Abba Jifar I
Encyclopedia
Moti Abba Jifar I was the first king of the Gibe
Kingdom of Jimma
(r. 1830–1855).
, who was a leader of the Diggo Oromo
. He built upon the political and military base his father had provided him, and created the Kingdom of Jimma. Consequently, Jimma was no longer referred to as Jimma Kaka in common parlance, but as Jimma Abba Jifar.
Herbert S. Lewis credits Abba Jifar with having initiated "many administrative and political innovations", despite the lack of specific historical evidence. According to oral tradition, Abba Jifar claimed the right to the extensive areas of the newly conquered land as well as virgin or unused land, which he both kept for himself and used to reward his family, followers and favorites. He reportedly constructed at least five palaces in different parts of Jimma.
The historian Mordechai Abir notes that between the years 1839 and 1841 of his reign, Abba Jifar fought with Abba Bagido the King of Limmu-Ennarea
over the district of Badi-Folla. The area was important for control of the caravan
route between the Kingdom of Kaffa
on the one hand, and the provinces of Gojjam
and Shewa
on the other. While the two Kings negotiated a peace in 1841, and sealed the treaty with the marriage of Abba Jifar's daughter to Abba Bagido's son Abba Dula, the Jimma King eventually conquered Badi-Folla (1847) and secured control over this important caravan route.
Abba Jifar was also the first king of Jimma to embrace Islam
, owing his conversion in 1830 to Abdul Hakim, a trader from Gondar
. Lewis notes that as of 1960, Abdul Hakim's tomb in Jiren
was still a venerated site.
Gibe region
The Gibe region is used to indicate a historic region in modern southwestern Ethiopia, to the west of the Gibe and Omo Rivers, and north of the Gojeb...
Kingdom of Jimma
Kingdom of Jimma
The Kingdom of Jimma was one of the kingdoms in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 19th century. It shared its western border with Limmu-Ennarea, its eastern border with the Sidamo kingdom of Janjero, and was separated from the Kingdom of Kaffa to the south by the Gojeb River. Jimma...
(r. 1830–1855).
Reign
Abba Jifar was the son of Abba MagalAbba Magal
Abba Magal was a leader of the Diggo Oromo, and the father of Abba Jifar I.Previously, the Diggo, based in the area of Mana, had conquered the nearby town of Hirmata that was home to the Lalo people. This victory gave Abba Magal enough wealth to compete with the dominant Oromo clan in Jimma, the...
, who was a leader of the Diggo Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
. He built upon the political and military base his father had provided him, and created the Kingdom of Jimma. Consequently, Jimma was no longer referred to as Jimma Kaka in common parlance, but as Jimma Abba Jifar.
Herbert S. Lewis credits Abba Jifar with having initiated "many administrative and political innovations", despite the lack of specific historical evidence. According to oral tradition, Abba Jifar claimed the right to the extensive areas of the newly conquered land as well as virgin or unused land, which he both kept for himself and used to reward his family, followers and favorites. He reportedly constructed at least five palaces in different parts of Jimma.
The historian Mordechai Abir notes that between the years 1839 and 1841 of his reign, Abba Jifar fought with Abba Bagido the King of Limmu-Ennarea
Limmu-Ennarea
The Kingdom of Limmu-Ennarea was one of the kingdoms in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the 19th century. It shared its eastern border with Jimma, its southern border with Gomma, and its western border with Gumma. Beyond its northern border lay tribes of the Macha Oromo...
over the district of Badi-Folla. The area was important for control of the caravan
Caravan (travellers)
A caravan is a group of people traveling together, often on a trade expedition. Caravans were used mainly in desert areas and throughout the Silk Road, where traveling in groups aided in defence against bandits as well as helped to improve economies of scale in trade.In historical times, caravans...
route between the Kingdom of Kaffa
Kingdom of Kaffa
The Kingdom of Kaffa was an early modern state located in what is now Ethiopia, with its capital at Bonga. The Gojeb River formed its northern border, beyond which lay the Gibe kingdoms; to the east the territory of the Konta and Kullo peoples lay between Kaffa and the Omo River; to the south...
on the one hand, and the provinces of Gojjam
Gojjam
Gojjam was a kingdom in the north-western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos. This region is distinctive for lying entirely within the bend of the Abbay River from its outflow from Lake Tana to the Sudan...
and Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
on the other. While the two Kings negotiated a peace in 1841, and sealed the treaty with the marriage of Abba Jifar's daughter to Abba Bagido's son Abba Dula, the Jimma King eventually conquered Badi-Folla (1847) and secured control over this important caravan route.
Abba Jifar was also the first king of Jimma to embrace Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, owing his conversion in 1830 to Abdul Hakim, a trader from Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
. Lewis notes that as of 1960, Abdul Hakim's tomb in Jiren
Jiren
Jiren was the capital of a large Oromo kingdom of Ethiopia until the late 19th century. It lies today in the northern suburbs of the city of Jimma in the Oromia Region.-History:...
was still a venerated site.