This town is located on the all-weather road to Goba built during the Italian occupation, 56 km south of Asella, and 50 km east of Lake Langano (the road from Assela through Goba and south to Dodola is now in 2013 tarmac all the way to Goba). A local landmark is the church of Liemu Maryam, east of Bekoji.[2]
Besides building a road from Asella to Bekoji, during the occupation the Italians also built a small fort outside the town. After Asela had been captured in April 1941, Henfrey's Scouts (a small force of Ethiopian irregulars) continued south to capture Bekoji supported by armored cars. Because of heavy mud, increasing rains and a shortage of fuel, only a small unit reached the outpost at Bekoji.[2]
The Baptist General Conference operated a mission station at Bekoji, performing medical work during the 1950s. By 1965, Bekoji contained the woreda governor's office, associated administrative buildings, and some local security facilities. There was all-weather road connection and telephone link to Asella. The major market day was Saturday, and a minor market was held on Tuesday. Trade centered on crops, livestock, seeds and foodstuffs. Most of the commercial buildings were drinking establishments.[2]
The Chilalo Agricultural Development Union established a marketing centre here in 1970. Ingvar Jonsson made field interviews with farmers in the area between July 1973 and May 1974. He reported that about 90% of all interviewed tenants had sharecropping agreement, with rent to the landowner ranging between one third and one half of the crop. Studying aerial photos, Jonsson concluded 94 households had been removed from Bekoji while 282 new households had been established.[2]
Demographicsedit
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this town has an estimated total population of 16,730, of whom 7,999 are men and 8,731 are women.[4] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 9,367, of whom 4,338 were men and 5,029 were women.
Referencesedit
^. Archived from the original on November 23, 2006. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
^ abcd, The Nordic Africa Institute website (Internet Archive mirror)
^Hattenstone, Simon. "The Ethiopian town that's home to the world's greatest runners". the Guardian. Retrieved 2015-05-16.
^CSA 2005 National Statistics November 13, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Table B.3
bekoji, oromo, boqojjii, amharic, በቆጂ, town, central, ethiopia, located, arsi, zone, oromia, region, latitude, longitude, with, elevation, 2810, administrative, centre, limuna, bilbilo, woreda, boqojjiitownlocation, ethiopiacoordinates, 333countryethiopiastate. Bekoji Oromo Boqojjii Amharic በቆጂ is a town in central Ethiopia Located in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region it has a latitude and longitude of 7 35 N 39 10 E 7 583 N 39 167 E 7 583 39 167 with an elevation of 2810 m It is the administrative centre of Limuna Bilbilo woreda Bekoji BoqojjiiTownBekojiLocation of Bekoji in EthiopiaCoordinates 07 35 N 39 20 E 7 583 N 39 333 E 7 583 39 333CountryEthiopiaStateOromiaZoneArsiPopulation 2005 1 Total16 730Time zoneUTC 3 EAT ClimateCwb This town is located on the all weather road to Goba built during the Italian occupation 56 km south of Asella and 50 km east of Lake Langano the road from Assela through Goba and south to Dodola is now in 2013 tarmac all the way to Goba A local landmark is the church of Liemu Maryam east of Bekoji 2 Bekoji is also known as the home town of many famous Ethiopian athletes They include Derartu Tulu Fatuma Roba Tiki Gelana Mestawet Tufa the Bekele brothers Kenenisa and Tariku and the Dibaba sisters Ejegayehu Tirunesh and Genzebe Young athletes in Bekoji are featured in the 2012 documentary film Town of Runners 3 Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 References 4 External linksHistory editBesides building a road from Asella to Bekoji during the occupation the Italians also built a small fort outside the town After Asela had been captured in April 1941 Henfrey s Scouts a small force of Ethiopian irregulars continued south to capture Bekoji supported by armored cars Because of heavy mud increasing rains and a shortage of fuel only a small unit reached the outpost at Bekoji 2 The Baptist General Conference operated a mission station at Bekoji performing medical work during the 1950s By 1965 Bekoji contained the woreda governor s office associated administrative buildings and some local security facilities There was all weather road connection and telephone link to Asella The major market day was Saturday and a minor market was held on Tuesday Trade centered on crops livestock seeds and foodstuffs Most of the commercial buildings were drinking establishments 2 The Chilalo Agricultural Development Union established a marketing centre here in 1970 Ingvar Jonsson made field interviews with farmers in the area between July 1973 and May 1974 He reported that about 90 of all interviewed tenants had sharecropping agreement with rent to the landowner ranging between one third and one half of the crop Studying aerial photos Jonsson concluded 94 households had been removed from Bekoji while 282 new households had been established 2 Demographics editBased on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005 this town has an estimated total population of 16 730 of whom 7 999 are men and 8 731 are women 4 The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 9 367 of whom 4 338 were men and 5 029 were women References edit CSA 2005 National Statistics Archived from the original on November 23 2006 Retrieved 2008 06 11 a b c d Local History in Ethiopia The Nordic Africa Institute website Internet Archive mirror Hattenstone Simon The Ethiopian town that s home to the world s greatest runners the Guardian Retrieved 2015 05 16 CSA 2005 National Statistics Archived November 13 2009 at the Wayback Machine Table B 3External links editTown of Runners Archived 2015 03 21 at the Wayback Machine Town of Runners at IMDb nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bekoji amp oldid 1186257562, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
