BY LEULSEGED WORKU
The Victory of Adwa is not merely the Victory of Ethiopians. Equally, it is the victory of all Africans and black people who were living under the yoke of colonialism. The decisive victory, Ethiopians achieved over the invading Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa, turned a new page; and motivated the oppressed ones to revolt against the colonizers and fight for their independence. Thus, the Victory of Adwa is always taken as an inspiration to other countries to revolt against colonizing forces and is a source of emancipation.
It is difficult to think about Ethiopia’s independence without the Battle and Victory of Adwa and it is also unlikely to talk about Adwa without mentioning the heroic deeds of Ethiopian patriots. No matter how far they are found from their forefathers, the new Ethiopian generation has a tendency to appreciate the deeds of their forefathers, said Historian, Prof. Ayele Bekerie. Using available information, the new generation marks Adwa warmly; and this is a good indication how Ethiopia is a land of heroes and heroines. The new generation is not shallow as some cynics say. The more it is exposed to historical information and knows more about Ethiopian history, this generation is showing an interest in Adwa. “For about two decades, I have witnessed this. This generation knows how to commemorate the Victory of Adwa. It is very impressive.”
Adwa is not simply a victory where one group won a battle against the other. It means everything to Ethiopia. Adwa is a combination of the psychological makeup of Ethiopians as well as the strong structure of the Ethiopian army. It was also a war that brought together every Ethiopian regardless of any differences. It was a battle where true Ethiopian sentiment was observed and a war where beloved sons and daughters of Ethiopia sacrificed their priceless lives for the sake of freedom. “There are several unique characteristics about Adwa. The most important one is that it was a victory where black people achieved a decisive victory against the white supremacy. It may look simple now thinking that an African country won a battle against advanced European power. However, at that time, it was inconceivable for many reasons.”
According to Prof. Ayele, the Battle of Adwa is not a battle where Ethiopians gained victory over colonial powers of Europe with an unorganized army. It was a battle where Ethiopian strong military structure was observed and where the people were willing to die for the sake of their motherland. Winning the war is truly Ethiopian pride; but we should not undermine or forget the fact that there was other anti-colonial struggle all over Africa. There were other African countries that fought for emancipation for about 100 years. In this regard, while pronouncing Adwa, we should not undermine the struggle of other African countries. What makes Adwa unique from other African countries is, it was a successful battle. It was a stimulus to other African countries that were fighting against colonialism.
Regarding the issue of leadership Prof. Ayele also said, despite the fact feudalism was the nature of the period, Ethiopia had wise political leaders who knew how to organize the people for common goals and its people were willing to sacrifice their interest for the sake of sovereignty. No matter what the internal conflict between the leaders and the people; there was a sense of belongingness. In addition to those warriors in the battlefield, there were others who traveled with the soldiers for about nine months to provide necessary supplies for warriors. The internal difference did not deter patriots from giving a positive response to the king, Emperor Menelik II. Above all, a sense of brotherhood and understanding, the value of freedom brought all Ethiopians into one spot and won a decisive victory against the invaders.
Tekeltsadik Belachew is the other scholar whom The Ethiopian Herald approached to know his reflection about the Victory of Adwa. Seconding the view of Prof. Ayele, Tekletsadek said that Adwa is truly an African victory but the day should be marked beyond a mere celebration. It should be marked by taking into consideration the lesson it left to this generation.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 2 MARCH 2023
