In Ethiopia few people do not know or have never heard of the name Adwa. For some it may represent only a locality in the north of the country, but for most it represents the victory that was recorded in that locality against alien invaders and hence the celebration of the preservation of the sovereignty of Ethiopia. However, even among those who think to know about it, they do not fully understand or appreciate the significance of the victory and above all what sort of preparation and efforts were needed to make it a success.
They do not know what sort of sacrifices had to be paid to guarantee the realization of such a historical deed. What is more, they do not know the historical background, the events that led to the battle and made it inevitable even for a country that had so many other issues to take care of rather than engage in warfare. Hence it would be necessary to know why at all the battle took place in the first place. It would also be very interesting to carry out the same survey among Africans outside Ethiopia to see how much awareness or knowledge they have about the battle of Adwa and Ethiopia’s triumph.
In a recent survey carried out among citizens at random by an electronic media program to gauge their level of understanding of the victory of Adwa and what sort of understanding was implanted in the minds of Ethiopians particularly youths, the response gathered was mixed. Some were a bit confused on which battle was which and that was of course a result of indifference or not committing to know about one’s history may be considering it irrelevant for today’s life. Others were clearly aware of the battle including the core causes of the conflict but still they had significant gaps on certain events linked to the campaign of Adwa. They all knew that Adwa was a significant chapter in our history but may be did not matter a lot for them as they viewed it as a distant event. Clearly therefore this gap must have been addressed by our educational curriculum with particular focus on such glorious events that make us appreciate the sacrifices of our forefathers who handed us a free country which however we take for granted as it were a gift of God.
We tend to forget that freedom is never a gift and has to be earned with massive sacrifice and that is what has happened at Adwa. The older generation hence needs to pass the legacy of Adwa and other similar events to the young generation of youths who must learn their forefathers’ history and they in turn continue to preserve the chain of knowledge to their descendents. Every citizen needs to be well updated with key information about the history of the battle of Adwa, particularly with regards to certain key facts relative to the battle and the motive behind it.
The history of Ethiopia may be full of wars, battles and confrontations among national factions largely motivated by struggle to acquire or seize power and administer the country and its resources, but also other hostilities against outside forces who had tried to penetrate the territory of Ethiopia and seek to seize it or dominate it especially with neighbouring forces who wanted among other things to control the source of the mighty Nile. Ethiopians have a long tradition of resisting to alien forces and the patriots had to stand together mobilized by their leaders. They had to fight back invasions to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
History books tell us that Ethiopians never desisted to face their invaders and try to foil their aggressive threats and activities. It has been recorded in multiple books by historians that specialized on Ethiopian history; the bravery of Ethiopian patriots has enabled the country to maintain their freedom and territorial integrity. It is often stated that this long tradition of freedom and independence has become one of the ‘identity cards’ of Ethiopians.
This makes Ethiopia a unique reality in Africa and in a way an emblem of dignity and pride for all peoples of African descent. That is why after the celebration of the victory of Adwa at the newly constructed Adwa Victory Memorial many foreign diplomats of Africa were heard stating that they were proud of this history about which they did not have a clear picture like now. They were heard expressing their delight for being part of such a colourful celebration that ought to be repeated in every African country. They felt participants of this huge historical milestone and stated that was in the end why Ethiopia is considered as an emblem of black independence and freedom.
Unfortunately, Ethiopians of the current generation do not seem to be as well informed or instructed about the various implications of Adwa as they really need to. Adwa cannot be dismissed just as another battle that resulted in Ethiopian victory. It is not just a normal battle with a normal enemy and a normal outcome. It had every bit of a once in a lifetime happening because it had outreaching immense implications for the entire world, particularly for the black populations across the globe.
The news of the victory of Adwa on March 2, 1896 was not just another piece of battle field news. It was special because the parties involved were from two continents, two races that represented two separate worlds, Africa and Europe. Moreover, looking at the forces involved it had a huge international significance. The entire world watched and followed the dynamics of the confrontation between Italy and Ethiopia. However, they never expected that Italy, a European power could be challenged to such an extent and even succumb to a then little known force, little known quantity.
Therefore, the news of the victory of Adwa was a huge surprise to the world and an embarrassment for European colonialists who felt the danger of such disturbing news that would diminish their status among the colonies. Evidently, they were anxious that such news could potentially instigate the colonized countries to rise up in rebellion for liberation. In fact that was what was eventually to happen even if it took some years before the realization of the dream of the oppressed peoples of Africa.
In the aftermath of the battle, the story of Adwa was well disseminated throughout the world and admirations flooded to the court of the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II who was considered by historians as the chief architect of the victory. Consequently, Ethiopia was recognized as a sovereign and free state and many countries lined up to seek diplomatic relations with it. Hence the influence of Adwa was not limited to the two warring parties but had extensive implications well beyond.
It was considered as the beginning of a new chapter in the history of relations between Europe and Africa, between the colonialists and the colonized, between the oppressors and the oppressed, between the unjust and just causes. Adwa created an unprecedented dynamics between the ‘white’ world and the ‘black’ world. That is the point that many youths of the current generation might miss and need to know and understand better the significance of the battle of Adwa. That is what every African needs to know and appreciate and not the leaders or the educated class only. Adwa is too big to be shared only by a few fortunate ones. Glory to all those who fell for the cause of freedom and dignity! They deserve to be remembered come every celebration of Adwa Day.
Adwa Day is more than an Ethiopian event because it should be shared by all Africans and in fact the AU has decided to observe the day along with Ethiopians. This was not done to please Ethiopia but to put the victory of Adwa and the Panafrican movement that was to be kindled as years passed on in the right perspective and give it due meaning. Africa needs more Adwa in the current generation and that spirit of Adwa must influence every activity the continent undertakes to liberate itself from dependence on foreign aid or support, and hence be indirectly neo-colonized. Africa must stand up on its own as Ethiopia as well needs to stand up on its own feet. Otherwise the sacrifices of Adwa shall have been vain.
BY FITSUM GETACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 7 MARCH 2024
