Muhammad ''Meyra'' Zakir-the forgotten Oromo hero?!
While still he was in his 20s, Meyra marched to Somalia leading a group of youth with whom he used to discuss the national agenda (the group is called “tuuta bariisaa’’) and some Oromo peasants to seek material assistance from the newly emerging military government of General Mohammed Ziad Barre. He returned as a commander of a brigade which included not only his fellow Oromo youths but also some WSLF (Western Somali Liberation Front) fighters who claimed giving support to our Oromo brothers. His brigade had effectively destroyed the Dergue army in Boke and Darolebo woredas. It’s said that Meyra was an up standing star in the battles that he fought. The Dergue army was completely driven out from most of the rural areas of the aforementioned districts of Boke and Darolebu. According to some, Meyra had marched as far as Milqay and Michata towns. It’s interesting to note here that as a gifted orator, he could bring persons of all sorts under his leadership. For example, one of his lieutenants called Mus’id Salah Muhsin was a Yemeni Arab whose father had been a well known business man in Gelemso town (Mus'id was martyred on one battle field).
Meyra was handling his relationship with his WSLF [Western Somali Liberation Front] contemporaries cautiously from the very beginning. A short time later, when the Somalis start to enforce the Oromos to accept the name Somali Abo as their national identity name, he came to an open opposition with the WSLF fighters. However, the most terrorizing situation that happened to him from his relationship with the Somalis was the installing of the flags of the Somali Republic on the freed Oromo lands by WSLF fighters. Meyra was furiously angry at this mischievous act of the WSLF and he immediately declared We are Oromos! We fight for our people. We are not Ziad Barre subordinates! There is no choice between two evil enemies. We will fight the WSLF as equal as we fought the Ethiopian illegitimates. He then turned the command against WSLF and its squads. His forces fought them in decisive battles and routed them totally from Darolebu district.
However, as he continued to fight them in Boke district, the Somalis enlarged their army with new arrivals and attacked his command. The fight between the two forces continued until the winter months of 1977. And finally, Meyra was martyred on the Battle of Kurfa Roqa, 30 km south of Boke town.
His Legacy
Mohammed Zakir or Meyra is widely honored as a national hero among the Oromos of the Harerghe region. However, his biography is still given little attention by scholars despite his immense contribution to the Oromo national pride and the Oromo struggle. Amazingly, the only exception to this comes from an Amharic writer, not an Oromo. This writer called “Theodros Mulatu’’ , who was Mohammed Zakir’s schoolmate, eloquently portrayed “Meyra” as an outstanding hero in his semi-fictional book titled “አኬል ዳማ” (read as Akel Dama, meaning the Bloody Land). And truly speaking, it was his legacy that moved more and more Oromo youths of Gelemso and the whole of Chercher region to join the national struggle. That is why the Canada-based Oromo Artist Elemo Ali praised him beautifully in a song which he dedicated to the martyrs of the Battle of Tiro. Elemo says
Dhigni Keessan Yaa'ee Carcar Xirroodhattii
Dhagatti Goggogee Ititee Biyyattii
Margaa Meyra inni hinbiqilchinee?
Ummata Dammaqsee Sossoose Qabsotti
Nu hordofaa Jedhaa Daandii Warraqsatti
To conclude, the Oromos would never forget this early exemplary hero. And above all, history will always remember Meyra and his heroism.
While still he was in his 20s, Meyra marched to Somalia leading a group of youth with whom he used to discuss the national agenda (the group is called “tuuta bariisaa’’) and some Oromo peasants to seek material assistance from the newly emerging military government of General Mohammed Ziad Barre. He returned as a commander of a brigade which included not only his fellow Oromo youths but also some WSLF (Western Somali Liberation Front) fighters who claimed giving support to our Oromo brothers. His brigade had effectively destroyed the Dergue army in Boke and Darolebo woredas. It’s said that Meyra was an up standing star in the battles that he fought. The Dergue army was completely driven out from most of the rural areas of the aforementioned districts of Boke and Darolebu. According to some, Meyra had marched as far as Milqay and Michata towns. It’s interesting to note here that as a gifted orator, he could bring persons of all sorts under his leadership. For example, one of his lieutenants called Mus’id Salah Muhsin was a Yemeni Arab whose father had been a well known business man in Gelemso town (Mus'id was martyred on one battle field).
Meyra was handling his relationship with his WSLF [Western Somali Liberation Front] contemporaries cautiously from the very beginning. A short time later, when the Somalis start to enforce the Oromos to accept the name Somali Abo as their national identity name, he came to an open opposition with the WSLF fighters. However, the most terrorizing situation that happened to him from his relationship with the Somalis was the installing of the flags of the Somali Republic on the freed Oromo lands by WSLF fighters. Meyra was furiously angry at this mischievous act of the WSLF and he immediately declared We are Oromos! We fight for our people. We are not Ziad Barre subordinates! There is no choice between two evil enemies. We will fight the WSLF as equal as we fought the Ethiopian illegitimates. He then turned the command against WSLF and its squads. His forces fought them in decisive battles and routed them totally from Darolebu district.
However, as he continued to fight them in Boke district, the Somalis enlarged their army with new arrivals and attacked his command. The fight between the two forces continued until the winter months of 1977. And finally, Meyra was martyred on the Battle of Kurfa Roqa, 30 km south of Boke town.
His Legacy
Mohammed Zakir or Meyra is widely honored as a national hero among the Oromos of the Harerghe region. However, his biography is still given little attention by scholars despite his immense contribution to the Oromo national pride and the Oromo struggle. Amazingly, the only exception to this comes from an Amharic writer, not an Oromo. This writer called “Theodros Mulatu’’ , who was Mohammed Zakir’s schoolmate, eloquently portrayed “Meyra” as an outstanding hero in his semi-fictional book titled “አኬል ዳማ” (read as Akel Dama, meaning the Bloody Land). And truly speaking, it was his legacy that moved more and more Oromo youths of Gelemso and the whole of Chercher region to join the national struggle. That is why the Canada-based Oromo Artist Elemo Ali praised him beautifully in a song which he dedicated to the martyrs of the Battle of Tiro. Elemo says
Dhigni Keessan Yaa'ee Carcar Xirroodhattii
Dhagatti Goggogee Ititee Biyyattii
Margaa Meyra inni hinbiqilchinee?
Ummata Dammaqsee Sossoose Qabsotti
Nu hordofaa Jedhaa Daandii Warraqsatti
To conclude, the Oromos would never forget this early exemplary hero. And above all, history will always remember Meyra and his heroism.
