WHAT HAS GONE WRONG, BY WHOM AND HOW CAN WE FIX IT??
Blog: Oromo Diaspora - August 13, 2008

At the early stage, OLF leadership was good. Its flag bear ODA, a single unifying icon under which Oromos organized themselves with near absolute unity and crushed their enemies over centuries. Having carried such unifying spirit, OLF won the support of almost all Oromo within the empire and all over the world.

As OLF grew to national party representing Oromos, its leadership gradually abandoned the principles that made OLF great, until today OLF entered a tragic situation. The leaders of OLF through time evolved into bad leaders; bad to ignore the concern of their own people, bad to employ divisive strategies for their selfish end goals, bad to love revenge than reconciliation with Oromos of different opinion. They preferred to forget the Gada principle, where a leader assumed leadership based on merit and achievements. They preferred to cling to power beyond their rightful terms. More importantly, they preferred to ignore "SAFUU OROMOO", the source of all morality and discipline in Oromo social institutions.

Gradually, as OLF become more and more popular, selfishness in all its forms crept into the organization. The Gada virtue of honesty, condor, trust, brotherhood and patriotism slowly withered and authoritarian style leadership replaced it. Nepotism replaced merit. What was left in OLF at last seems to be a collection of people whom neither the vices of the cruel Ethiopian regime on the Oromo people nor an increasing open hatred among the Oromos could shake out their apathy. Read More.