Black and White Politics (Amharic-Domination vs Oromic-Leadership) in Ethiopian Orthodox Church!
By Fayyis Oromia*
How remarkable it is to see pro-Amharic Orthodox adherents wearing black and pro-Oromic supporters wearing white, all in reaction to the decision to use Oromic as the working language for the clergy in Oromia. There is no grey area on this issue. Amharic has historically thrived at the expense of Oromic since the reign of Yekuno Amlak in 1270. The recent move to reverse this trend in Oromia marks a significant turning point—it is arguably the beginning of the end of Amharic’s dominance. At last, Oromic is finding liberation within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Unsurprisingly, this development is unwelcome (a merdo, or “very bad news”) for pro-Amharic elites, who have long hidden behind the dual masks of Ethiopiawinet and Orthodox Christianity. Now, pro-Oromic elites are reclaiming those concepts in Oromo terms—a smart political maneuver. It is no wonder that pro-Amharic elites are protesting in black while pro-Oromic supporters celebrate in white. Those wearing black today risk being seen as opponents of Oromic and could face serious political consequences in Oromia in the future. The next logical step is promoting Oromic as the primary working language in all federal institutions, replacing Amharic. By doing this and consolidating Angô Oromô (Oromo power) in the Finfinné Palace, the liberation of Oromic from the historical dominance of Amharic could be fully realized.
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2023/02/0 ... ox-church/