AFP photo
By
Alem Hailu G/Kristos
When citizens portray chemistry rallying behind a just cause, no earthly power can strip them of their God-bestowed freedom. When leaders and their subjects click with each other there will not be a stumbling block they fail to circumvent.
As per the tactic ”Divide your enemies and multiply over possible friends”, it was driving divisive wedges among feudal lords, handsomely paying spies as well as promising support to rivals hankering to climb high the rungs of the administrative ladder, colonizers tried to conquer and subdue Ethiopia, but in vain.
The sagacious and heroic leader Menelik II, who foresaw such possible motives colonizers are apt to, unified and mobilized Ethiopians from different corners of the country. His army displayed a diverse ethnic, religious and gender mix. Slamming shut divisive and left-ajar doors, via which colonizer could poke their sanctimonious face to lure opportunists to their fold, Menelik II took the upper hand over colonizers armed to their teeth. Outwitting his enemies, who by default took themselves to be smart, he double crossed them.
The battle of Adwa is a showcase of stunning military skill of Ethiopians, chemistry of citizens and administrative verve of leaders.
The battle also foregrounded women’s military strategy as displayed by Empress Taytu. Women, who marched to the front in droves, played a key role in supplying logistics, nursing the wounded and collecting arsenals left behind by retreating enemy troops.
Aside from getting payment, his double agents like Basha Awalome were feeding enemy generals with false information and drawing them into a catastrophic ruse.
The victory Menelik II registered in the battle of Adwa carried across the globe the resonating message, whatever their color, victory will crown freedom fighters if they unite hearts and minds and turn a deaf ear on those who want to fish in troubled waters letting their would-be preys to go for each other’s throats.
The victory of Adwa became a beacon light to those languishing under slavery and subjugation.
The message found an echo especially among Africans and those of African origins found in the Carribean islands and North America. The root of most ideological movements could be traced back to the battle of Adwa. Pan Africanism is born out of this sentiment.
Setting aside differences, defending a country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and reversing aggression are the virtues forefathers bequeathed to successors. The victory spared Ethiopians the tragedy of a back breaking labor and diffidence as indicated on the press release of PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
The country has managed to reach his step thanks to patriots who killing and falling, square faced enemy troops.
Even pack animals that were carrying logistics and dry food provisions all along to Adwa played a key role for the victory achieved.
Now the problem confronting our country Ethiopia is of a different nature. Maintaining the country’s time-old unity, the nation is expected to materialize across-the-board development that benefits all. Unless addressed in good time the aforementioned challenges could erode the sentiment of unity. Otherwise circumventing the challenges of food self-sufficiency that coerces the country to lean on foreign aid will be an uphill battle for the country.
It is this concept a member of the ancient Ethiopia patriots association stressed when the 123rd Adwa victory Anniversary was marked earlier; “Members of this generation have to defend the country’s sovereignty so that Ethiopia experiences developmental ascension. As per the philosophy of accretion, we senior citizens request the youth to pass down to posterity the old Ethiopia undivided in the religious, language and ethnic lines. Youths have to see to this historic responsibility.”
As the PM put it events like the commemoration of Adwa must serve as moments to reminisce the past, assess today and rectify tomorrow.
Alem Hailu G/Kristos
A published poet, novelist, editor, translator of masterpieces, literary critic, playwright and journalist from Ethiopia. M.A holder in literature, Addis Ababa University.
Looking for a traditional publisher of a collection of poems. My novel: ‘Hope from the debris of hopelessness’.
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