Page 52 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 21

Leadership
Leadership

The Battle of Adwa

An African Victory

t was early Sunday morning with their commanders. They were are willing to see, it represents true
on March 1, 1896. The place unwelcome visitors in the land of patriotism and the power of unity.
was Adwa. Two warring sides the free people. For them, justice Don’t worry; I am not going to bore
Iwere holding position, ready was not an issue for they were blind- you with the factual details of the
to fight. On one side, there were ed by the greed of an expansionist. battle by talking about how more
the brave children of Ethiopia with They took black people for granted. than 100,000 Ethiopians fought in
their Emperor beside them. They Little did they know this was the day the war. I won’t talk of how Article
were not all trained soldiers; they the white people tasted defeat for 17 in the Treaty of Wuchale in 1889
were people from all walks of life. the first time. Behold! A single day, was the cause of the war. These and
Devoid of fear they stood there; half a day to be exact, was all it took similar facts can be found in history
ready to fight in a just war so as to Ethiopia to defeat Italy. lessons and archives. But I will talk
defend their land and the freedom it of how it became a beacon of hope
represents. On the other side, there The victory of Adwa is both his- for Africans. I will also talk about
were the conceited Italian soldiers toric and symbolic. For those who the symbolic lesson for present-day

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