In Memory of a Dear Friend, Obbo Zegeye Asfaw Abdii

It is heartbreaking to hear of the unexpected and sudden death of Obbo Zegeye Asfaw Abdi. Losing such an elder brother and friend, whose advice was always invaluable, is difficult to bear.

Before I personally met him in 1976, I had already heard about his role as a key leading figure whose name resonated far beyond borders. He played a central role in implementing the land reform under the Derg regime, based on one of the major popular demands of the Ethiopian student movement, in which he himself had actively participated as a student at Addis Ababa University in the late 1960s.

Even though the Derg era is remembered as one of the most brutal and bloodiest periods in Ethiopian history, it is also credited with enabling the implementation of the land reform led by Zegeye Asfaw. During that era, one of the most significant achievements was the radical land reform. The reform was important not only for its economic impact, but also for abolishing the dehumanising relationship between landlords and peasants and for restoring the dignity of the Oromo people and other oppressed nations and nationalities.

The leading figure behind that reform was Zegeye Asfaw, without whom it could not have been realised. As a leader, Zegeye mobilised experts from diverse ideological, national, and religious backgrounds, bringing together capable individuals from different political parties and communities. He devoted all his time and energy to make the reform a reality. It was a risky undertaking that could have costed him his life. Nevertheless, he accepted the risk and carried it through.

From the way he handled the land reform, one can understand that Zegeye, as a leader, was open to working with people from different ideological, national, and religious backgrounds on projects he believed would positively transform the lives of the Ethiopian people in general and the Oromo people in particular.

Considering Zegeye Asfaw’s position and his leading role in implementing the land reform—which ended the dehumanising landlord-peasant relationship and broke the backbone of the feudal system—one might assume that he was unapproachable.

To the contrary, after I became acquainted with him in 1976, I found Obbo Zegeye to be a humble, down-to-earth person who was open to everyone and easy to deal with. Over time, I came to know him as someone whose heart was filled with empathy, kindness, and honesty, and whose generous hand extended to anyone in need.

He was a person who listened more and spoke less. He never reached conclusions based on bias or without thoroughly understanding the views of others and the subject at hand.

Unlike many Ethiopian officials who were authoritative and autocratic in their behaviour, he was a simple man with whom one could interact as with any ordinary person on the street. Age, class, ideology, nationality, and religious differences were never barriers in dealing with him.

Although he could have lived a wealthy and luxurious life through his own talents and creativity, he chose instead to live simply. He enjoyed living among ordinary people.

Politically, he had an independent mind that was neither opportunistic nor egoistic. Although he was part of the Oromo struggle for freedom, equality, justice, and democracy, and was therefore regarded as a member of the Oromo Liberation Front, he did not rigidly adhere to OLF doctrine. He maintained an independent vision, which may have led to misunderstandings regarding his political role among both Oromo and Amhara nationalists, each interpreting his position differently.

He had a vision that he consistently sought to promote. That vision was neither based on personal interest nor driven by emotion. From his perspective, it was a genuine vision founded on the interests of all the peoples of Ethiopia.

He was among the few, if any, who genuinely believed that the Ethiopian empire could be transformed through a democratic process if sincere dialogue among all stakeholders took place to create a new Ethiopia in which all nations, nationalities, and peoples would recognise one another’s rights and live together within a confederation or federation founded on the rule of law, equality, mutual respect, and peace. To realise that vision, he sought to work with all forces willing to bring genuine change, irrespective of ideological differences or national affiliations.

Having shared similar political views on the national question, though differing on how it should be resolved, we also shared common suffering in Ethiopian prisons—Menelik II Grand Palace and Ma’ikalawi—for the same reasons. Through those experiences, we developed a lifelong friendship.

During the decade we spent together in prison, we came to understand the true nature of the Ethiopian political system more deeply than ever before. We also learned more from one another and built greater mutual confidence. Since then, regardless of the political groups with which we were affiliated or worked, we could always speak openly to each other without fear of consequence.

Obbo Zegeye was always ready to share his rich knowledge with others and equally willing to learn from them. He remained committed to his vision until his final day. He was a principled person with an independent mind.

One thing, however, was certain: he never deliberately acted against the interests of the Oromo people or any other nation or nationality for that matter. Whether or not his vision was realistic, he consistently sought to advance Oromo interests while balancing them with the interests of other nations and nationalities. He believed that the Oromo people deserved their rightful place in Ethiopia without negatively affecting the rights of others. In his view, this required honestly confronting Ethiopia’s socio-political, economic, cultural, and linguistic problems and addressing them through sincere dialogue among all stakeholders.

Unfortunately, the complex realities of the Ethiopian empire did not allow his vision to be realised. He found himself caught between two irreconcilable forces: one whose ideology was forward-looking and want change, and another whose ideology sought to restore past imperial glory. Even then, he did not abandon his vision of peacefully transforming Ethiopia for a better future.

Who knows what the future may bring.

May his soul rest in peace.

I'm grateful to OROMIA TODAY for accepting this personal tribute and publish it.

M. Mossissa
14 May 2026