An encouragement of boldness and hardiness to adventure that by such a conspicuous mark, the sluggish and cow-hearted should be distinguished from the bold and daring. In their banquets and feasts the best bit is always set in the middle and he that takes it must be the first in any previous undertaking, nor is there any long consideration; every one person prepares to win honour to himself, ambition stimulating their fortitude … But their most prevailing encouragement in battle is that because no man should be thought to fight for base hire, or out of servile obedience for another man’s honour, but only for his own reputation, plunder is equal divided among all. They go to war, as if they had devoted themselves for victory, with a certain resolution, either to overcome or to die. From whence proceeds great obstinacy in combat.

when the Oromo were on the move, fighting for individual honour unleashed a dynamic spirit to push forward; but once they began settling down, fighting for individual honour became the source conflict among themselves. When common interest united them, the Oromo posed formidable challenges to the Christian state. With their spread over wider territory, it became very difficult to reconcile the interests of various groups. Clan interest, replaced the wider interest of the confederacy. Disharmony undermined their unity and their fighting capacity. With the break-up of confederacies, different groups fought against each other as much as they fought their enemies.