TONA GAGA
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Tona Gaga (1868-August 1908) was the last king of Walamo, a state in southwest Ethiopia, north of Lake Abaya. He ruled from 1890-94, subsequently being permitted to lead his people, but with diminished rights, from 1895-1900.
PHOTO CAPTION: Tona Gaga. SOURCE: EA Library.
Succeeding his grandfather Gobé in 1890, he was the 17th ruler of a dynasty that traced itself back to a founder from Tegre in the early 17th century. His mother came from a noble family of the Arusi Galla. Tona, like most of his predecessors, had to face the problem of breaking the power of unruly nobles and warriors without weakening his state’s military power. From 1890-94, he tried to form a loyal army from members of the despised castes and royal slaves.
The free people accordingly rebelled against this infringement of their rights and, under the leadership of their great warriors, threatened to refuse to obey the king unless he disbanded his personal army. But the political tensions at that time between Walamo and the Ethiopian empire, then ruled by Menilek II [reigned 1889-1913], prevented a revolt of the people against the king.
Foreign affairs, however, were the king’s undoing. Emperor Menilek had, from 1880 onwards, even before he himself became emperor, begun to incorporate southern Ethiopia into the empire. Although he was aware of his dynasty’s Christian origins, and although he received warnings from his brother-in law, Aba Jefar II of Jimma, Tona refused to submit to Menilek.
In November 1894, Menilek led an army against Tona Gaga, which quickly conquered Walamo. Tona was wounded, and was brought to Addis Ababa, where he lived for nearly a year at the imperial court, and was christened as Takla Haymanot. In October 1895, he was allowed to return to Walamo, where he was appointed leader of his people with diminished rights, under the authority of an Ethiopian governor.
Later, when tension arose between him and the Ethiopian authorities, he was recalled to Addis Ababa in 1900, living there until his death in August 1908.
EIKE HABERLAND
