Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
February 26, 2008
Among oppressed nations, which are deprived of the basic means of national education, the oral tradition plays a major role in the prevalence of a Moral Order and the preservation of Noble Behaviour.
The Kushitic ´cousins´ of the Somalis, the Oromos, rightful heirs of the Ancient Kushitic Noblesse, are renowned for their splendid and lofty traditions. The Great Oromo Intellectual Asafa Dibaba makes a point in that the Oromo oral tradition has to become integral system of the Oromo educational system in order to help preserve and perpetuate the Oromo Moral Order among younger generations.
We will publish his lengthy and pioneering analysis in several parts, as we believe that – beyond its great sociological and philological value – it consists in an excellent proof of the persistence of the African Spiritual Originality at a time of globally attested moral degradation and decomposition.
Asafa Dibaba´s text demonstrates in and by itself how much the Mankind owes to the Oromo Nation, and what the Oromos can offer to us all.
I. Background
Be it that you ask school children where moral values come from. No doubt, one would say this: values come from one´s family, friends, community, et cetera. Later in life this same lad happens in a situation where his superior authority asks him to take an action which is legally or morally questionable. Though one should obey a legitimate authority, but the action is not moral: see the person caught in a moral dilemma? In such a case, at least our recent political experience has shown us that all too often people obey authority and do what they ordinarily know to be morally wrong. Now, questions to logically follow from the above example: How come a law-abiding citizen who knows ´right from wrong´ can act immorally in such a situation? And can we be satisfied with his simply knowing where those values come from?
Ostensibly, in our higher institution, only when things are going well, more experimentation with education is supported, more idealistic goals are pursued. It seems more in the ideological sphere that education is expected to play a leading role. Somewhere, but, out there is an unheard voice, an immense unsatisfied demand for moral education. If, a big if, there is ever an education related to moral in our higher institution, it has been that appended to the mainstream ´civic education—´ ´civic´ or ´civil,´ as it were. If there is, it needs to become much more than a word. It seems that ´civic education´ is inherently ideologically fermented. During times of rapid social change, such that we are in, the role of education in the services of morally equipping the young generation and building the nation is emphasized. It is categorically asserted that moral education serves as a major vector in society. These and other related moral issues are argued in the first section of this article: the problem stated, and theories explicated. The second section forwards this general proposal for moral education.
II. Introduction
Traditionally, among the Oromo, like other African societies, moral/social order was abiding. Children were taught to accept the responsibilities and duties assigned to them and told to obey through the family, age groups, and elders. They obeyed instructions implicitly and deviations from cultural norms were severely frowned upon. It was duties of the elders, religious and institutional leaders to contact the youth with this type of frame of mind to initiate/educate them along culturally accepted norms and predictions. Thus, social control was exercised and discipline was enacted through socialization rites and oral cultures.
The spirit of togetherness, cooperation and solidarity and a strong zeal in patriotic feeling was rooted on solid basis, they also lived in harmony with nature. The young generation has now come to disregard traditional beliefs and customs. Today, more than ever, it has become apparent that there is a general reluctance in the society related to the problem of moral values. Indigenous moral values, i.e., native values, used to maintain morality, humanity and identity are now influenced by exotic forces and have become powerless. As a result, the young generation is succumbing to antisocial antinational behaviours.
It has become imperative to turn to a critical examination of factors affecting the basic state of moral equilibrium, i.e., the moral community and the paradigm built around it, namely, a combination of social order and autonomy. While anyone would argue otherwise, the young generation must first be taught some code of behavior. If it is left "up to each person to decide", the actual result will be children who turn into immoral, wish-washy, and "unable to take a firm position on anything" type people. The notions that "there is no ultimate right and wrong", and "every choice needs to be evaluated on current feelings, beliefs, and the situation itself" may be true for mature adults with a good education, adequate analytical abilities and reasoning. This is absurd for young people who lack solid framework of knowledge and experience to draw upon and just starting out in life with no solid foundation of experience or morality.
Therefore, it will be the purpose of the present article to a) identify/categorize the problem; b) examine into the logical account of the category; and c) suggest workable recommendations.
In any literate and pre-literate societies culture had cultivated values upon which their survival rests. Such values among others include: mutual respect and honour, love, truthfulness, honesty and trust, religiosity, equity, regard, equality, work ethics, patriotism, nationalism, sex sanctity, humanity, solidarity and harmony in societies. In this competitive yet cooperative world, issues of morality and humanity are becoming crucial. There is an increasing need to provide context for public discourse on institutional policy matters related to education, development, and peace and tranquility along with the need to foster the ability of youth to make autonomous moral judgments.
Our communities are observed to be undergoing some kind of transformation into urban-oriented livelihoods. In line with the transformation, paradoxically, there is a general withdrawal of morality and irreligiosity as a natural means of expressing the hitherto existing moral order and harmony with some degree of accepted sense of decorum. This ever increasing societal moral decline calls for ´moral education´ / ´character education´. Moral education offered in religious schools had too many setbacks: first, under the umbrella of religious education, the focus was to indoctrinate, not to educate. Therefore, it was hampered by the problems inherent in the competitive indigenous and exotic values.
Second, to put in effect some partisan and ideological programme of the status quo through ´hidden–curricula´, now made explicit as ´civic education´, the need for ´moral education´ has been put under the rug. It is believed that the generation devoid of morality, humanity and identity and acculturated to irreligiosity, apathy, reluctance, indifference, treachery and social evils cannot easily be corrected late in adolescence through the mere ´civic education´. The need for civic education later in schools presupposes that indigenous moral education seems to be regaining its importance in educational institutions as early as possible. The inculcation of the ideals of moral values, namely, good behaviour, love, mutual respect and truthfulness in our young people now seems to be compulsory.
Reasons why moral education is now compelling: first, in the face of unbalanced economy and ever-increasing urban population there is this wide-ranging fear that traditions are being eroded, consequently, social order is at stake. Second, Oromo [m]oral culture used to maintain morality, humanity and identity and sustain social consensus (tolerance, peace and solidarity) now need to be critically re-examined vis-à-vis the ongoing socio-cultural and political dynamism.
Third, the Abyssinian long-standing ´hidden curricula´, now eventually made explicit in the EPRDF Educational Policy, has been ostensibly to inculcate sense of Abyssinian Patriotism and Unity in the young generation through ´civic´ and ´church education´. Against this wave of enslavement, moral education is imperative for our children to ensure a strong sense of nationalism and enduring patriotic fervor. Moreover, sustainable development and democracy in itself calls for a thorough re-consideration with sufficient attention to the historical and cultural context in which they are applied. The need for some techniques and strategies to exercise and consolidate sense of democratic and moral competence in the young generation while maintaining autonomy and order at equilibrium necessitates a thorough scrutiny.
Hence, this article is believed to be timely and will raise important issues. We will publish the next part of Asafa Dibaba´s essay in a forthcoming article.
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