As noted, Seyoum used his prison years not only in recruiting fighters for the liberation movement but also in enriching his political and academic knowledge through diverse books that could be smuggled into the prison cells from time to time. It was also in prison that he taught himself Arabic, French and some Spanish on top of his already acquired command of Italian, English, Amharic and of course Tigrinia.
After the liberation from prison, Seyoum did not think of taking time to rest and visit his family members. He immediately joined the front. After the second national congress of the ELF in 1975, he was appointed as political commissioner of ELF’s Administrative Unit 10 (Akele-Guzai). He later became Administrator of the Political Cadre School. Also in 1977, he was nominated to head the preparatory committee of the as the Chairman of the General Union of Eritrean Peasants and was elected its chairman in its constituent congress held in 1978. Nicknamed ‘Seyoum Harestay’ (Seyoum the Farmer) because of his concern with the plight of the poor farmers, he was indeed an advocate of the rights of Eritrean peasants.
Source Short Life History of Patriot-Martyr Seyoum Ogbamichael