Ebbisa Addunya

Ebbisa was born in Dembi Dollo, southwest of the Western Wallaga region of Oromia. In 1991, while waiting for admission to an university, the military regime of Ethiopia was overthrown by OLF, TPLF, and EPLF forces. At that time, Ebbisa was very aware of the deteriorating Oromo condition and the need for self-determination for the Oromo people; hence, to support the Oromo struggle for national determination, he joined the OLF. But beyond his abilities within the military, Ebbisa was also musically talented; he played many instruments and was a gifted vocalist. Because of this, he joined the OLF music band and played a significant role in pushing forth Oromo culture, music, and identity.

Throughout 1991 and 1992, Ebissa travelled through various regions within Oromia (the south, southwest, center, and western) to perform and sing; his songs were not only cultural, but they were revolutionary. They were songs that strongly emphasized the sufferings of the Oromo people and ways through which the Oromo people should demand justice.

Ebbisa was a very popular, well-admired, nationalist musical artist. Because Ebbisa was so courageous, so openly vocal about the murders and injustices that the Ethiopian government was committing, he himself became a large target of the Ethiopian government. On August 30th, 1996, Ebbissa Addunya was assassinated in his own home by Ethiopian government security agents in Finfinne.