This man probably is not very famous yet, but his life is not ordinary and his mission in life is very much noble. We are going to find out how the Russian citizen originally from Ethiopia lives in Russia.
Doctor Nigusie Kassae Wolde Michael came to Russia from Ethiopia more than 30 years when it was yet another country- the Soviet Union. By this time, he is the professor of the People’s Friendship University of Russia, Dsc.in history; he is the member of the Union of Writers in Russia and equally in Ethiopia. He is also the leader of the organization “Friendship Society between people of Russia and Ethiopia”.
Every year he celebrates the anniversary of the Russian poet Pushkin Alexander, which was born 6th of June 1799 (up to the Russian calendar) and makes his best to promote the Russian culture not only to Ethiopia, but to … Russia itself.
Everyone knows that Alexander Pushkin is the descendant of Hannibal, African origin. According to the last historical research he comes not exactly from Ethiopia, but from another place in Africa. Does it really matter? The important fact that Hannibal has an African origin and his descendant Pushkin erases all barriers and, on the contrary, unites cultures, namely Russian and African ones.
Unfortunately, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemia there was no offline event in the Ethiopian Embassy dedicated to the Pushkin’s birthday as it is used to be every year.
Namely Doctor Nigusie for some time took responsibility to arrange the event with certain intellectual touch. He started reading Pushkin on Amharic, his mother tongue and with time being Pushkin’s poesy continues to be reading on different languages. This year in the online version of the event Pushkin will be red in Oromo and Tigrinya.
Being the President of the Friendship Society, the professor makes his best to reestablish and to develop relations between people of Russia and Ethiopia. He hopes that the relations between two nations will jump to the same high level as it was during the Soviet times.
Few years ago, when I got to know Doctor Nigusie I was deeply touched by his love and commitment to the Russian culture and history. Such patriotism in the best sense of this world is not trendy anymore even among Russians, unfortunately. With time being we became friends and I decided that he should talk about his professional and public activities himself.
Why he chose the Soviet Union for study, from then monarchy to a socialist country
I grew up next to the Russian hospital, next to the Russians. The Russians who entertained me with varenje (Russian typical jam) first time. Despite of socialism I got an impression that Russians are very open-hearted people. They were sitting in the bars and cafés next to Ethiopians not as other expatriates.
There was the regular exposition of the Soviet Union in the Russian Cultural Centre. I remember very well how we used to go there and watched films. I did not feel as if it was propaganda and I don’t feel as of now. In such emotions I decided to learn Russian language.
Our monarchy crashed in 1974 and despite different mindsets in both countries Russia was not considered as hostile country. The Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I came to the Soviet Union several times after the death of Stalin.
The first time the Emperor came to Russia in 1959. He received moral and financial support. He brought back the plan for development of education and public health. But all plans ruined with the overthrow of monarchy.
Somebody says that the revolution in Ethiopia is the result of Soviet undercover games. Do not believe in this theory! The Soviet Union reacted on this event only 4 years later. To save the country from aggression by Somalia.
In the first place I was not admitted to the university and the colleges because of my anti-government and pro monarchic views. I couldn’t get the confirmation paper that I support the Ethiopian revolution. In 1984 I was already at the airport to go to the Soviet Union, but I was not allowed to leave the country. But fortunately, in 1985 I got a scholarship from the Union of Soviet Friendship Societies. That was funny how I packed up my things. I did not expect to get permission to leave the country so quickly. I didn’t even have time to properly say “goodbye” to my mother. I had with me only a cloth to change once, the Bible in Amharic and the Almanac of the World history in English which was confiscated by the custom officers in Moscow. Probably they didn’t like an article about Stalin (laughing).
On arrival I should have gone to Voronezh. But thanks to my friend Tebebu Kebede and his acquaintance Helina Mamo, I became a student of the Peoples’ Friendship University named after Patrice Lumumba majoring in Russian language and literature. I started my studies from the preparatory faculty and graduated with honors. But in the first year, after a while I switched from philology to general history. I graduated with honors in 1991 and awarded master’s degree. In 1994, I defended my PHD thesis, in 2007 – a doctoral thesis on the topic “Foreign Policy of Emperor Haile Selassie I: 1916- 1974.” From 2008 to 2018 Professor of the Department of Political Sciences of the Federal State Employment Service of the People’s Friendship University of Russia, since 2010 Professor of the Department of Theory and History of International Relations.
We loved our professors. They were great and made an outstanding job with the international students. They instilled in us a friendship, humanism and internationalism. Internationalism must not be confused with globalism. Globalism lacks spirituality. Even in the difficult 1990s, our professors and teachers remained humans. Despite the difficulties, they continued their activities and treated us with understanding.
Ethiopian students in Russia today, back in the day
Since 1960 the Soviet Union prepared more than 25 000 Ethiopian specialists until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Now we have approximately 100 students for entire Russia. Besides, most of them study only at the master’s programs which are provided in English. So, it means they don’t study Russian language and almost nobody stays in Russia. The problem of financing is very actual. The stipend here is very small. Many Ethiopians go to India and China too. Back in Ethiopia there is big competition between those who return from abroad. Because there is a stereotype that a graduate from Western universities is better than the Soviet or Russian ones. This is not entirely true, there is a saying, “it’s not a house to decorate a person, but a person to decorate his house”. It all depends on the graduate. Of course, one should not forget that the graduates of Western universities are more consolidated. The Association of Soviet-Russian graduates is almost non-existent.
Why Russian-Africa cooperation in education
Of course. It is necessary to invite the best talents here, and in my opinion, it is necessary to open branches of the Russian universities in African cities, at least in the capitals. Based on the division of Africa by the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the most efficient way is to arrange the Russian education in Africa, let’s say, in five subregions – North, West, Central, East and the South Africa. That is, to create 5 Russian sub regional research centers.
It is necessary to arrange the study of the Russian language which is not being taught now at the Ethiopian universities. The Russian language is hardly taught in Africa. Rather to say, not being taught at all. When I started studying Russian in the cultural Center, there were 4 groups with almost 100 people in total at one moment. Now it is maximum 10.
Why does Russia have to change it? I think that culture and language are also the products, which can be sold, and they cost very expensive. For example, the centers of the French and English languages sell their language courses and books and they make it very successfully. Why can’t Russia do the same considering the Russian cultural treasure and inheritance?
Life in USSR, Russia?
I had a chance to immigrate in 1991. The times were difficult. The country was lost and we, the foreigners, especially
Ethiopians of course me, were even in worse situation. However, once when the Austrian representative of the international students’ association visited our university, she proposed me to go to Austria for study. I refused.
In a while this Austrian association donated via the Ethiopian Embassy the certain amount of money, but I couldn’t get it, because I was not a student anymore, but a PHD researcher. That was a pity.
When I was in Germany, I saw how my countrymates live there. They told me that I was right when decided to stay and live in Russia.
I love travelling and I travelled a lot along USSR except (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) In Russia – up to Vladivostok and Nakhodka, where I met F. Konyukhov (very famous Russian traveler and the Orthodox priest).
I love the Russian Orthodox architecture. I remember the Easter of 1986 when I was going to the Novodevochiy monastery for the for Easter. It was very cold spring. At the entrance some Komsomol activists with a guitar and drums organized a concert as an alternative to the church service. They stopped me, asked where I’m from? When I told them that I’m from Ethiopia and a Christian they were surprised that a man from the socialistic Ethiopia was going to the service. Thank God they did not block my path to the temple. I was very glad that I did not miss the Easter service. Today the temples are filled with parishioners, those times there were not many people in churches as it is now.
Monarchic views vs. Socialistic reality
That time Ethiopia itself passed through the very complicated period. And the Russian revolution ended at that time already 60 years ago, so that’s why by that time Russia lived through this post-revolutionary period. What I saw in Russia had a big difference from what I saw in my home country. Here I didn’t see the dead corps on the street, and nobody killed each other.
Family
I have a Russian wife. And we got to now each other by chance. My friend who lives now in the USA Alemayehu Dadi and I, we walked together and asked a girl how to find a certain place. And then I asked her phone number. She called me her home phone number and told me if you remember it. She was in a hurry somewhere. Maybe she thought I didn’t remember, but I did.
We have an adult daughter already. It is pity that my daughter doesn’t speak my mother tongue – Amharic. I worked a lot and I didn’t have time to teach her. But I don’t forget my home country- I have many relatives there and friends, and abroad as well. After 1974 a lot of Ethiopians were forced immigrate.
Why Ethiopia, Russia people to people ties
In fact, cultures are not absolutely different. Our common ground is the Orthodoxy. I admire Emperor Menelik II, who said that «Ethiopia has no friends except god and Russia». And he is correct for 100 percent.
Russia imperial, Russia communistic and contemporary Russia treated and keep treating the Ethiopian people always friendly.
Russians helped Ethiopia in the first Italo-Ethiopian war, thanks to that the battle of Adwa was won. During the Second Italo-Ethiopian war the Soviet Union was the only country who said “NO” to Italian aggression and voted for embargo against Italy, though the Soviet Union had excellent trade relations with Italy, but with Ethiopia there were even no diplomatic relations.
The Soviet journalists filmed the Italian crimes against Ethiopians, against humanity.
The good and amicable relations between people are important. The regimes and governments come and go, but people stay. I would like to transmit the spirit of friendship to the next generation. I set up such goal for me and for our Society. We have very ambitious plans.
The first task is to fix up the monument to the Ethiopian alphabet, something like Kirill and Methodius (in Moscow).
Secondly, we want also to erect the monument to commemorate the Russian doctors who had been in Ethiopia since XIX century. We want to rebuild the Russian cathedral which was destroyed by Italians during the second Italo-Ethiopian war.
A representative of two cultures
I am a citizen of Russia. I have been living here for 35 years. However, I am the representative of two cultures. I got my chance.
Speaking about the food, I prefer the Russian food. The Ethiopian cuisine is too spicy for me. I eat only the Ethiopian bread looks like the Russian “karavai”. I like “borsch”, it is a traditional Russian soup with beetroot. And I don’t eat very fat food. Before the real Christian in Ethiopia used to eat only at home and at the friend’s place, not in the restaurants. But now the times changed.
I like visiting the Orthodox churches. They are very beautiful. The churches give you peace and conciliation. I take a part in the project “Common affair. The renaissance of the wooden churches of the Russian North”.
Bridging cultures through translation
I got an interest in fairy tales when my daughter was little. Thanks to the foundation “Russky mir” I translated the Russian fairy tales into Amharic “The Scarlet flower”, “The doctor Aybolit” and others. We presented them at the fest of the Ethiopian diaspora where Ethiopians came from around the globe and distributed at the Russian Cultural Center in Addis-Ababa free.
I think that the Russian soul is close to the Ethiopian one. You experience this when you come to the church. Everything inside is arranged very similar. And the smell is similar. Certain understanding of life and attitude to things are very similar. The words which cannot be translated to other languages with the same meaning. As, for instance, Russian word “spravedlivost” is being translated into English as “justice”, but the meaning is still not the same. But in Amharic there is the exact translation (feteh).
In the Soviet times the Russian literature was translated a lot. Thanks to this, our Amharic literature language was also developing. The different types of literature were translated as Sholokhov, Belyaev, Aytmatov and others.
Once in Ethiopia I took part in the forum of diaspora where I was the only representative from Russia. I was happy with my position, because I could make a statement that Russia has never ever intervened in the internal affairs of Ethiopia. Vice versa, Russia always protected Ethiopia.
And during the war with Somali in 1977-1978 Russia again positioned itself as savior of Ethiopia.
Perspectives of Russian literature in Ethiopia
The situation is not much promising. There are not many good translators. At this point Russia should be interested in the first place. Nothing disturbs us to return to life the traditions of translations. It depends on our will.
It should be not only the will of the state. Business also should begin to support the Russian culture abroad. This is our image and our soft power. To expand the influence is possible only via the culture.
A book about Putin in Amharic
I made a small research among about 300 Ethiopians, unknown for me, asking them a question- whom, out of 5 world leaders, they consider the most influential. I made this survey when Obama was in power in the USA. 75 % of respondents chose Putin Vladimir.
This book is not only about Putin, it is the history of Russia via his biography. I wanted to find the uncommon approach so that the book doesn’t become as an article from Wikipedia. Another reason to write this book is the wish to explain to my Ethiopian countrymates those realities they do not understand.
I presented the book to the Ethiopian parliamentarians who took a part in the II International Forum “Development of parliamentarism” which took place in Moscow 1-3 July 2019. Now this book is being read in Europe and in the USA.
I hope to write the second part one day. By the way I spent my money to publish it.
Professional plans, others
At the moment I work on translation of the biography of Emperor Haile Selassie I into English language.
The next book will be a roman partly historian, partly autobiographical. It will be based on the archive documents and the action will start at the end of XIX c.
In October I should be in the town Koshalin in Poland to participate in the anniversary of Vladimir Vysotsky, the project “Vysotsky on world languages”. Of course, I will be reading in Amharic. By the way, the poesy of Vysotsky is being translated to more world languages than Pushkin. I will translate also few more verses.
Why does this event take place in Koshalin? There is the public museum here opened by the enthusiast Marlen Zimna in May 1994 in her apartment. Pity, she passed away in 2016. In spite of that there are other enthusiasts who continue this practice.
Perspectives for bilateral development
There are perspectives of course. But to reach some results in the humanitarian- cultural fields it is necessary to use all instruments – to teach the Russian in the Ethiopian high schools, translation of literature, exhibitions, mass media etc.
The particular field is the similarity of religion. The contacts between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church took place recently and we expect that they will expand. In 2018 the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Abuna Mathew came to Moscow to meet the Russian Patriarch Kirill. One of the results of this meeting was the first in the history session of the bilateral Commission on dialogue between two Churches which took place in Addis-Ababa in the administration center of the Ethiopian Patriarchy on the 21-25 January 2019.
The field of the cooperation was defined for the nearest future: interaction in the academic and information fields, religious art and production of church plate as well as the exchange of experience of missionary work and diaconate service.
It is just the beginning of the basis construction to strengthen the relations between two folks. It is necessary to work with youth and attract to this work. Only when the youth is engaged the work on cooperation can be continued.
At this point we express heartful gratitude to professor Nigusie for this informal and honest conversation. He was too modest and didn’t mention that he was the co-editor of the textbook on Amharic language composed by the professor Zavadskaya from the Moscow Institute of the International relations. Besides, he translated the collection of Pushkin’s verses as well.
The Ethiopian Herald August 2/2020
BY TATIANA JOLIVET
