Asafa Tefera Dibaba's Page

B i l i s e I. G. said, So They Said,...as S h e said it:

The story of Akkoo Manooyee was one of the unfairly told tales of the era of women. It was retold in a manner that ridiculed women. Attempted distortion of her story couldn’t hide that Manooyee was a great and wise woman. Male chauvinism was then at sprouting stage. Even from bits and pieces of what was told we can understand that Civilization reached its peak during her reign. Manooyee ruled the country for a very long time that she almost outlived most of her peers. For this reason people referred to her as Akkoo Manooyee (Akkoo means grandma in Afaan Oromo). The story teller said in conclusion that grandmas were highly revered and loved by ancient Oromo.

There was a woman called Akkoo Manooyee. She was given a chance to rule the country. The first thing she did was banish wise men old and midgets from the country to “manipulate ignorant masses” as she wished. But one of the midgets beseeched the people to spare him for they may need him in the future. It was traditionally believed that midgets were experts of court intrigues. Manooyee was lied to that all midgets were gotten rid off. She was happy now. Getting rid of saboteurs she now felt she could implement her plans smoothly. Just as she thought since then she didn’t have difficulty in implementing her plan. She got many difficult tasks done. But her ultimate plan was going to be a testing one. It was building floating structures. So one day she started by asking the people to build her a floating house that doesn’t touch the ground.

The people were bewildered. They didn’t know how to do it. It was also difficult to disobey the ruler. It was then that the hidden midget comes to the scene. They referred the puzzle to him. He told them that by law and tradition owners lay down foundations. Therefore they have to make ready the building material required for the building and request her to plant the “utubaa” (pillar). If she refuses that absolves you from your obligation as subjects. In that case be ready to take action and get rid of her once and for all.

Then as advised they asked her to plant the utubaa. After pondering for a while she asked the assembled people if there was any midget left in her realm. Then they replied, what does it matter if there were midgets or not? You have ordered us to build you a floating house in the air. We are willing build it but you as the owner have to lay the foundation according to law and tradition. But when she was unable to do it they took action. They didn’t give her a chance to rethink her order.

A grinding stone was tied on her back and she was thrown down a Qilee (cliff). Then the multitude resolved that woman were unfit to rule. From then on the rule of women was replaced with that of men. That was what we were told said the story teller. Since then woman are being ridiculed for the alleged utopian view of Akkoo Manooyee. That is how patriarchal rulers want to justify their imbalanced rule over society. By it they had subjected women which are half the population of humanity to miserable life. How the whole process of pulling down Akkoo Manooyee was carried out shows that there was element of discussion under women’s rule. Under men that was wiped out. For this reason strives were common place throughout history. Women movements we see today are result of those strives. From what we observed under male dominance it would be hard to imagine women’s rule could be as harsh as that one. The character of being a mother and grandmother doesn’t reflect that aspect of harshness from our own experience. Could mothers and grammas turn monsters we were told by male chauvinist story tellers? Think for yourself!

Similar legend exists in Sidamaa. There the woman leader was called Furra. Her courage and wisdom was similar to that of Akkoo Manooyee. Unlike Akkoo Manooyee whom the womenfolk had forgotten women of Sidamaa remember Furra and sing songs of praise for her to this day. The Sidamas look on the liberty of Furra’s day with nostalgia.