Myazia 27 or victory monument
Location: Arat Kilo, between Addis Ababa University Science Campus and Ministry of Education
The 15m high monument was dedicated to the victory Ethiopian patriots and the allied forces of Ethiopia and the United Kingdom secured over the fascist forces that occupied Ethiopia for five years, 1936-1941.
The Italian occupation was, however, confined and felt in the urban centers, the edifices in Gondar, Jimma, Haraar and Addis Ababa still prove the statement true, as Bahru Zewde in his book The History of Modern Ethiopia 1855-1991 also says.
Emperor Haileselassie, who returned from exile on May 5, 1941, unveiled the monument in 1942. His Majesty’s speech delivered up on the return from exile is engraved on the pedestal.
The monument is said to be carved out of black stone.
Emperor Haileselassie holding a flag and three women are seen on the pedestal. Women spied on the fascist forces and supplied information to guerrilla fighters during the five-year occupation.
For instance, Shawaragad Gadle’s photo in the same book of Bahru is captioned as an undercover patriot instrumental in the storming of one of the strongholds of Italian soliders in Addis Alem.
The Emperor’s relief on the pedestal was replaced by
a guerrilla fighter during Derg era. The current government replaced the original relief.
A 23m high rectangular obelisk that commemorated the Victory of Adwa preceded the current monument until the date it was dismantled in 1936 by the invading colonial Authority.
Abune Petros
The statue’s location is around Addis Ababa City Hall. It was commissioned by Emperor Haileselassie.
Abune Petros participated in the campaign of Maychew and saw the brutality of the fascist force with his naked eyes, as it used the forbidden chemical weapons. He rallied the public to denounce the invasion and urged the citizens to join hands to break loose from the yoke.
Despite the Italian officials repeated attempts to bring him by their side, he refused and stood against their rule. In 1936, at the age of 44, he was publicly executed by a firing squad.
Lion of Judah
Lion of Judah is claimed to be the first public monument in Addis. It is located in Addis Ababa around Legahar, near Ethio-Djibouti Railroad Head Quarters.
French Railroad Company had commissioned the task. Empress Zewditu and Nigus Teferi Mekonnen (Later Emperor Haileselassie) unveiled the statue in 1930.
Following Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, in 1936, up on the order of Italian military commander Rodolfo Graziani, the statue was looted and erected in Esderio Square in Italy.
In 1964, 28 years after the stature was taken, Ethiopia and Italy inked agreement that resulted in the repatriation and re-erection of the statue in its current location, Legahar.
There are four bronze reliefs around the statue dedicated to Emperor Menelik II, Empress Taitu, Ras Mekonnen and Emperor Haileselassie.
Herald May 3/2019
