Mulugeta Debebe (PhD)
Ethiopians fought the Battle of Adwa in March 1896 and won the shiny victory that is still well known as The Victory at Adwa. Though they fought and won the victory against the Italians, the historical impact and significance goes much beyond being a victory by one country over the other.
IT rather holds much bigger position or status as a historical debacle that changed the customary trend where the white world always conquers and subjugates the black. The magnificent ways of depicting the victory is frequently mentioned not only by the winners but also many other parts of the world that sense the altered course of history after wards. The victory is said to have consolidated black movements here and there as well as created new inspiration for oppressed people of colonized black peoples in various countries.
SO much can be said about the causes and consequences of the battle and victory of Adwa as well as the struggle of black peoples of the world for freedom and equality. The Ethiopian Herald has held a brief talk with Mulugeta Debebe (PhD) on the battle, what enabled the victory, the perception of other people especially Africans as well as how the people and government should maintain the legacy of the victory.
Mulugeta obtained first degree from Addis Ababa University in Public Administration, Master’s Degree in Social Work and PhD in Political Science from Technical University of Dortmund, Germany. He now works as lecturer in various Universities as well as General Manager of Oromo Self Help Association (OSHO). Have a nice read!
Many people, at home and abroad, mention the Victory at Adwa as a unique event in the history of Ethiopia. And so, in your understanding, what do you think are the unique features of this part of Ethiopia’s history?
There are so many factors that make Adwa unique. If you want to specify it, for Ethiopia, for Africa and the world as a whole. If you take Ethiopia, the preparation was almost it took six months for the battle. It brought people from all over the country together. We say it was the foundation for our nation building. The battle took short time, almost five to six hours of battle. But during the preparation, there was a very good get together from all over the country. Second one is during the battle, people from different regions, and different nationalities and nations came together, fought together, and won the battle. This by itself is really a very, very significant role in nation building, in signifying Ethiopia and Ethiopianism. So nation building starts from there, during the war. After the war, there was no car that time. People would have to ride on horseback or they had to walk back from Adwa to their place of origin. They go throughout the country and they built brotherhood and sisterhood.
They stay with different nations and nationalities; they help each other giving food and accommodation… etc. This brings people together after the war. So, as we know, it is the first war or the first battle that black people got victory over the white. Europeans have never imagined that people can win Europeans because have already decided they just decided to scramble Africa. This part for Italy, this part for England, this part for Germany, just like bread. They came to Ethiopia; they were no successful. So, this was the point where they lost their moral. And totally they had to revisit their decision of invading Ethiopia.
When we look at its influence on Africans, they were able to understand that they can overcome the battle over the white; they can win and get our liberty or freedom. That’s what they learnt. So what I tell you is once I had the chance to work with Adwa, the place where the battle took place. That time [Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni] came to that place. And I heard him saying “This place is a sacred place. So I have to take off my shoes” To that extent, Africans respect it.
But when you come to our country, of course, we celebrate every year in Arada Ghiorgis or in Adwa, but people should understand that this victory is a victory of all Ethiopians, all nations, all nationalities and all peoples. What I say is, Adwa should be celebrated in all the corners of the country, in all regions. That’s what I say it should not be celebrated only in Addis.
There are some people who mention other movements of black people in Haiti who successfully rioted against the French rule. And in Harlem, also, there was a black people’s movement against racial discrimination. How do you see the Victory at Adwa in relation to these black peoples struggles?
All have contributed to win; every bit of movement contributes to win. But the case of Adwa is incomparable with others. All Europeans decided to scramble Africa. They came here, and they were defeated for the first time in history. In Ethiopia, it was really shame for them to be defeated; as a result they were forced to revisit their strategy and their decisions. That one is really the one on the continent. It was a struggle, that struggle it contributed by itself, but the one at Adwa is incomparable. It has built the sense of victory in the minds of Africans that they can beat whites, that they can beat invaders. And Ethiopia has never been colonized, and also has worked for the freedom of others, to help many countries like Zimbabwe, South Africa, for example. It is a big nation today that has helped in training their freedom fighters, and this inspires you to go further. Ethiopia was a pioneer to establish the African Union; it has also played a great role in the League of Nations and this establishment of the United Nations.
Adwa is a big historical milestone. So as a milestone, how do you explain just the way it served as a turning point in the history of the country and in the history of black people?
The attempt of Europeans at that moment was to share Africa as a whole to scramble Africa. Adwa made them to see into their decisions and their wish again. They had to go through new colonialism, not by force. This is a turning point. Had they not been defeated at Adwa they will invade all of Africa, and then, suck the resource. So this is a milestone; it’s a big, very big turning for Africa’s freedom as a whole.
Each and every Ethiopian from all corners participated in the Battle of Adwa. This is historical fact. This victory is the first of its kind, or a turning point in the history of Ethiopia and black people also. At that moment, Ethiopia was on the morrow of reuniting itself after more than a century of division. It was also a country with no sophisticated technology like the Europeans, but still they defeated the war? What does it say about the people, the leadership?
It is the culture of Ethiopians when enemy comes from abroad from outside, they forget all their contradictions inside and stand together. This has happened not only once, several times, they fight with each other within the country. But when it comes to the foreign invasion, they have they have zero tolerance at all, zero tolerance. They stand together, forget, sometimes even it becomes a uniting factor for the people, when invaders come. So it’s up to us, the government and the elite, to tell the people, this is your victory. Your grandfather, your father died in Adwa, to defeat invaders. So we have to teach this. Now, I say it should be also included in our curriculum, because this is something that, that binds us as a glue together. So it should be also incorporated in the curriculum. In the past, we have some kind of confusion, or bias about it. But now, people must understand everybody had lost his grandfather and great grandfather or father in this pattern.
It’s been about 128 years, since our forefathers scored this victory. How do you think should the incumbent and future leaders of the country should attempt to maintain the history of the victory of Adwa?
Adwa Victory Memorial Museum really signifies that the path of the victory of Adwa and belongs to all Ethiopians. Again, only a few ways were mentioned in the battle. For instance in the past not all of the generals were mentioned when talking about battle. Now, all the generals are really positioned in the battle in the museum with their merits or according to their contributions. This signifies that the battle and the victory belongs to all Ethiopians. So, maybe you have seen that sand map [in the museum] is about how people came together with the generals and where they stood. It’s a very good start. So, this is a good start. All these people must come really and visit. And the replica should be also built in all the regions. I can say it is very simple. So that people say, the victory at Adwa is mine, like we say the dam is mine.
So, when they see that, this is one point that brings you together, binds you together, like a glue. Be it in Tigray, be it Amhara, be it Oromo, everybody. Adwa has a very strong history, it’s a very strong history of 128 years. All nations, governments change, but the significance is always there. It was celebrated every year, this shows that the victory and the history was broadened with regard to Adwa. So, clearly, all governments should consider this. For example, the dam is one thing Adwa is another thing. And as they can tell, something that we get together should be, signified highly. So, that brings us together, we say we thought parents have this in common, it broadens our common ground, and minimizes our differences.
How do you see the sense of ownership of the history of Adwa, among other African countries for which it has done a favor at the victory of Adwa and the subsequent Ethiopia’s involvement like the establishment of the League of Nations, the establishment of continental organizations like the African Union? Even because of the Battle of Adwa, there has been a vengeance? It’s a sacrifice paid for the cause of Africa and the black people’s cause. So how do you think are African countries responding to this favor?
I had the chance to attend a Pan African conference, where more than 300 intellectuals attended from all over the world and Africa. What they say is “you fought the battle, but it’s not only yours, it belongs to all black people. So we want to protect it, we want to contribute to it, we want to have even, something that represents in the Adwa Memorial.” They say that everybody says there are a lot of literature that says Adwa belongs to Africa, Adwa belongs to the whole black people. And Ethiopia is a symbol, the symbol nobody can deny, really.
Now, again, there was a 37th general assembly of AU which peaceful finished. It was very significant and colorful celebration starts with African nations. There is an Oromo saying which goes like “While the thieves steal, and the liars lie, the progress goes on.” It is continuous, it never stops. So I’m really very happy this time. Particularly, the memorial of Yekatit 12 or February 20, memorial or Martyrs day. So, what I say is, for my favorite Ethiopians, must be able to differentiate what we have in common and protect what we have in common in the fight on only differences. There are some people, when they, criticize when they fight, they try to cut the tree from the roots, you know. So that’s really very bad. We must establish common ground common almost have common programs, if there are 100 issues, if we agree with each other on 60 or 70. We start with our own for those certainties, and you know, fight with fighting this debate dialogue on the others, not fighting is not relevant, really. Nice already out do it for me.
So if you have any topic you’d like to raise related to the victory of just please take a chance.
Yeah, what I say, again, is to emphasize, let us focus on our oneness for our common ground, intellectually in a civilized way, on our differences. We have seen wars, fighting arms for a long time. But now let us sit down and debate on our differences and, strengthen our commonalities.
Thank you very much for your time
Thank you
BY ZEKARIAS WOLDEMARIAM
ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 9 MARCH 2024
