Illubabor Province

Illubabor was, by the late 19th century, an Oromo state facing the prospect of forcibly being absorbed into the Ethiopian Empire, whose reconsolidation of authority over long-abandoned peripheral territories had been intensifying since the ascension of Menelik II, who had begun his southern campaigns while King of Shewa, to the imperial throne in 1889.

Although the messengers were warmly accepted by Kumsa Moroda, when they presented their message he declined the offer, saying that the provincial forces could not resist Imperial troops well armed with modern firearms.

However, when the major Shewan forces headed by Ras Tessema reached the Gaba river, the Illu defensive lines were broken and many villages were burnt down.

After this incident the Shewan forces marched to the heart of Illubabor and camped at a place called Qarsa Gogila, near modern-day Metu.

The Shewan officials and soldiers who settled in Illubabor, known as neftenya or "Musketeers", were assigned to a number of peasant households, or gabbars depending on their rank and position.

A Dejazmach was granted 1,000 peasant households, a Fitawrari 300, a Kenyazmach 100 to 150; a Shambal 70 to 90; a Mato Alaqa 40 to 60, Hamsalaqa 25 to 35 and an ordinary soldier 5 to 10.

The neftenyoch (plural of neftenya) could pass any judgment they wanted, short of capital punishment, which required Emperor Menelek's approval.

[citation needed] The importance of Gore as a center for invaluable export trade items in Illubabor depended upon smaller markets such as Hurumu, Noppa, Metu and Bure.

Import trade items to Illubabor were textiles, liquors, sacks, salt, soap, ironware, abujedid, machinery, glass bottles (birrile) and others.

[citation needed] For the peasant society of Illubabor, the only means of earning money was to serve as porters of coffee, wax, hides, skins and salt bars between Gore and Gambela through Bure.

It is reported that he had frequently led punitive expeditions against the Gimira and captured thousands of slaves for himself and his soldiers.

[citation needed] After the fall of Haile Selassie, the first Chief-Administrator of the Illubabor Province was Ato Hussein Ismail, a statesman belonging to the Gadabursi clan residing in Ethiopia appointed by the DERG, Tafari Benti.

The process of land measurement began under this governor, which was one of the most dramatic consequences of the consolidation of the new system in Illubabor.

They sent a delegation to Addis Ababa to appeal the case to Ras Tafari (the future Emperor Haile Selassie.)

Dejazmach Ganame was summoned to Addis Ababa and ordered to cease this tax on the fallen coffee beans.

The Neftenya were deprived of their usufruct and their leading members were exiled from Illubabor, which led to some of the local Oromos accepting the Fascist occupation.