Ethiopia: Dr. Gebisa Ejeta – Journey from Welenkomi, Oromia, to Laurette of WFP (Video)
The 2009 World Food Prize was awarded to Dr. Gebisa Ejeta of Ethiopia, whose sorghum hybrids resistant to drought and the devastating Striga weed have dramatically increased the production and availability of one of the worlds five principal grains and enhanced the food supply of hundreds of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Video: YouTube (Word Food Prize Channel)
Picture Gallery: View Photos of the Award Ceremony (DesmoinesRegister.com)
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Keelloo said,
October 20, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
This town is actually called Oolankomii, an old popular market and meeting place among the oromo. They called it so because, if you fail to go there on that market day you could provoke accusation “komii” from friends who were there for chatting with you .
The Naftanynas as usual of course can not call our towns, people, rivers, mountains, or even wild animals by their proper oromo names and in this case they called the town “welenkomi” (wolonkomi). No oromo calls this town by this name and it has no meaning.
The other side of the story is that Dr. Gebissa’s talent while benefiting ther rest of Africa, his own people are dying from famine in their millions or dependent on foreign aid due to the (***) backward government which is obstacle to Oromo development by exploiting their resources and killing these very people who farm most grains. Ethiopia remains the only country in Africa and perhaps in the world with catastrophic famines year after year, despite this oromo talent.
*** = edited for civility.
Oromiyaa said,
October 21, 2009 @ 4:10 am
The town is called Olonkomii. I was there for a business reason once. The middle of the town is an open market place, embellished with white natural stone pavements. The houses in the town were built around the the circular white stones. Immediately behind the town is a low land and local Oromo Orthodox Christians make pilgrimage to holy place. There is a church called Tekelehamanot. At night bright insects fly around the church area and the priests told visitors: ” Look this is a holy place and the lights of the holy spirit are flying around!”. It was sacred to question!! How funny! Anyways, we are proud of Laureate Dr Gebissa Ejeta!! He put not only Olonkomii, but Africa, Ethiopia and Oromia on the map! He is a global hero!
Keelloo said,
October 21, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
You are right Oromiyaa. The newer name is Olonkomii, still with no meaning. I also used to call by this name until I was told by an elderly man who knew exactly the story surrounding the original name of the market town. Sad is that some oromos automatically accept AND reproduce whatever name given to their places or children by Abysinians without ever questioning the hidden politics behind changing names. It’s looks like unconditional submission.
While we thank and congratulate our national hero laurate Dr. Gebissa for putting the unknown village with 4 names (Olan, olon, “welen”, “wollon” komii) suddenly at the center of the world map before we even settle for a proper name, our people are facing starvation as ever.
Unfortunately, the admin. massively edited my original suggestion to reverse this by restoring genuine oromo self rule and denying those who put us in this mess in the first place access to our resources.