BY MENGESHA AMARE
It is to be quite mean and dumb, this time around, not to say ‘This is Ethiopia! These are Ethiopians!” Everyone is heard of ‘they are proud of being Ethiopians,’ indeed. All citizens have now been swamping towards well fortifying unity and time-tested fraternity, as they have developed sense of patriotism—love of country.
The long buried patriotism in Ethiopia has started booming since the recent reform. The clear manifestation of this fact is the amazing turning out of all Ethiopians from corner to corner to deeply bury the remnants of the terrorist TPLF and declare Ethiopia’s renaissance via ensuring economic independence using its rivers.
Not only are Ethiopians one in the case of doing away with insider foes who are recurrently working to dismantle the country but they are all the time unified for ensuring Ethiopia’s prosperity through effectively using its natural resources like damming the Abbay River.
Cognizant of the fact that they have long eroded being Ethiopian and well divided citizens not to unite for good, terrorist TPLF resumed fighting against Ethiopia’s territorial integrity and citizens’ fraternity and firm bond. However, the situation turned upside down as the entire Ethiopians have stood together to bury the terrorist group and far not to appear again forever.
Unity and cooperation is not always an easy thing to achieve a goal in a given country especially where hostility, sense of jealously and suspicion have been sown for close to three decades, but the effort exerted right now is worth appreciating as it leads to a harmonious and productive space.
Yes these are Ethiopians! Unanimity and standing together is clearly manifested nowadays in Ethiopia for a number of citizens of the country have crossways moved to safeguard their nation from being dismantled accepting the inclusive call in the fight against foes of the nation. Undeniably, cooperation can make a difference between success and failure for many operations. When citizens dedicate more time to their duties in a common nation, they are more productive and things get done more quickly and efficiently. Besides, valuable time is not lost resolving squabbling and conflict between citizenry and leadership or among one another when there is cooperation in any circumstance.
Responding to the questions raised by this writer as ‘What do you feel about the current situation in Ethiopia as far as unity and cooperation is concerned? Alemu Hailu, an ex-soldier said, “Collaboration is a mark of teamwork in any engagement. It takes empathy and skill to bring a number of citizens to cooperate and come together as a squad. The basic role of a leader is to inspire. If one is a leader, in any sense, they never forget the influence they have on others so the saying goes citizens resemble their leaders.”
He further said that a lot of people don’t know how to build a highly effective cooperation among themselves. It is cooperation which is the pillar of companionship. It has to be a part of any team that hopes to be successful.
In a healthy cooperation, citizens realize that everything is associated. Success depends on their ability to create social partnerships where everyone takes responsibility for positive results.
Here, round table discussion and close talk is healthy; a country is not enjoyable place when there are arguments and bickering. Leaders can make the country more welcoming by working to foster cooperation between citizenry and the leadership and reduce problems that can leave everyone dissatisfied. The incumbent is working towards this as leaders are committed enough to capitalize on activities that heighten sense of belongings towards Ethiopia, warm respect for one another and cement patriotism.
Abebe Lakew, a sociologist graduated from AAU said, “In a healthy nation there is no passing of the buck but an actual helping of one another. We can see what we Ethiopians from every nook and cranny of the nation are doing right now in terms of helping one another? We have started listening to one another. We have given value to our invaluable assets such as respect, cooperation, coexistence and giving priority to others of which we have been devoid for close to three decades. “These days even small children are heard of ‘Ethiopia’—the name which was about to be forgotten as a result of the conspiracy the former leaders had orchestrated,” he opined.
If one wants to increase citizens’ engagement and commitment and encourage cooperation and coexistence, there are a few things they can do to make them feel valuable which will lead to the fertile situation for coming up with committed and responsible citizens.
As to Abebe, it is easy for citizens to feel like cogs in a big machine and having no real impact when they are not shown recognition. In a democratic nation where citizens are treated like a valuable part of the nation, management commonly reaches out to lower level employees seeking their input as to what should be done or how a task should be completed. When citizens are afforded the opportunity to provide this input, they feel they have a voice in the country and a stake in its success.
Yes, it is better to practice a more benign fatherly approach, reluctant to worry their flock with certain information or to identify a problem before having a solution. Some feel an obligation to put a positive spin on even the most negative situations out of a best-foot-forward sense of loyalty to the nation.
Unity and cooperation is one of the most widely taught skills. At an early age, we are taught “united we stand, divided we fall.” Yes, it means to work together to achieve a common goal. Undeniably, in a fairly treating country this means a healthy environment in which citizens work side by side to achieve both personal and national objectives. They must work with others, instead of against one another to be productive, civic minded, competent and patriotic ones.
Abebe further elucidated that so the golden saying of Aristotle goes, “Man is a social animal by nature,’ they cannot survive without working with others toward a common aim. True, Ethiopians are unreservedly working for a common goal. The prime reason for cooperating in an engagement is to achieve synergy. Achieving this is only possible when the leadership allows all citizens to work their best at their own level contrary to the deed the former leadership did.
“Obviously, instilling unity cannot be accomplished overnight. The key is not to let go. The top leaders need to keep boosting cooperation by talking about it to citizenry and setting examples as well as being role models though their inspiring actions,” he added.
Synergy is a process in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It is a central factor of effective teamwork. The combined efforts of a team that works well together accomplish more than the total efforts of all the members would have accomplished if they were each working alone. This is because many of the functions of individual citizens are improved by the creative interaction of people working together.
When citizens share information, it helps them all to remain aware of who is doing what and of where they stand in relation to their final goal. Unity facilitates communication and attentively listening to one another by fostering an atmosphere of mutual support in which each member of the lineup feels supported by others. This is what really happening among all Ethiopians with increased feelings of solidarity as everyone begins to develop similar feeling and ideology about where their country is heading.
“When working as part of a squad, a sense of responsibility to a given country maintains energy and determination to do all their level best towards helping Ethiopia seize the ladder of success. I am really proud of being an Ethiopia!,” he wrapped up.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD AUGUST 3/2021
