Shabo Media's Masterclass Via Interview: Borana Elders' Wisdom Where Leaders Stay Silent
Excerpt
When leaders fall silent, elders rise. Shabo Media’s latest 105-minute interview with Borana elders is nothing short of a governance masterclass—clear, dignified, and unflinching. It tackles border grabs, unlawful killings, and Oromia’s bleeding wounds with a wisdom that dwarfs even the TED stage. A must-watch for activists, politicians, and everyday citizens alike.
Overview
Shabo Media has delivered a rare masterclass in governance through its interview with Borana elders—an incisive, respectful, and profoundly instructive dialogue. While Abiy Ahmed and Shimelis Abdissa remain silent on border encroachments, unlawful killings, and Oromia’s bleeding crisis, the elders speak with clarity and dignity, leaving no excuse for evasion. More than an interview, this was truth delivered with respect, a reminder that when leaders fail, the people’s wisdom rises to fill the void.
This is not the first time Shabo Media has illuminated crucial issues worthy of editorial recognition. Since March of this year, this marks the third occasion that Shabo Media has featured in our editorial [1,2].
When Leaders Fall Silent
Every once in a while, an interview comes along that is not just informative but transformative—an encounter that reminds us of the power of truth spoken with dignity. Last night’s (2nd Sept. 2025) Shabo Media interview with two Borana elders [3], Aab Gaarbolee and Jaal Diidaa, was nothing short of a masterclass in governance, civic responsibility, and Oromo wisdom.
At a time when the people of Oromia are bleeding and yearning for leadership, the silence of those in power is deafening. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Oromia’s regional president Shimelis Abdissa have chosen muteness over duty.
The Unspoken Crises of Oromia
They have not uttered a single word about:
- The unilateral border restructuring by the Somali regional parliament on 26 July 2025, in which Oromia territories—including the historic city of Moyale in Borana Zone—were swallowed without consent.
- The unlawful killing of Nasiya Ziyad, a six-month pregnant Oromo mother of two, gunned down in her own home in Dire Dhawa last July by Somali regional special forces acting outside their jurisdiction.
- The further encroachment into Oromia’s Gurradhaamolee district of Baalee Zone mid of last August, shockingly celebrated by the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi in a congratulatory note so outrageous that the subsequent “partial apology” was itself a mockery.
These are not marginal incidents. They are grave violations of sovereignty, justice, and humanity. Yet those who claim to lead us stand mute—as though Oromia’s wounds are invisible, as though her cries do not exist.
A Masterclass in Governance
And then comes Shabo Media. In just under two hours—105 minutes of intellectual clarity and moral gravity—the interview dismantled this silence without shouting, belittling, or insulting. Instead, it offered a calm, systematic, and deeply respectful exploration of the truth. This is where the brilliance lies: the Borana elders, with their measured words and piercing wisdom, left no room for evasion. They gave no excuse for leaders to react with defensiveness or anger. If Abiy Ahmed and Shimelis Abdissa have anything left of conscience, they can only respond in kind—with humility, with accountability.
Will they? That question has become almost eternal under the PP regime.
Elders’ Wisdom Versus Leaders’ Silence
Our gratitude must go first to Gaammee Galgaloo, the presenter who cultivated the right atmosphere for such a profound dialogue. Thanks also to the Shabo Media staff, in particular Shabo Ali,Jr., who worked behind the scenes, and above all to the distinguished guests, Aab Gaarbolee and Jaal Diidaa Borana, whose words echoed the voice of a people long ignored but never silenced.
Make no mistake: this was not just another interview. This was a masterclass that rivals, even dwarfs, the best of TED Talks [4]. Where global platforms often serve polished abstractions, Shabo Media brought us the unvarnished reality of a people betrayed by their rulers yet sustained by their elders.
For activists, politicians, and ordinary citizens alike, this interview is a must-watch. It is a reminder that in Oromia, when leaders fail, the wisdom of the people rises to fill the void.
Shabo Media has done what power refused to do: it gave us truth, dignity, and vision. That is governance in its purest form.
Selected References
- OT Editorial, A Civic Lesson Disguised as an Interview: Understanding Oromophobia Through the EBS Controversy and Shabo Media’s Insightful Dialogue, 29 March 2025, OROMIA TODAY.
- OT Editorial, A Cry for Justice: Save Oromo Refugees Trapped in Saudi Detention, 25 May 2025, OROMIA TODAY.
- Shabo Media Interview on Current Affairs of Oromia, Shabo Media Oromiyaa Channel, Facebook.
- TED Talk, TED Talks Channel, YouTube.
