Oromoo Gadaa Values in Cultivating Indigenous Leadership Development among the Karrayuu Oromoo Community

Abstract

It is not well known how the indigenous leadership development is cultivated by the Oromoo Gadaa values of the Karrayyuu community.  To address this limitation, the article aimed to explore how the Oromoo Gadaa values nurture indigenous leadership development in the  context of the indigenous African society with particular reference to the Gadaa system of the Karrayyuu Oromoo community of Ethiopia.  The objective of this article was mainly focused on the essence of Oromoo Gadaa values and leadership capacity development. To achieve  this objective, a qualitative research method, particularly, an ethnography research design was implemented. Individuals in the  Gadaa system of different age groups were purposively recruited as a sample of the study. Accordingly, participant observation, 10 Key  informant interviews, 10 In-depth interviews, and 5 focus group discussions were conducted. The data gathered using these guidelines  were presented, analyzed, and discussed thematically. The study found that moral, egalitarian, harmonious, peace, unity, and  humaneness values are embedded in the indigenous leadership development process of the Karrayyuu Gadaa system and serve to  resolve social, economic, and political problems. The finding also show that the Gadaa values helped all clans of the Karrayyuu  community have equal representation in the formation of the five Gadaa parties and power transfer recycles among these parties every  eight years. Thus, conserving the Oromoo Gadaa values and indigenous leadership development will contribute a lot to the community,  youth and leadership development, regional government, and countrywide, particularly for the Ministry of Peace and policymakers to  resolve leadership-related problems that Ethiopia has currently faced.