As we gather to mourn the passing of the iconic Obbo Doti Tura, we also come together to celebrate a heroic life dedicated to the upliftment of the Arsi Oromo people and beyond.

Raised near Negele Arsi, Obbo Doti was recognized early as a brilliant child. Yet, after completing just the 5th grade, he made a profound choice. Witnessing his people being deliberately denied education and progress under the Haileselassie regime for their refusal to accept marginalization, he felt a call to action. He returned to rural Oromia with his colleagues from the Arsi Basic School, determined to teach.

This team, led by a profound sense of duty, sacrificed everything to bring the light of knowledge to the most remote areas, offering their services freely. They transformed the darkness of ignorance into a beacon of hope, investing their time, energy, and youth into the soil of their community.

The fruits of their sacrifice are the opportunities my generation enjoys today. The schools they built from nothing provided a roadmap for us—a charge to pay it forward by advancing education and health in our own time. From their initial, humble efforts, thousands of schools have since blossomed across the Arsi Oromo region, evolving into high schools and colleges that produce generations ready to build upon this foundation.

Obbo Doti’s own journey in learning never ceased. He advanced his education to become an exceptional pharmacist and founded one of Addis Ababa’s most successful businesses. He strategically used his resources and influence to fuel the Oromo national movement.

His commitment was boundless. He was a key figure in the Macca & Tulama movement, the OLF, and other pivotal struggles for the rights of our people. He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other heroic figures like Baro Tumsa and Luba Gudina, collaborating in the pursuit of justice and humanitarian causes that have shaped our society.

Our nation is better today because giants like Obbo Doti paid a heavy price—enduring imprisonment and torture—to secure freedom and progress for those who followed. We owe him and his generation an eternal debt for leading us from the darkness of oppression toward the light of advancement.

Now, Obbo Doti, you can rest in power. You may look upon your work with a well-earned smile, knowing you fulfilled your duty magnificently and moved our cause forward immeasurably.

Our responsibility is clear: we must honor your sacrifice by protecting and expanding upon the progress you achieved. We must work tirelessly and plan wisely to complete this mission, ensuring the dark era of marginalization and ignorance never returns.

We will never forget your sacrifice, your dedication, or your struggle. Your legacy is not merely in the institutions you built, but in the enlightened hearts and minds of all who walk in the light you helped to shine.

Rest in Power, Obbo Doti Tura.

With deepest respect,

Gudata Hinika, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery
Chief of Trauma Surgery and Surgical Critical Care
Los Angeles, California
President, Negele Arsi Hospital and Medical College