Abba Seru Gwangul

Who was Abba Seru Gwangul?

Abba Seru Gwangul was a chieftain of the Yejju, an ethnic group of Ethiopia. The Yejju began to have prominence with the emergence of Gwangul who was elected by a council of elders of present day Gubalafto. He came to control Begemder and parts of Wollo, and his heirs were Enderases of the Ethiopian Empire and significant warlords of the Zemene Mesafint. Abba Seru Gwangul claimed to be a descendant of an Arab named Omar, who had served in the armies of Ahmad Gragn.

The Scottish explorer James Bruce met him in 1770, and recorded a vivid description of this man in his account of travels in Ethiopia.

Abba Seru Gwangul had numerous children including Dejazmach Welle, Dejazmach Kormi, Abeto Yimer, and Woizero Aster. With his wife Woizero Gelebu, daughter of Ras Faris of Lasta, Abba Seru Gwangul had Ras Ali, Ras Aligaz and Woizero Kefey.