Jimma AbbA Jifar: An Oromo Monarchy: Ethiopia 1830-1932

The Kingdom of Jimmar Abba Jifar, established about 1830, was the largest and most powerful of five monarchies formed by the Oromo in the Gibe region of southwestern Ethiopia. Although the Oromo are known for their democratic ("republican") gada system, Jimma and the other Gibe states arose through a series of processes and historical events in the 19th century that propelled certain men into positions of supreme power. The book, based primarily on intensive fieldwork in Jimma, presents a s...