By Tego Wolasa
When Burji was upgraded from mitikl woreda (sub-district) to status of a woreda (full District) in 1965, the District’s administrative center, which was at Ilale-Sego was moved to Bader.
Bader was later renamed Soyama. One account says that Soyama was named after a range of mountains found in the northeast of the town to the southwest of Lake Chamo.
However, according to more reliable oral tradition, Soyama was named after Soye trees, which were abundant in the area.
Reports have it that Soyama was picked because of its favorable weather, central location, and availability of water. However, controversy surrounds the decision to move the administrative center from Sego to Soyama.
There is an indication that there were disputes and disagreemets over the migration of the city.
Official sources however, indicate that the move was made upon agreement between the three leaders of the day: Dayna Chamo Challa, Balambaras Donche Chota, and Grazmach Damte Dawe.
Soyama has an estimated population of 14,000 inhabitants today.
[Extracted from ‘We The Burji’ page 34 ]