JIMMA – Scholars of Oromo Studies from home and abroad have held 4th Annual conference at Jimma Un iversity.
While opening the two-days conference which kicked off Thursday entitled “Oromia State Formation and Socio-economic and Political Order in Ethiopia and the Horn” Jimma University President Dr. Jemal said “The time at which this year’s conference is conducted signifies a better context where we can openly debate on what matters most in the life of our people.”
Yet, there are miles to walk to see the desired fruits for their people, Dr. Jemal said adding the conferences such as this are platforms where they form synergy to shorten the time and distance they have to travel to arrive at the aspired destiny.
Moreover, he promised that Jimma University would remain committed to the pursuit of Oromo scholarship. The unfathomable wisdom of the people should be brought to pragmatic use. And it is their conviction that the coordinated effort they all make will take them to the heights they desire and deserve.
For his part, Dr. Tola Beriso, Oromia State Education Bureau Head, representing State’s vice president said that this is the time of victory after sacrifices of many souls for more than 150 years. Though the people have contributed being a pillar for the formation of the states of Cushitic and Ethiopia and hope for the Horn of Africa, they lacked unity.
Therefore, he called on Oromo scholars to play their role in instructing their people for unification in state formation and turning face to development as they used to do.
In his remark, Dr. Teshome Egere, Director of Institute of Oromo Studies praised different committees to their determination to the realization of the conference initiated by The Network of Oromo Studies based in London, UK.
About 30 research papers were presented on the conference by various scholars from home and abroad, he said.
Various delegates from abroad and homeland attended the conference organized by Jimma University jointly with The Institute of Oromo Studies (IOS) and The Network of Oromo Studies (NOS), it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald July 2/2019
BY BACHA ZEWDIE
