The Historical Nature of Gomma Statehood

Abstract

This study focuses on the Ethnography of the nature of Goma Statehood as one of the five monarchical administrations of Gibe. The main themes of this study specifically related to the trend of the state formation of the territory and the causes of its decline. Various hypothetical remarks on the state formation were the triggering motive for this study. To grasp the facts, the researcher employed the following methods. To begin with the tools, the researcher used interviews, focused group discussions, observation and field notes (diary records). As to techniques, purposive-snowball sampling was used as the subject required the details of the far-past experiences of the elders and knowledge of some relevant professionals. The interpretation of data also needs historical knowledge and experience of the elders. After the collection of the information, relevant data to the objectives of the study were identified, organized; the voice data were transcribed and translated into the language of the research, English. The analysis of the data considered in the study was undertaken by employing both emic and ethic perspectives. The emic perspective was employed to tap the folk knowledge of the elders to use it as a historic backing of justification while the ethic perspective was used to deploy written historical evidence to show the consequent realities. The findings of the study show three basic things. Firstly, the state formation of Gomma was neither influenced by the Yem, Ennariya, and Bosha nor by the influence of the Arabic governance structure. Secondly, it shows that the trend of Gomma state formation was influenced by the internal situation. To this end, the most gleaming fact which led to the monarchic like governance was the instability of the area that had, subsequently, empowered the Abba-Dulla to takeover monarchial administration control. This had consequently broken the norm of the Gada System (system of eight-year) peaceful power transfer in the governance system of Gomma. Thirdly, it also shows, the harsh operation of the feudal rule and the importance of the territory in cash crop production were the major causes for its decline.