“I cannot stand watch my country being desecrated by invading enemy troops,”
Balcha
“Even if Gebeyehu was martyred, hope of artillery prowess kept of flickering thanks to Balcha,”
people
BY NAOL GIRMA
The credit for Adwa’s victory, which flickered a ray of freedom to all people across the globe unshackling the chains of subjugation, goes to all ethnic groups, all religions and both genders of Ethiopia. This joint victory is undoubted.
On the battleground of Adwa our citizens won an unprecedented and a landslide victory over arrogant fascists. It is not a fabrication that black Ethiopians armed with traditional and outmoded weapons annihilated a white enemy that encroached on the country armed with modern weapons to the teeth. People short of modern military training did vanquish a modern trained army. In the engagement of Adwa, the heart, bravery and conviction of black people had been showcased. These virtues on par with timeless legacy have risen above the height of the Adwa Mountains. Overall, counter to the normal tide, the victory rammed home world over that the black people can chase away white invaders. Therefore, this victory is a source of pride not only for Ethiopians but also the entire black community throughout the world.
Dejazmach Balcha Safo, popularly referred to by his “horse-name” of Balcha Aba Nefso, was an accomplished Ethiopian military commander and lord protector of the crown. He served in both the First and Second Italo-Ethiopian Wars. Surprisingly, he fought both invading colonizers as well as fascists that came back after 40 years. Balcha bravely fought alongside other commanders and immensely helped deliver Italy into the hands of Ethiopia. What a decisive victory at the Battle of Adwa?
Balcha was born in the Shawa Zone and became a provincial Governor (Shum), As he was a renowned warrior under Emperor Menelik II, he famously became one of the leaders in the Battle of Adwa.
Since Aba Nefso was Balcha Safo’s horse’s name his full name with title included comes as Balcha Aba Nefso. He was one of the most influential war lords of Emperor Menelik. He served the Emperor starting from his early age and in 1888 E.C. he was honored as ‘Bejerond’ (A title and position in charge of governments’ tax and finances).
Ethiopians were notable heroes in their fighting skills, especially in their artillery shooting skills. The witnesses for these are the Adwa Mountains, golden victory of Adwa and Balcha Aba Nefso himself.
When Fascist Italy blatantly invaded Ethiopia, the Adwa patriot Balcha was 75 years old. (He was born in 1854.) Astonishingly, the master of the cannon and the hero Dejazmach Balcha Safo said, “I cannot stand watch my country being desecrated by invading enemy troops!”
After becoming the king of Showa, Menelik Hailemelekot’s (later King Atse Menelik II) first major plan was to strengthen the process of unification started by his grandfather King Selassie(King Showa), based on his administrative experience when he was taken to Maqdela by Emperor Tewodros II. In order to help him achieve his goals, he recruited warlords from the Showa states that could ensure victory in war and sent them to different Shawa states. One of the dispatched soldiers of King Menelik II captured such a set of army among which a teenager named Balcha was present. When he joined such a rank Balcha was fascinated.
After this, Balcha grew close to Menelik’s palace. Menelik trained him in his treasury. Balcha learned military skills including artillery shooting, and became an excellent warrior; It allowed him to win fame in the community.
In 1888, the Italian army advanced hinterland having in mind annexing Ethiopia to achieve its colonial ambitions. Emperor Menelik II ordered the Ethiopians to unite to defend their country from the enemy and fight for their honor.
On 1 March 1896, the war began. Fitawrari Gebeyehu, who fought an unforgettable battle in the Battle of Ambalage, three months before the Battle of Adwa, sustained injuries and was martyred. Ethiopian patriots learnt that there was no better time to put artillery training into practice than that day. Right away they went into action. Preparing their cannons, they started raining cannon bullets on the Italian army. Many enemy soldiers ended up entering the cross hairs of artillery fire by Bejerond Balcha. They fought a fierce battle all day long challenged by the artillery of Bejerond Balcha. At sundown, the victory became Ethiopian. Due to the death of Fitawrari Gebeyehu, the king and all the princes were very sad. “Even if Gebeyehu was martyred, hope of artillery prowess kept of flickering thanks to Balcha.”
Dejazmach Balcha’s story of bravery grew especially after the Adwa victory. He was head of the artillery unit. Later, when the king established a treasury of weapons, he became the head of the treasury and began to store Ethiopia’s weapons in different types, according to historians.
In 1889, Dejazmach Balcha Safo was appointed as the governor of Sidamo. And in 1900, due to the death of Ras Mekonon’s son, Dejazmach Yilma Mekonon, Dejazmach Balcha moved to Harar to manage the provinces of Hararge and Bale together. When they moved to these places as the governor of Hararge, Fitawrari Gebremariam (later Dejazmach) who fought against the enemy army during the Adwa war and the (second) Fascist Italy invasion, traveled together with Dejazmach Balcha.
Dejazmach Balcha Safo, showed his loyalty by standing by the side of queen Zewditu during the political dispute between the supporters of the queen, the crown prince, Haileselassie, and the heir to the throne. The crown prince started betraying Dejazmach’s loyalists. Dejazmach Balcha was most affected by the fact that Fitawrari Gebremariam, who had no rights, was inclined towards the crown prince.
When Dejazmach Balcha was the governor of Sidamo, he and his equals were summoned to come to Addis Ababa. They took their spears and advanced to Addis Ababa. Dejazmach Balcha’s army, which was stationed on Furi Mountain, followed the new governor Dejazmach Biru Woldegbriel to Sidamo.
Despite this, Dejazmach Balcha was honored by the great Ethiopians of the time and started living in his birth place or native area. As such patriots with all their glory were loved by the local people. They started to live with their differences without getting into another conflict with Emperor Haile Selassie I. Haile Selassie I was ruling the country. Dejazmach Balcha reconciled the conflict and things became normal until the invasion of Fascist Italy.
In 1928, Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia again. The hero of Adwa, the master of the cannon, the one who knows not compromise when it comes to the freedom of his country, who do stand up for what he believes in the hero Dejazmach Balcha Safo was on the wrong side of 70.Yet he got up armed to fight the enemy because letting nation’s sovereignty at stake does not characterize Ethiopian patriots. Everyone who heard about his aura of invincibility was amazed by actions and that of his contemporaries. His relatives and friends tried to dissuade him, “… you are old and feeble! How on earth could you fight? You better or rather support Italy… Don’t get hassled in your old ages…”, but he said, “Yes, I have introspected. If die I must while defending my motherland die therefore I shall! In heaven if my lord Menelik asks me, ‘Who is sitting on the throne of Ethiopia?’ what would I say?”
He and his fellow patriots continued to fight against the enemy by gathering heroic patriots.
According to the plan designed by the Ethiopian patriots to seige Addis Ababa from different directions to attack the fascist administration, Dejazmach Balcha took his army from his hometown of Agemja (Weliso) and arrived in Addis Ababa. In the heavy engagement many warriors were martyred and finally to fight another time they strategically retreated with a few of the remaining soldiers.
Many Italians were taken by a surprise when the story of Dejazmach’s death was told. An excerpt from an Italian newspapers goes “…an old man named Balcha Aba Nefso who fought with Menelik during the Battle of Adwa is now alive.” When they reported that “he is organizing an army in the south,” the Italian government said, “We must punish this man.” He sent an order to detain Balcha and bring him before his court. The fascist army marched to Agemja to capture Dejazmach Balcha
The enemy’s troops marched as far as Agemaja, where the honorable Dejazmach was. Their soldiers fled. Only Dejazmach Balcha and his two attendants (three men with him) remained. The Italian army surrounded them. Finally, a troops’ leader approached Dejazmach Balcha. Staring at the old lion and amazed he posed, ‘Are you Dejazmach Balcha?’ And the Dejazmach Balcha responded, “Sure thing!” “Hand over your gun!” Vexed Dejazmach Balcha said, ‘I am not one who surrenders! I will not give you my weapons!’ ‘Balcha and his fellow friends took out their guns and killed the white Italian army officer. Then they took their own lives with their own pistols. All the patriots who were with Dejazmach Balcha also fell one by one without much suffering.
The hero Dejazmach Balcha Safo, who once more fought against the enemy at 75 with cannon fire, proved that he would never ever compromise the freedom and honor of his country.
A school and a hospital are built after Balchas name by way of lauding his valorous contribution to Ethiopia’s independence and development.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 2 MARCH 2023
