The Gadaa is a special socio-political system of the Oromo people that has its origin in the age-system of the Horn of Africa. Some scholars associate the origin of the Gadaa system with the culture of ancient African societies. The Afro-Asiatic societies are said to have had broadly shared ideas, practices and beliefs because of their common historical root and long period interactions. Some scholars also argued that the basic similarity of generation grading system is the reflection of the close proximity of societies and their common origin. Regarding the special organization in east Africa, the Gadaa system of the Oromo developed out of a common east African institution of age-set that was practiced by the Cushitic, the Bantu and the Nilotic people. Due to the long period of interactions, almost all the eastern Cushitic language-speaking people had Gadaa system in their own social structure.
In the Gadaa system, male individuals grouped into grades known as Gadaa. As an age-based social organization, the Gadaa system provided the mechanism to motivate and organize members of the society into social structure. Various socio-political rights and responsibilities are associated with each group. Accordingly, the system provides a socio-political framework that institutionalized stratified relationship between seniors and juniors but egalitarian relations among members of the same grade. Initiation into and promotion from one Gadaa grade to the next conducted every eight years. The fundamental quality of the Gadaa system is that it has segmentations and specified social functions for its members that helped the members to develop a consistent and stable sense of self and others.
The Gadaa system comprised eleven age groups, based on eight-year increments, and male Oromo gained particular socio-political privileges with certain stages of the Gadaa system. Five successive Gadaa stages make up a generation (gap between father and son) that occupies forty years on the Gadaa cycle. The first five grades are generally periods of training and military service in addition to shouldering some economic activities. The remaining Gadaa grades consist of the adulthood stage that continues up to the eleventh stage. The stages of adulthood are periods of socio-political responsibilities.
An individual entered the system at a specific age and passed through transition rites at intervals appropriate to the passage from childhood through full adulthood to senility. Recruitment in to the Gadaa system is based on the maintenance of one socially defined generation between father and son. In other words, enrollment into the system is not by biological age, but upon the recruitment that an individual remain exactly five stages below his father’s level.
In the Gadaa system, generation, age, sex, and class are the guiding criteria in labor division and the sharing of responsibilities. It is obvious that, Gadaa based division of labor and the allocation of functions is a socially and culturally constructed phenomenon in conformity with the overall general property relations. Principal variables as age, sex etc are ways of group formations, differentiations along with role assignments among diverse social groups.
Despite its egalitarian nature, Gadaa effectively enforced a gender-based division of labor in Oromo society and excluded women from passing through age-sets and generation-sets. The tough, physical labor and muscular demanding nature of the Gadaa system, compulsory requirements for muscularity to be stayed at Gadaa centers and being deployed on hunting, for military training, for a long distance away from residence and similar factors seemed to be some of those main reasons to give opportunities to male. Hence, gender oriented labor division seems to be logical, scientific and reasonable factors associated with the nature of the task, the ability of the performer, profession and other internal and external conditions. Nevertheless, it is unfair and blind accusation to judge simply the past society had established a functional discriminatory institution whereby female identities oppressed.
The age-set system was a segmentation that maintains specialization of function along effective lines. It harnesses the energies of the youth to the end of the society and gives to each age group a strong awareness of its own status. The Gadaa system, as an age-based social organization must have also been developed as a mechanism of motivating and fitting members of the society into social structure. Accordingly, various socio-political functions and responsibilities are associated with initiation into and promotion from one Gadaa to the next. The structural elevation follows an established procedure. Members of an age- set are initiated into the next higher set with elaborated ceremony. The initiation obviously gives and imposes responsibilities on the elevated groups. The age-set system provided clear structural reference for members of the society so that the society developed a consistent and stable sense of self and others.
The Gadaa leaders (Luba) succeed each other every eight years in assuming military, economic, political and ritual responsibilities. Each Gadaa class remains in power during specific term which begins and ends with a formal power transfer ceremony. This system has the principles of checks and balances (through periodic succession of every eight years), and division of power (among executive, legislative, and judicial branches), balanced opposition and power sharing between higher and lower administrative organs to prevent power from falling into the hands of despots. Other principles of the system included balanced representation of all clans, lineages, regions and confederacies, accountability of leaders, the settlement of disputes through reconciliation, and the respect for basic rights. In general, all Gadaa officials elected on the basis of eight years by universal adult male suffrage.
Thus, the type of leadership in Gadaa system can be considered as formal, democratic and periodical. The leader or (Abba Gadaa) is elected by people based on the will of the people. The Abba Gadaa has the power in decision making, but this power is not exclusively belongs to Abba Gadaa alone, rather it is the power belongs to different branches of executive, legislative and judicial councils in the system. The executive branch of Gadaa leadership consisted of a president (Abbaa Gadaa) or the father of scepter, who had a cabinet of ministers (the hayyuu council) and two deputy presidents. A council, known as shanee or salgee and retired Gadaa officials, also supported the Abbaa Gadaa. The office of Abbaa Gadaa also dealt with issue of highest importance, the declaration of war, the conclusion of peace, the making of laws, the settlement of disputes within the Oromo society and their neighbors. The highest level of institution of natural resources management regarding water, land and forest is also headed and managed under this office. Defense minister (Abbaa Duulaa) is another leading figure in the Gadaa system. He is the leader of army (Qondaala) and elected by the people. His main responsibility included assisting the Abbaa Gadaa, especially during the time of war. The legislative, the parliament (Chaffee) headed by Prime Minister (Abbaa Chaffee) passed laws and has spokesperson (Abbaa dubbii), who proclaimed the laws that the parliament passed. Finally, a judicial branch of government judge (Abbaa alangaa) enacted the legislation passed by the parliament.
Gadaa Grades and Major Privileges and Responsibilities of Members
Grades
Designation
Age limit
Remarks
Specific role in society
1
Dabballee
0–8
Child is born; stage of
Childhood
None; immature, sons of the Abba Gadaa, only symbolic role as mediator between God and humans.
2
Foollee
9–16
Naming ceremony at home
Look after small stock around home; performing light work
3
Qondaala
17–24
Intensification of the 2nd stage.
Take livestock far away from home and begin drawing water from hole; can go long distances to hunt; perform heavy work.
4
Kuusaa
25–32
Politically significant.
Nucleus of future Gadaa leaders emerges through nominations by the current Gadaa class; the nominated futures are formally installed in office; however, they do not yet assume full authority
5
Raabaa
Doorii
33–40
This and the kuusaa grade constitute a period of preparation for the assumption of full authority.
Important military wing of the Gadaa system; conduct raids; protect territory and resources against enemies; men are allowed to marry.
6
Gadaa
41–48
Politically the most active.
Leadership grade, the most important stage; ceremonial transition of power; settle disputes and convene assemblies
7
Yuba I
49–56
Retirement stage
Advisory role in the society; receive a great deal of respect as a wise, experienced authorities and repositories of law.
8
Yuba II
57–64
Retirement stage
Senior advisor.
9
Yuba III
65–72
Retirement stage
Senior advisor.
10
Gadaamojjii
73–80
Marked by rites at different sites.
Senior advisor.
11
Jaarsa
> 80
Stage of old age
At stage to be cared.