Tedla Asfaw
I followed the OLF Amharic Radio program of April 20 and 21 posted on Internet after seeing no news posted on the passing of the legendary singer, Tilahune Gessesse on Easter/Fasika, past Sunday on OLF home page. There was song of Tilahune "Singebegebelate" on April 21 on OLF Amharic without mentioning his passing.
Is this the Oromo tradition during the loss of a loved one including a giant who sang in Amharic as well in Afan Oromo for more than fifty years basically affecting the old as well the young, including future generations. I applaud the selection of the song even if it did not mention his passing away, maybe tried to send a message of love and hate between lovers including people of one country, one nationality VS the other.
Tilahune Gessesse is a man we all enjoyed his songs in bad and good times and will continue to do so in the future. It is appropriate for the OLF Radio to give Tilahune a well deserved respect on its program. VOA Amharic spent a day program on the passing of Tilahune and German Amharic also covered the passing of a legend and the burial of Tilahune this coming Hamus/Thursday indeed will be covered by all and we all will come together on this day to say our final good bye/Dehena Hune to Tilahune/Tileye.
The OLF Radio and website by ignoring the mourning of Tilahune Gessesse by millions of Ethiopians for the last three days is shooting itself on foot. Listeners will ask, if Tilahune Gessesse's passing is not worthy of news on those who manage the program, we would like to assure them it is not an Oromo culture.
Even the TPLF boss knowing the political implication of downplaying Tilahune's passing is rushing to exploit it for its own political agenda. Meles Zenawi is the first to write a condolence letter to Tilahune Gessesse's family to divert attention from imprisoning another popular young legend,Tewodros Kassahune at the same time. That is what you call it "on one stone two birds".
The pro TPLF website like Aiga exploited the passing away of Tilahune Gessesse to divert our attention from the current Western boycotted visit of Al-Beshir of Sudan in Addis Ababa. What I do not understand is what message OLF is trying to send by ignoring the passing away of Tilahune Gessese ?
The millions of Ethiopians back home and close to one million in the Diaspora will surely will shed tears on this coming Thursday and the OLF website managers are encouraged to cover this sad day out of respect for the departed loved one according to the Oromo culture. "Selameka Yagene Selamake, Dubene tene Dubi Muchayo Megala" is my preferred song for that day out of many songs Tilahune sang in Afan Oromo.
