Waaqeffannaa is an indigenous religion of African origin, which is followed by millions of people. Waaqeffannaa does give holistic, convincing, and historically remarkable answers to its followers. The door of Waaqeeffannaa was open; and it is still open; it must continue to be open to those constructive ideas and various innovations that help enhance the creative capacity of the Oromo people.
Nonetheless, the various mushrooming sects of all colonial religions in Oromoland endanger the revival of Waaqeffannaa, the Oromo prayers, the preservation of sacred places, and the institutions. These colonial religions run for the monopolisation of ‘truth’, based on their texts, and because of this they rather continue nurturing social conflicts, instead of restoring social harmonies among the Oromos.
The various missionaries, though they admire and preach the monopoly of their own colonial faiths, need to develop moral judgements and human compassion by respecting and deeply exploring the values of the indigenous religions, not merely Waaqeffannaa, for the religions of the indigenous peoples of African origin can better satisfy their needs.
Therefore, it would be a wise judgement on the part of Oromo Qeeses (priests), who have recently begun to be addressed by the Gadaa title ‘Luba’, their followers and disciples in particular, and the Oromo Sheikhs, if they start taking seriously into account the absolutely prominent and greatly beneficial role Waaqeffannaa has been playing in protecting Oromummaa throughout the ages. Such a wise act would help them avoid any further jumping into various forms of hasty generalisation.
Recent Comments