Page 53 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 21

Leadership

Abel Merawi

Abel Merawi is from Addis Ababa. He
is an English literature teacher, freelance
writer/reporter for Ezega.com and an Am-
haric-English translator and editor. He
also writes for www.msingiafrikamagazine. Artist impression of the battle of Adwa. Source: Ezega.com

com. You can reach him via: abelmerawi4@
gmail.com
Two mythologies are in play; one farmers. This inspired the people
of old and another of the present. and increased the number of troops
Ethiopia – a country lacking unity Currently Ethiopians and the world that joined them on their way.
and abundant with false narration at large, look at the current con- Presently, the role of politicians and
of ethnic and religious division. flict, and redefine the past. Well, I all those who claim to be leaders of
Article 17 of the Treaty of Wuchale reiterate that our past is of unity the people has changed dramatically.
is symbolic as it speaks of the and Adwa is the proof. In the past, They tell the people to sacrifice their
current demand of former West- the colonizers actually believed they lives for their ethnic group while
ern colonizers and oppressors who were superior, white supremacy they they themselves sit comfortably safe
canonized themselves as global called it! How utterly ignorant were from any danger whatsoever. They
defenders of democracy. The Italian they to assume color is a definition are detached from the people to the
version dictates that the Ethiopian of racial difference, and how blind extent that the lives of millions of
king, ‘consents to avail himself’ to for us to accept it. people become a political game for
the Italian king in foreign affairs, them. Ethiopia needs true leaders
while the Amharic version states There is a lesson for our present-day who share in the people’s pleasure
that the Ethiopian king, ‘may, if politicians to be learned from the and pain.
he so desires, avail himself’ to the victory of Adwa. Being a leader
Italian king in foreign affairs. Cur- of a country then was remarkably Ethiopians living in this free land
rently, Westerners are demanding different from being a leader now. that demanded the sacrifice of our
that Ethiopia should ‘consent’ to At the time, the Emperor did not ancestors need to learn a valuable
their standards of democracy. We, in simply command the people to fight lesson too. The various ethnic
the spirit of Adwa, will handle our but joined them in battle. Emper- groups have been living in harmony
internal issues and bring democracy or Menelik II and Empress Taitu throughout history by forming ties
by ourselves and will ask for their began their journey from Addis in religion, trade, and intermarriage.
assistance if we only desire it. We Ababa with their army by ordering Donald N. Levine explains how
are the Abyssinians who made a the army from the South to join Adwa offers a profound multiethnic
unified nation while Europeans were them at Wereilu and from the West collaboration that expressed great
engaged in tribal wars that amount- around Lake Ashenge. The Emper- national patriotism. He states, “Even
ed to ethnic cleansing, which led to or ordered the troops to walk for from the perspective of modern
a mystically singular white identity. only five hours a day, which helped world history, Adwa represented a
But we managed to maintain an the Emperor to observe the love relatively rare struggle for national
Ethiopia in which diversity did not and allegiance of the people in every independence waged by a coalition
prevent unification. region. On their way, the army was of diverse ethnic groups.” Despite
Killing a Myth encouraged and given provisions by the facts, it is common and shameful

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