Subtitle: A Tribute to the Silent, Steadfast Pillars of the Oromo Liberation Struggle

They are the steady heartbeat beneath the drum of revolution. From its very founding to this day, the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has been profoundly shaped by a unique cadre of leaders: those who shun the spotlight, who cloak themselves in modesty, yet who hold the ideals and objectives of the OLF aloft like a fixed star, ensuring it shines undimmed. This tradition has grown immensely from yesterday to today, and it continues to grow.

These individuals possess a resilience and patience that is unshakable. Within the OLF, and indeed among all supporters and sympathizers of the Oromo cause, we often pass by them, seeing them as ordinary. And because the OLF is what it is—a cause, not a mere party—the organization and its followers are not always quick with lavish praise and flattery. This is not a flaw; for it is said that a fighter is dignified by his work, not by a group or clique.

Nevertheless, we must not take this for granted. And so today, I have come with a humble bouquet of remembrance and reflection; not merely to praise, but to remind you.

My humble bouquet is for a man who, from the spring of his youth to the maturity of his years, played a lion’s role in the Oromo cause. A man who served as everything from a soldier to a political leader within the OLF, who is slow to speak, deliberate in action, endowed with a rich spirit and exemplary character: Jaal Gammachis Tolasa. We speak from the little we know, for we lack the capacity to fully express who Jaal Gammee is.

As mentioned, Jaal Gammachis is among those who obscure themselves to make the OLF’s aim and objective shine like a star. He is one who has dedicated and continues to dedicate immense work, time, and energy to this end.

Jaal Gammee speaks little, but works abundantly; his patience, discipline, and wisdom are formidable.

He was raised in the love of his people, and he loves the OLF and its cause as his own life.

To Jaal Gammee, we say: may you be healthy for us. We honor you.

The Unsung Code:

In a world that often mistakes noise for strength and visibility for value, the OLF’s silent architects operate by a different code. Their leadership is not etched in loud proclamations but in the quiet consistency of action. They build not monuments for themselves, but fortifications for the idea they serve. Their strength lies in a profound understanding that the revolution’s light must not be refracted through the prism of individual ego, but must emanate purely from the collective star of liberation.

The Legacy of Steadfastness:

Figures like Jaal Gammachis Tolasa represent the critical spine of any enduring struggle. They are the keepers of institutional memory, the anchors in stormy political seas, and the living embodiment of strategic patience. While orators ignite the fire, it is they who ensure the coals burn steadily through the long night. Their “lack” of public acclaim is, in fact, a testament to their success; their identity has successfully merged with the cause, making their personal story secondary to the collective history they are helping to write.

A Call for Recognition:

This reflection is not an attempt to create cults of personality. It is a necessary correction, a reminder to a community and a movement to consciously honor its own ethos. To look beyond the stage and see the builders of the stage itself. To remember that the most radiant stars are often those whose light reaches us from the deepest, quietest parts of the universe.

The Oromo liberation journey, long and arduous, is paved with the silent sacrifices of its Gammachises. They ask for no parades. But they deserve our deepest remembrance and respect. For in guarding the purity of the star, they guard the destiny of the nation.

Fayyaa nuuf haa ta’u, Jaal Gammee. Isin jenna.