In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in History and Heritage Studies

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to reconstruct A History of Adaba Wereda from 1941- 1991. Both primary and secondary sources were used in this study. Sources gathered from different angles were cross checked and analyzed qualitatively. To this end, the work was arranged in four parts. The first part presented the geographical setting of Adaba woreda that included the socioeconomic and political developments of the district before 1941. It also described the historical heritages found in the woreda and the historical background of this woreda to 1941. The second part focused on the administrative history of the district from 1941 up to 1991 that included the formation of Adaba woreda, Administrative and Political History of Adaba Woreda, 1941-1974 and from 1974 – 1991, whereas, third part described the socio –economic history of the district (1941-1991). This chapter was briefly described the economic and the socio-religious history of the district during the past fifty years ago. The fourth part presented the concluded ideas of the briefly described in the three chapters of this study. To this end, the administrative restructuring of the Empire Hailesilasie during post –liberation period was not accepted by the Arsi-Oromo of Adaba district because of the complicated bureaucracy of the period at the beginning of 1960s, the peasants in Adaba district raised conflict. The impact of land reform of the Derge effectively abolished the traditional institutions of rist and gult, and took over the controlof land and redistributed through Peasant Associations (PA). Other achievements of the Adaba district were the foundation of Hunte State Farm and Melka Wakena Hydroelectric Power Station projects those emerged in two consecutive years. Based on the conclusions the researcher recommended that, the government should clearly identify their request and give suitable response to them to keep peace and stability, the government should secure the individual farmland and provide mechanization farming to improve the productivity of the peasants, the wereda administrators, the culture and tourism office of Adaba district and the Adaba town municipal collaboratively work on this issue to have written evidences on the history of the district. 1