Onesimos Nasib and His Legacy in Learning the Oromo Language and Culture (Ethiopia)

The fate of Onesimos Nasib symbolizes the history of Oromo language studies, the difficulties associated with its spread, as well as political problems in Ethiopia. Being Oromo by birth, Onesimos made a great contribution to the formation of the education system for his people in their native language as well as created a written base of Oromo cultural heritage. O. Nasib managed to combine Christian theology with Oromo ideas about god (Waaqa), and interpret Oromo religious concepts for a better understanding of biblical texts, which he and a group of compatriots translated into the Oromo language. The biography of Onesimos Nasib and his activities became known thanks to the research of Oromo scholars reviving the historical heritage of the Oromo in Ethiopia.