Egeree Oromiyaa- EOs Podcast
About Egeree Oromiyaa – EOs Podcast
Exploring Identity, Culture, and the Voices of a Displaced Generation
Egeree Oromiyaa – EOs Podcast, founded in 2020, is a storytelling platform where we explore culture, identity, politics, literature, and the shared experiences of the past and present. We focus especially on the lives of first-generation refugees, particularly Oromo youth in Sweden and other Western countries. Through personal stories and thoughtful dialogue, we aim to give voice to the unheard and healing to the unseen.
Our podcast amplifies the voices of those who have lived through the trauma of exile, navigating the harsh journey from home to Europe. We invite role models, professionals, and changemakers to share their paths—from persecution to perseverance—to inspire, educate, and empower.
We also produce documentaries about significant historical and current events in Ethiopia, with special focus on Oromia, offering critical context and preserving narratives overlooked by mainstream media.
EOs Podcast is part of a broader media effort, including the YouTube channel Miidiyaa Dhaddacha Oromo, also launched in 2020. This digital space was created to give voice to the voiceless, but has faced repeated suppression. Due to its role in exposing state-sponsored violence and human rights abuses in Ethiopia, the podcast’s YouTube and Facebook accounts were banned following repeated reports by Ethiopian lobbyists and their supporters.
Banned Platforms
Despite being active for over 13 years, the following media accounts were forcibly removed:
- YouTube Channels:
- Miidiyaa Dhaddacha Oromo (est. 2020)
- BB-Show (est. 2012)
- Facebook:
- Personal account of Chala Hailu Abate, created in 2010
These bans reflect the high price of truth-telling in the face of repression. Still, the mission continues across new platforms and spaces.
About the Founder
Chala Hailu Abate, also known as Caalaa Hayiluu Abaataa, is the founder and host of Egeree Oromiyaa – EOs Podcast. Born in Ethiopia, Chala is a poet, author, human rights advocate, and former law student, now based in Sweden. He is known for bridging the worlds of Oromo cultural identity and political exile through media, writing, and public dialogue.
Digital Platforms
- Dhaloota Fincilaa.com – Established in 2017
A platform for poetry, articles, and Oromo resistance narratives. - AbooteeTimes.com – Founded at the end of 2017
Focused on community news, cultural commentary, and activism. - Miidiyaa Dhaddacha Oromo (YouTube) – Founded in 2020
Censored but influential, this channel gave a platform to marginalised Oromo voices.
Egeree Oromiyaa- EOs Podcast
Of tahuu fi Irreecha Oromoo fi Oromummaa - Oromo Thanksgiving holiday
Irreecha (also called Irreessa or Dhibaayyuu), is a Thanksgiving holiday celebrating the end of the winter in the Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The Oromo people celebrate Irreecha to thank Waaqa (God) for the blessings and mercies they have received throughout the previous year. The Irreecha festival is celebrated every year at the beginning of Birraa (Spring), the new season after the dark and rainy winter season. It is attended by hundreds of thousands of people. The thanksgiving is celebrated at sacred lakes across Oromia Region like the Hora Finfinne and Hora Harsadi, Bishoftu, Oromia Region as a whole. Once at the lake, festival-goers immerse in freshly cut green grass and the flowers they are carrying and sprinkle themselves and place in water.
Caalaa Hayiluu dhaggeeffadhaa
