It will not be a nationalistic bombast to claim that Ethiopia was the only nation in the planet which defeated highly armed European colonialist army in the 19th century. Ethiopians had already registered outshining victories against invaders in the battle fronts of Dogali, Kufit, Sahati, Gundet and Gura. But the battle of Adwa which took place on 2 March 1896 has pivotal place in the Ethiopian history. The victory of Adwa is commemorated by all Ethiopians in a very colorful manner. Our forefathers had brought Italian colonialists to their knees in the town of Adwa, northern Ethiopia. Our unforgettable patriots like the then King of Kings of Ethiopia, Emperor Menelik II, his wife Empress Taitu Betul, Ras Alula Abenega, Abajifar and other had chased out invaders mobilizing Ethiopians from every corner of the country.
Though the aforementioned heroes had incomparable role in the victory, intelligence experts too had also tipped the balance in favor of Ethiopia. The double agent Bashay Awalom Hargot would be remembered for ever in spying and delving into the secret of enemy which led to enemy’s inevitable defeat. According to Yemane Gebremeskel, who wrote Bashay Awalom’s biography entitled ‘‘Bashay Awalom and the History of Intelligence in Ethiopia” describes Bashay Awalom as ‘‘the most courageous and conscious man’’. Bashay Awalom was born to peasant parents in a small town of Enticho, near Adwa. Since he was cautious and wise, he was chosen to make history by being double agent. Bashay Awalom fed military officials of Italy about the geography and military status of Ethiopians. Being a fluent Italian speaker, he got the trust of Italians and Emperor Menelik. He gathered the necessary information about the Italians. Then, he informed Ethiopian military commanders how many troops and what kinds of weapon the Italians had. This important information helped Ethiopians immensely to prepare themselves for the fierce battle. Besides, he was successful in persuading Ras Sebhat and Dejach Hagos Teferi to escape from Italian army. The operation was successful and the two strong men joined the Ethiopian side. The other crucial role Awalom played was deceiving the Italians as if Menelik had run out of provisions and already heading back to Addis Ababa. In addition to this, Awalom had given false direction for the Italians.
Therefore, before waging war, the Italian army commanded by General Baratieri had been duped. He assumed the Ethiopian army had pulled out of the area as he was wrongly informed by Bashay Awalom.
The battle was stared on Sunday 2 March 1896 early in the morning. The Ethiopians fought gallantly oblivious to death. This led to the catastrophic defeat of European powers within 24 hours. General Albertoni and thousands of his troops surrendered to Ethiopians. The news was disseminated throughout the world. Since that time Ethiopia is noted as the symbol of independence and black resistance.
The Ethiopian Herald March 3, 2019
BY TSEGAY HAGOS
