BY ALAZAR SHIFERAW
This generation has to be proud of his/her forefathers’ and foremothers’ historical deeds, especially their military feat in the showdown at Adwa concluded by Ethiopians’ victory. The victory had ignited early freedom movements and changed the global statuesque.
Heroically our accentors had beaten and buried the invading Italian troops in the Adwa Mountains and bushes. They Killed many heavily armed troops and forced the rest to surrender. The heroic patriots never retreated. Thousands had been martyred for the sake of Ethiopia’s sovereignty and territory integrity.
Love of motherland and selflessness are what forefathers bequeathed to us. They showcased that unity and diversity could allow one to make golden history. The victory showed noting is impossible if Ethiopians stand united. It rammed home they would sustain Ethiopia’s aura of invincibility.
Today, we proudly commemorate our past historical events. But, the youth should behave like his predecessors and sustain his/her forefathers’ legacy. Not only through military prowess but by engaging in economic development and combating poverty.
‘Ibir’ Arts Group Chairman, Artist Samuel Endashaw said that Ethiopians won the historical battle at Adwa, because of the unity of all ethnic groups. Factually, when Ethiopians face foreign aggression, they brush aside their ethnic, religion, language differences, among other differences. That is why they managed to chase away aggressors repeatedly.
“We wanted to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Adwa victory in a special way tapping into our artistic talents. Thus , we produced paintings that capture Adwa’s battlefield situation.
Adwa’s victory was exemplary not only for Ethiopians but it was also causative factor for freedom movement of Africans and colored people globally. It initiated them to stand against oppression and colonialism.
Adwa, Ethiopia’s historic victory over whites had an eye opening significance for those who were under oppression. It is unforgettable bright spot in Ethiopia’s history. Colored people saw Ethiopia a fortress society and created the spirit of initiation to stand up to their freedom and liberation, he said.
The triumph was of course earthshaking. “When we stand united, nothing can defeat and stop us from surging forward towards affluence. But, if enemies get gaps among us, they can succeed in carrying out their assignment easily. Let us not fall prey to their booby-traps. Because;”
We are descendants of valorous grandpas and grandmas, we have to let the country continue its previous history unblemished.” He further said that in Adwa victory, paying a life sacrifice our fore fathers and mothers had showed us their commitment and dedication to defend their country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We have to pass down these and other Ethiopian important values to next generation. We want to display Ethiopians heroic performance through our arts.” Particularly, in the third exhibition we want to stage, apart from arts , theatrical students will display or stage performances which flashbacks Ethiopians togetherness during the war.
“Adwa, I think has entitled me to live in freedom. If forefathers and mothers did not consummate the war by victory, probably I might loss my identity and freedom also.
However, currently, some strange unethical, inhuman acts have been committed in some places of the country. It has eroded Ethiopia’s culture. “We have to take lessons from some other ethnicity or religion based conflicts in the world.
The repercussion of such conflicts is breakdown. But Ethiopians have to analyze the aftermath of spreading hate speech and fake news. It is a matter of choosing against our bondage and national interest. But our ancestors paid blood and life sacrifice to Ethiopians’ sovereignty.
Ethiopians should not accommodate anti-unity and anti-Ethiopia concepts. Because these ideas may lead us to lapse into failed states, citizens have to be aware of anti-unity concepts.
There are good heritages from our fathers and mothers’ we inherited. How they confronted their enemy. There are historical documents well recorded. The present generation should be a critical thinker, he said.
Abdulkadir Mohammed is one of Ibir artistes group founder and secretary said Adwa tome, it is difficult to explain Adwa victory. I am an artist, the Adwa victory has helped Ethiopia to sustainable Ethiopia as a country, he said.
Adwa’s victory contribution was not only for Ethiopia but it had become pioneer for African and black people’s liberation. Adwa became a showcase that citizens’ unity let Ethiopians emerge victorious over fascists. It wiped out the previous long standing whites’ superiority attitude over blacks. Adwa magnified Ethiopians’ heroic battle. It had put Ethiopia beyond others and made it influential, he added.
On other hand, consequent to Adwa’s victory several domestic and foreign authors had witnessed Ethiopians’ victory over Italians through their scripts. Among several foreign writers Paulos Milkias in his book entitled “The Battle of Adwa- Reflections on Ethiopia’s Historic Victory against European Colonialism,” reflected that Ethiopia’s warriors earned an outstanding reputation hundred years back.
He further said that the 20th century Scramble for Africa, when the Europeans hankered for an entire continent for exploitation, Africans won a solitary, shocking, glorious victory at Adwa; the most celebrated military operation involving the Africans and the Europeans since the time of Hannibal. This emblematic victory still resounds in the minds of Africans and the African diaspora as promise of potential and an illustration of the dictum, strength in unity.
For the victors it was decisive; for the vanquished, it was catastrophic. The Italian colonialist soldiers were crushed. Their casualty figure was 70%; all their artillery pieces were captured, one out of four of their generals was taken prisoner and two of the remaining as well as almost half of their staff officers were killed on the battlefield, it said.
Raymond Jonas in his book, entitled, “The Battle of Adwa” said that African Victory in the Age of In March 1896 a well-disciplined and massive Ethiopian army did the unthinkable-it routed an invading Italian force and brought Italy’s war of conquest in Africa to an end.
In an age of relentless European expansion, Ethiopia had successfully defended its independence and cast doubt upon an unshakable certainty of the age-that sooner or later all Africans would fall under the rule of Europeans.
This event opened a breach that would lead, in the aftermath of world war fifty years later, to the continent’s painful struggle for freedom from colonial rule.
Raymond Jonas offers the first comprehensive account of this singular episode in modern world history. The narrative is peopled by the ambitious and vain, the creative and the coarse, across Africa, Europe, and the Americas-personalities like Menelik, a biblically inspired provincial monarch who consolidated Ethiopia’s throne; Taytu, his quick-witted and aggressive wife; and the Swiss engineer Alfred Ilg, the emperor’s close advisor.
The Ethiopian victory at the Battle of Adwa has remained a very important event in the shared recollection of the entire African people. It is the only secular episode in the whole history of Africa that has been celebrated for more than a century with unabated popular enthusiasm
The arts exhibition has been showcasing from February 16- 30 2013 EC. But before the exhibition, we intend to perform promotional activities like on social media outlets, posters as well.
The Ethiopian Herald February 28/2021
