Many Ethiopians are fond of Tilahun Gessesse’s song Enat Hager Ethiopia. The whole artistic ingredients this song is composed of are tuneful and flawless. That is why unconsciously tears well up in the eyes of citizens when they listen to the track. With regard to this song, even there are citizens who express wishes that it has to be a national anthem for describing the whole thing about Ethiopia in a catchy way.
In fact, such national songs either played by Tilahun or other artists engross Ethiopians. But what makes artists like Tilahun unique is their patriotic sentiment that elongated from producing a song to performing it at warfront. Ethiopia’s history indicates several traditional singers, locally known as Azmaris, were going to warfronts to embolden the army in the fight against enemies. TSuch incident may inspire modern artists to sing about patriotism but how come the current ones get the gut to join the battlefront?
Some say the artists’ might have experienced an evolutionary sentiment of love to motherland drawn from the bravery of their patriotic forefathers. But many people agree that the background of the artists who grew up in music bands mainly playing national songs might be ascribable to their imbuement of national sentiment. The artists might have developed the national sentiment from their bands. Many popular Ethiopian singers like Tilahun Gessesse, Muluken Melese, Alemayehu Eshete, Tamirat Molla, Damtew Ayele and others passed through apprenticeship in various musical bands that were mainly owned by military staffs such as the Imperial Bodyguard and Police Orchestra. Not only this, the musicians also served theatre centers that mainly focused on nationalism like Hager Fikir (patriotism) and Ethiopian National Theatre.
For years they have capitalized on national feelings and exhorting the current generation to follow their suit. Accordingly, they become able to get successors like Teddy Afro, Gigi and others who mostly incorporate many tracks in their albums dedicated to the motherland. Teddy had suffered a lot at the hands of EPRDF regime for upholding nationwide patriotism in his songs.
And these vocalists have been ramming home patriotism among the people. Aside from enthusing the army at the frontline, currently, heading to battlefront, they have picked up arms. Among the popular artists who played various songs of nationalistic sentiment and recently headed to war zone to heighten the zeal of the national army by drawing lesson from their role models are found Mesfin Bekele, Tamagn Beyene, Abush Zeleke and Demere Legesse.
Artist Demere has various patriotic songs like Yimokregna, Ethiopia, Merew and others. In the first piece, he mentions brave Ethiopians who sacrificed their lives to the sovereignty of their motherland. Among these patriots Demere refers to King Tewodros II, Belay Zeleke, Abdisa Aga and Zeray Deres etc while he appreciates the braveness of the people in general in the latter two tracks.
The verse of Yimokregna song constitutes Bemiye bagere kemeta aymaregna, enen ayargegna, eski yimokregn yejegina lij negna, which literally means let the almighty not send His mercy to me if I fail to protect my motherland from enemy, let the enemy try me and let him know my power as I am a child of heroic father. This is all about a patriot utterance to express commitment in which the individual prefer to go to hell than letting an enemy ruin the country.
This national sentiment seems ever welling up in the heart of the artists. Including Demere, many artists are not confined to contributing patriotic songs and performing art before the national army. They are now showing dedication to pay sacrifices to their homeland even by joining the army to confront the enemy. The artists embodied the character of the army. Observably, they are trying to play the patriotic character they have been singing for years to enthuse citizens. They are now trying to impersonate the character via which they have been advocating the army – to be brave like forefathers by defeating the enemy.
The artists say the current national survival campaign is not a matter of the national army alone. Everyone should follow the lead of the prime minister to protect the country by combating the enemy at battlefront. “This is not the Prime Minister’s task alone; it is the concern of us all. We all should stand together to safeguard the country from this threat. That is why as a responsible citizen I am preparing to participate in the battle,” Artist Abush Zeleke said.
Artist Demere is in the next row to Abush showing commitment to head to the warfront that is led by the chief executive of the country. “As we all know, our country is facing a national threat. We can’t perform art in the absence of a country. Every entertainment and joy is vibe less if we fail to protect the country from destruction. We artists do not have life without a secured country. Now, all Ethiopians are showing commitment to safeguard their country led by the prime minister. //Therefore, there is nothing that holds back artists to stay at home. I firmly believe that my children might lose their father but not their motherland,” Demere said.
Not only citizens at home, Ethiopian artists who had been living abroad have come home to see to the state’s furtherance mission by supporting and joining the army. Among the artists are found Mesfin Bekele and Tamagn Beyene.
“I came from the US, a luxurious place to live in. However, the army’s commitment to defend the country triggers envy by far. I am proud to stand before my patriotic soldiers who are always committed to ensure the safety and comfort of their people,” according to Tamagn Beyene.
For Tamagn the unity among the people and the army is heartening in which it can definitely achieve victory whatever the enemy is strong or not. Such zeal is important to move forward and ensure national sovereignty. Addis Ababa City Culture, Art and Tourism Bureau Head Hirut Kassaw (PhD) buys this thought.
“I think when people stand together for sovereignty half of the expected victory is achieved. Now is the time for all Ethiopians from various walks of life to show commitment to defend their country. Art plays a leading role in coordinating people for national agenda. As such artists ought to come forward at this decisive period in which the country is playing a midwifery role to the second Adowa Victory,” she said.
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 8/2021
