10 Facts About Onesimos Nesib

Onesimos Nesib was a native Oromo scholar who converted to Lutheran Christianity and translated the Christian Bible into Oromo.

Onesimos Nesib's parents named him Hika as a baby, meaning "Translator"; he took the name "Onesimus", after the Biblical character, upon converting to Christianity.

Onesimos Nesib is known to be the pioneer of modern Oromo literature.

Onesimos Nesib was sent to the Johannelund missionary seminary in Bromma, Sweden for five years to receive further education; upon his return to Massawa, he married Mehret Hailu.

Onesimos Nesib attempted to immediately return to his native Macha Oromo people, and to circumvent the travel restrictions Emperor Menelik II had imposed on foreign missionaries attempted to reach Welega by way of central Sudan.

Onesimos Nesib's party got no closer than Asosa, and were forced to return to the border town of Famaka, where Onesimos suffered from a fever.

Onesimos Nesib recovered from his illness, and found his way back to the Imkullu Mission, where while waiting further instructions he began the first of his many translations into Oromo.

Unfortunately, Onesimos Nesib found that he lacked adequate knowledge of the words and idioms of his native language for he had not lived with his people since childhood, and he was forced to seek help.

Unlike his predecessor, Onesimos Nesib preached to his flock in the Oromo language, which the local Ethiopian Orthodox priests could not understand, and incurred their hostility.

Onesimos Nesib was brought before Abuna Mattheos in May 1906, who ordered that he be exiled upon the accusations of the local clergy.