The Oromo Liberation Front announces the death of a legendary voice of the Oromo struggle, who inspired generations through music and resistance.

FINFINNEE, Oromia – The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF/ABO) has announced with profound grief the passing of iconic artist and freedom fighter Ilfinash Qannoo, who died on September 06, 2026, in Finfinnee at the age of 64.

Her loss, the organization stated, “is not merely the loss of an artist. It is the silencing of a voice that sang freedom for over six decades. It is the emptying of a heart that burned with love for Oromia. It is the falling of a flag that inspired millions to rise against oppression.”

From Saxxoo to the Stage

Born in 1962 in Saxxoo, East Wallagga Zone, Western Oromia, Ilfinash was drawn to the arts from childhood. Her coming of age coincided with a period of intense political awakening across Ethiopia, transforming her from a performer into a voice for the voiceless.

Her path to fame—and persecution—began in 1976 at a historic cultural performance in Finfinnee, where she posed the revolutionary question that became an anthem of resistance:

“Qawwee malee maaltu bilisa nu baasa?”
(“Without the gun, what will set us free?”)

From that moment, her life became inseparable from the struggle for Oromo liberation. Her stage became a battlefield, her microphone a weapon, her lyrics a declaration of war against injustice .

The Price of Resistance

For her unwavering commitment to the Oromo cause, she paid a heavy price. Under both the Derg regime and the later Woyanne government, she endured long years of imprisonment alongside countless other freedom fighters .

Her suffering included brutal torture—having her scalp forcibly shaved with broken glass—leaving deep and lasting physical and psychological wounds. Upon her release, with the help of Oromo patriots, she was secretly taken to Kenya and later granted asylum in Norway, where she continued her work from exile .

Despite these hardships, she produced over 10 albums throughout her life, each a powerful contribution to the Oromo liberation movement. Even while living in exile, she traveled repeatedly to Eritrea to inspire fighters when the OLF was waging its armed struggle .

A Voice That Nurtured Generations

Ilfinash was more than a singer—she became a living archive of Oromo memory. Her music carried the soil of rural Oromia and the fire of a people’s longing for dignity. In her final years, too frail to stand, she was carried to gatherings—not as a relic, but as a living flame .

Perhaps one of her most significant legacies was her role as a trailblazer for Oromo women. At a time when restrictive expectations limited women’s participation in public life, she challenged both political repression and social conventions .

The Oromo Community of Minnesota honored her as a “pioneering role as an Oromo woman artist who challenged political repression and restrictive expectations of women in public life”—courage that helped create space for generations of Oromo artists and women who followed .

Final Words

In her final moments, even as her body weakened, her spirit burned bright. Her last words were not of regret, but of love:

“Oromoo koo! ABO koo! WBO koo! Bilisummaa! Oromiyaa! Tokkummaa fi jaalala Oromummaa…”
(“My Oromo! My OLF! My Oromo Liberation Army! Freedom! Oromia! Unity and love of Oromummaa…”)

She passed at age 64, still singing, still hoping, still burning for freedom until her very last breath.

A Call to Carry the Torch

The Oromo Liberation Front extends its deepest condolences to her family, her two beloved daughters Hawwii and Daangaa, her relatives, fellow freedom fighters, and the entire Oromo nation.

They call upon the people to remember her message of unity and love, urging all Oromos to carry forward the torch she lit:

“Let us strengthen our unity. Let us reinforce our love for one another. Let us complete the struggle they began—so that Oromia may be free.”

Her memory will forever be etched in hearts, her songs forever echo in struggles, her spirit forever march alongside.

“Qabsa’aan ni kufa, qabsoon itti fufa!”
(“The fighter may fall, but the struggle continues!”)

Rest in power, Beloved Ilfinash Qannoo.
You did not die—you were promoted to immortality.