

Dire Dawa is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia . This chartered city is divided administratively into two woredas, the city proper and the non-urban woreda of Gurgura....

 to Akaki

Akaki

Akaki is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Shea Zone, Akaki is bordered on the southwest by the Debub Mirab Shewa Zone, on the northwest by Addis Ababa, on the north by the Semien Shewa Zone, and on the east by Ada'a Chukala...

 in 1915. With the railroad, Mojo also gained telegraph (later telephone) service and a restaurant to serve travelers.

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency

Central Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)

The Central Statistical Agency is an agency of the government of Ethiopia designated to provide all surveys and censuses for that country used to monitor economic and social growth, as well as to act as an official training center in that field. It is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and...

 in 2005, Mojo has an estimated total population of 39,316 of whom 19,278 were males and 20,038 were females. The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 21,997 of whom 10,455 were males and 11,542 were females.

History

The earliest mention of Mojo is in the Futuh al-Habasha, which mentions that Imam

Imam

An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...

 Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi

Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi

Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi "the Conqueror" was an Imam and General of Adal who invaded Ethiopia and defeated several Ethiopian emperors, wreaking much damage on that kingdom...

 burned a village named "Masin" and a church belonging to the Emperor prior to the Battle of Shimbra Kure

Battle of Shimbra Kure

The Battle of Shimbra Kure was fought in March of 1529 between the forces of Adal led by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi, and the Ethiopian army, under Dawit II . Despite being outnumbered, the followers of Imam Ahmad prevailed, and were in control of the field at the end of the battle. Both...

; at the time, Mojo was part of the former province of Fatagar.

In June 1965, construction of the Ethio-Japanese Synthetic Textiles Mill began, with a budget of 15 million Birr

Ethiopian birr

The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Before 1976, dollar was the official English translation of birr. Today, it is officially birr in English as well....

. The Textiles Co. behind it was 49% Japanese and 51% Ethiopian owned, with a capital of 2.5 million Birr. The company formally introduced its products to the market at the beginning of August 1966; the factory went into 24-hour operation in December 1966 and had 152 looms. On 30 October 1996, an Ethiopian Air Force

Ethiopian Air Force

The Ethiopian Air Force is the air arm of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and is tasked with protecting the air space, providing support to the ground forces as well as assisting during national emergencies.- Early years :...

aircraft crashed into the marketplace, killing 8 people and injuring 94. About 50 residential and commercial buildings were destroyed by fire.