Being young, being Muslim in Bale

Abstract

One of my friends in Robe-the capital of Bale zone (Oromia National Regional State)-was once a zealous and devout Salafi. By that time a senior high school student, he was constantly bringing me books and pamphlets about Islam, trying to convert me. After a while he stopped talking about religion and was instead sharing with me his poems, all encrypted with metaphors celebrating the greatness of the Oromo people and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Then after some time, he lost track of this too and became just an "ordinary Muslim.".