BY ADDISALEM MULAT
The victory of Adwa was a turning point in the history of modern Africa and an impetus for black people residing in the length and breadth of the world.
The victory of Adwa serves as a symbol of African independence throughout the colonial period. At that specific juncture, as Italians had a wrong impression about Ethiopia, they were unceasingly waging a war of conquest time after time.
However, in due course of time, all their efforts went for nothing and they ended up receiving a humiliating defeat. Reasoning from this fact, they turned out to be the talk of all and sundry under the world skies at the drop of a hat.
Regardless of the fact that Ethiopia is inundated with a considerable amount of patriotic songs, Ethiopians give weight to Ejigayehu Shibabaw’s song during the celebration of the victory of Adwa as per the fact that it gives a clear picture of the battle. To the surprise of everyone, the song has the power of winning the hearts and minds of everyone at the earliest time possible.
The song goes like this:
A human being is dignified
Being a human is honorable.
Many a human being,
Had passed away,
For the love of
Rescuing, respecting mankind,
Cordially invited by honor and love,
And to sacrifice oneself with honor,
So as to make mankind keep going,
Paving the way towards freedom.
Mankind’s bone and blood
Had been sacrificed
For the oxygen of freedom
I breathe today…
“How many fellow citizens had
Fallen in the fight for freedom
On the battleground for freedom
Let Adwa speak, testify
Let Adwa bear witness
Let my country speak
How I managed to stand before you today
With pride, happiness, love …
While on the subject, when the news of the Ethiopian victory was broke out, Italians could not believe their ears. They did not know what they had to do. The victory of Adwa over Italy had obliged the ministry to give up his job owing to widespread condemnation of the government’s policy. Needless to say, the Italian losses were indescribable.
Among the dead were General Albertone, Commander of the Left Brigade, and General Dabormida, Commander of the Right Brigade. Above and beyond, Ethiopian victory had triggered the utmost exhilaration throught Italy.
More often than not Lij Ermiyas Tesema Ergete, a historical documents pundit at the Ethiopian Patriots Association never tired of talking about the victory of Adwa.
In the light of the foregoing, The Ethiopian Herald approached him to have his ideas, thoughts, and feelings on the subject of the significance of the victory of Adwa.
As per him, as it is an abstract one, the victory of Adwa cannot be expressed in a few words. As things stand now, the victory of Adwa managed to play a major role in breaking the shackles of oppression.
As colonizers thought that the whites were superior to black people, they were utilizing the black people as slaves. With time, they embarked on invading Africa and turning the lives of the black people into a living hell every once in a while.
“Despondently, they jumpstarted taking anyone they sought after to various parts of Europe and America. When the time was ripe, they came to Ethiopia in furtherance of making their dream become a reality. However, Ethiopians got rid of the invaders and ended up becoming victorious over Italy, the civilized and well equipped one,” he added.
He stressed that the victory of Adwa has witnessed the fact that all human races are one and the same. Ethiopians have shown the fact that they were superior to the whites. Aside from becoming the pride of all black people, the victory of Adwa has contributed to African history on the grounds that it witnesses the fact that Italians had been defeated by blacks.
He further stressed that the victory of Adwa managed to provide to all beleaguered Africans the mystical public good to enunciate their confidence, self-importance, freedom, confrontation, devoutness, and what have you.
Needless to say, the victory of Adwa has played a major role in changing the deep-rooted beliefs and attitudes of Europe and America towards the black community and changing the world setting at the earliest possible time. Aside from that the victory of Adwa has played an important role in making a contribution to world history in recognition of the fact that they conquered the whites and got rid of them from the face of Ethiopia.
In a manner comparable, the victory of Adwa had played a leading role in breaking the chains of oppression and breaking the yoke of inferiority. Sad as it may sound, the whites were backing the lives of the black people residing in the length and breadth of the world into a corner every once in a while. They were treating them inhumanly and cruelly.
“Through the passage of time, the massive Ethiopian troops drawn from the various Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples of Ethiopia turned out to be victorious over the Italian invading force that was highly trained and equipped with modern military weapons.
As Ethiopians made the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible possible, the victory of Ethiopia spread like a wildfire throughout the world and grew to be the talk of every Tom, Dick, and Harry.” he wrapped up.
Of late, The Ethiopian Herald had a short stay with Assistance professor Ahmed Zekaria, the Chief Curator of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies Museum to have his take on the significance of the victory of Adwa.
He elucidated that the battle of Adwa was fought by Ethiopians under the leadership of Emperor Menelik and Empress Taitu.
It becomes evident that the victory of Adwa has played a major role in fashioning the notion of Pan-Africanism amid the black people residing far and wide. In addition to the one, the victory of Adwa is equaled by none.
In a similar vein, the victory of Adwa managed to give a lesson of victory to black people residing under the world skies. Apart from depicting an extended-lasting triumph for Africans, the victory of Adwa has a long-enduring consequence on African nations.
To the Africans, the victory became a fountain of pride and inspiration to millions who cherish the black heritage. To arouse his supporters against white racism in Jamaica and the United States in 1914 and 1917, the well-known African nationalist, Marcus Garvey stressed heavily the Ethiopian victory against Italian aggression at the battle of Adwa. Using phrases such as “Ethiopia thou land of our fathers” the legendary Garvey was able to consume his back to Africa movement slogan, according to Oluwafisayomi, Esther Oni.
The Ethiopian Herald March 2/2021
