ɹˈɪtʃɚd pˈæŋkhɜːst ɹˈɛkɚdz ðæt ɪts ɡˈʌvɚnɚ, dᵻdʒˈæzmætʃ tˈeɪ, ɐmˈeɪzd baɪ ðə ɡɹˈoʊɪŋ tɹˈeɪd æt ɡæmbˈɛlə tə ðə wˈɛst ʌv hˌɪm, dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z ɐtˈɛmptᵻd tə dɪvˈɛləp ˈɛkspoːɹts ʌv kˈɔfi, ɹˈʌbɚ, hˈaɪdz ænd ˈaɪvɚɹi θɹuː ðə pˈoːɹt tˈaʊn.
Richard Pankhurst records that its governor, Dejazmach Taye, amazed by the growing trade at Gambela to the west of him, during the 1920s attempted to develop exports of coffee, rubber, hides and ivory through the port town.