ADDIS ABABA- Having witnessed the unveiling of Emperor Haile Selassie I statue on the sidelines of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union, delegates said that the decision to erect the Emperor’s statue in the Union’s Headquarters is appreciable and inspirational.
They as well said the move manifested the noble contribution and the peerless role of the Emperor in establishing the Organization of African Union. Approached by The Ethiopian Herald Professor at South Africa based Africa Peer Review Mechanism ( APRM), Jonatan Kaunda said that statue was erected in the recognition for the iconic role Emperor Haile Selassie played in compromising the Monrovia and Casablanca groups.
He said Haile Selassie had the vision that Africa must speak one voice against colonialism and invited the separated groups to Addis Ababa which leads to the eventual establishment of the then Organization of the African Unity ( OAU). It is a fitting tribute to a great man who contributed so much, Professor Kaunda said, adding that the monument in AU Headquarters shows the generations to come that there is a man who contributed so much to the inception of OAU.
“The younger generation could make a connection between the roots of the Union and one of the great originators of the Union.” He stated that the youth could draw a lesson from the monument that all Africans have common destiny and that is necessary to cast away nationalities , tribal divisions and all that and focus on what common amongst them.
For his part , Nairobi University Political Economy Professor Michael Chege said the Emperor played big roles in resolving the differences of Casablanca and Monrovia groups. “His Majesty talked and convinced both sides not to be hijacked by foreign interests and encouraged them to focus on the vision of Pan- Africanism.
It is difficult to think the realization of OAU without the Emperor’s meticulous diplomatic skill and wider acceptance in both groups.” Professor Chege noted that the young generation should be told what he did to unify the whole continent and also the fact that he stood up against imperialism and holding his country against foreign aggressors.
Director General of Rwanda- based Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa, Dr. Belay Ejegu said that the coming of Dr. Abiy Ahmed to public power is the factor the world to see to such big tribute to Emperor Haile Selassie. Dr. Belay noted that the Emperor capitalized on Ethiopia’s leverage including its membership in the then League of Nations to voice the suffering African people at the hands of colonial powers.
He stated that Haile Selassie’s statue reminds the younger generation the noble contribution Ethiopia made to the independence of Africa and its unique places both in OAU and AU. The statue also testified the fact that people’s good deeds could not bury forever, Dr. Belay said, adding that the monument encourages the youth to think beyond their country.
The Ethiopian Herald, February 12/2019
BY BILAL DERSO
