March 2^nd, 2004

Reflections on Adwa: Menelik’s Masterpiece

By Fitsum Getachew

I always feel a sense of happiness and gratification when I think of ‘1896: The Battle of Adwa’, let alone write my reflections about it. It would take me back to more than a hundred years ago, and ‘relive’ the epoch of the heroic feats of our forefathers. It would make me feel very much ‘a proud Ethiopian’, with a glorious past that helps me shade our current destitution! And for that alone, it would be worth being Ethiopian, I sometimes tell myself. But there is another side to this story as well: the memory of Adwa sometimes tends to enrage me when I see it in today’s perspective, in the way we are reduced today, as a ‘nation’. The plight in which our people are still immersed in, the utter poverty, misery, lack of confidence in the nationality, and the hundred and one other problems that we have to endure, every day! Hence I ask, what has the Victory of Adwa served me?! Do we deserve the image of the nation we have today depicting it as a nation at the complete mercy of others?!

I begin to wonder that, although our forefathers were good enough to face and vanquish a formidable enemy (such as were considered the then Italians), by managing to harness all their human and material resources and reassert their fierce opposition to all sorts of colonialism or paternal protection, and hence showed how mighty and determined they could be, why are we today engulfed by a quantity of problems that apparently should not result more challenging? We have noted that countries that were well below our level, countries that did not even exist in that epoch as ‘independent entities’, including many out side Africa, are now among the leaders in today’s technologically advanced world! Countries that we, (through the Victory of Adwa), have inspired, are now developed nations that can afford to grant us aid and relief. There is no need to mention names, but they are too many to cite here. That is when I begin to feel ‘enraged’, wishing that the glorious days of Adwa should come back!

Some people are heard that with the Victory of Adwa, Menelik could have evicted every Italian from the entire Horn of Africa, following the momentum, (giving then the conclusive knock out!) and the issue of Eritrea would have never been ‘created’. And we would now be ‘one big country’ with all the positive consequences! There would be no room for the ‘thirty-year guerilla war’ between Eritrean fighters and Ethiopian government troops. There would be no question of any Ethio-Eritrean crisis, any border conflict, any border demarcation, UNMEE etc. The history of Ethiopia and Eritrea would have assumed another direction, another development. If the colonialist forces of Italy had been evicted out of Eritrean territory, (Italians shall have stayed in Eritrea only for a couple of decades, and that would not have been enough to make a mark on the psyche of Eritreans), there would perhaps have never been any need for Eritrean ‘union’ or ‘reunion’ by the king, in 1952 and 1962, first as a federated state, and then a province. Who knows the whole history of Ethiopia would have needed to be retold! That is why many would like to consider the Victory at Adwa, by Menelik and his forces, as an unfinished masterpiece.

Talking with the benefit of hindsight, it might naturally appear so, and it could be very easy to theorize about it, but no one can play the wizard or the fortuneteller to make assertions of this sort with reasonable authority and plausibility. Menelik in fact might have been lured by such a thought, but to start with the defence of Eritrea by the colonizers was very strong, as Italians had studied and strengthened their defences for an eventual Menelik attack, and secondly Menelik’s troops were so exhausted after the battles that they would not have had the forces to continue into Eritrean soil. Principally, the lack of sufficient provisions was cited as the reason. In any event, let’s leave this to historians, researchers and speculators.

But thinking about Adwa and the repercussions on the balance of forces in the region after it, we can say that a new reality had been installed. A new mentality has been introduced. The myth that Europeans were invincible was disintegrated. The myth that Blacks/Africans could not fight or did not have enough prowess to face an organized army was vanquished. The dignity and pride of Africans was restored. The ‘scramble for Africa’ faced a serious set back. The victory left a big psychological legacy to the forces of liberation in African struggle for independence in the days that were yet to come.

Thinking positively and proudly of Adwa is I think the least that any Ethiopian, or even African for that matter, can do whenever the anniversary comes every Yekatit 23^rd , (normally March 3^rd G.C.). But what is disheartening to me, and to many others like me, is that we Ethiopians tend to recall the ‘spirit of Adwa’ only on the day we celebrate the recurrence, (and then forget it)! This is just too bad. No doubts, the significance of the victory of Adwa has crossed over to other destinations, to other African lands, to Europe and the Americas, particularly the Caribbeans, inspiring all peoples of African descent in their struggle for sovereignty, freedom! It has contributed to a certain ‘renaissance’ of African sense of freedom and independence, in the Americas where the Blacks were downtrodden under the perennial ‘colour bar’. It ignited in them a spirit of rebellion and self-dignity and pride as a people with inherent rights. Resistance was further fomented, literature praising the heros of Adwa was written and disseminated; slogans were chanted at occasions. Africans could not be subdued any more.

Today’s celebrations should not refer to only the glories of Adwa victory, but also serve as a stimulus to emulate such spirit in facing and tackling today’s infinite challenges: drought, famine, HIV/AIDS, poverty, ignorance and backwardness. Then it was an invading alien army that challenged our sovereignty and provoked our rage/indignation, and entire nation rose up. The leadership and vision of Menelik did the rest. A European power was humbled by a tiny hitherto unknown African nation! Menelik had refused to be reduced to a protectorate of Italy (via a deformed interpretation of the Treaty of Ucciali).

Historians and chroniclers have since reported amply the dynamics of the battle, the facts and preconditions that created the premises for the battle, and the outcome. Rome was immersed in darkness the day the unexpected defeat was announced! Italians widely and wildly protested against their government, launching stones against the office. A crisis in the government of Crispi materialized and he had to quit his office. Funds were raised to help the families of those who fell in the battle. Newspapers through out the world dedicated their front pages to the exploit of Menelik and people were very eager to see the photos of the African King who defeated the European might. Menelik got so popular that he received thousands of letters from all over the world.

Prior to Menelik, Emperors Tewodros and Yohannes had had their share of glories in repulsing invading armies, both from overseas as from neighbouring lands. They had given a first hand demonstration of the military capacity and valour of our peoples, the resolve of an entire population. Adwa was in a sense the culmination of such chain of battles and glories, at the international level, the zenith of award that resulted in the repulsion of an invading army, a final and conclusive act of what Tewodros, Yohannes, and Alula had begun.

Today, many books have been published portraying the various aspects of the preparation for the battle as well as the decisions adopted by the two governments. The attitude of other neutral and partisan nations has been deeply studied and commented by researchers. However, this not being the place to deal with them, we shall skip it. What is dead sure though, is that the attitude of Europeans towards Africans has begun to change, thanks to such a glorious chapter in our history, in our relations with European states. In the aftermath of Adwa, Ethiopia was consecrated as a reality, an entity not to be discounted easily. It was put on the map of the world. We have reports that after the victory, many countries applied for consular relations with Menelik’s Ethiopia.

The aspect that particularly fascinates me (and I think present day Ethiopians should pick a lesson from) is the all encompassing, comprehensive efforts exerted in preparing and conducting the battle as ‘interpreted’ by Menelik. We can see from the chronicles that Menelik called for the participation of ‘all citizens’ of the country in this major battle, including women. Ethiopians from all nationalities, and beliefs, were mobilized and actively took part in the months long preparations for the battle, (the provisions, the ammunitions, the fighters as well as the support battalion etc) as it was intended as a ‘to be or not to be’ issue.

In today’s Ethiopia, we have a number of ‘to be or not to be’ issues. We have concrete threats from beyond our borders for which we cannot take a deep slumber lest we imperil our sovereignty. Our very geo-strategic position (at the Northeastern part of Africa, where the sources of the mighty Nile originates, where Africa meets the Arab/Asian world, the route to the Petroleum Empire), places us under a certain ‘anxiety’. Too many contrasting or not necessarily compatible interests could be involved, touching on too many peoples. The high mix of nations and nationalities with various languages and customs, religions and beliefs forces us to be a ‘mosaic of nations’ (with each one wanting to ‘reaffirm’ its own culture and personality, if not impose at the expense of others, at least intending to’ free’ itself from ‘outside’ or ‘undesired’ interference, the right to self-determination). This leaves a big ‘door’ wide open to differing views and interpretations of nationhood, (sovereignty, integrity, history, tradition, culture etc). This constitutes by itself a formidable challenge to present day Ethiopia. The various international borders not yet settled once and for all, (and this is true in all four horizons of the territory ‘Ethiopia’), places another challenge to the existence and integrity of the entity ‘Ethiopia’. Eventually it could result a ‘time bomb’!

I don’t want to sound pessimistic nor ring bells of alarm, but the recent trends of ‘nationalism’?, exacerbated perhaps to the extremes, by some elements (who try to ‘fish in troubled waters’) is another daunting task that we have to face, and settle, before it gets too late. Somalia, Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone etc, too many haunting examples! (There is no need to emphasize on the recent undesirable and condemnable episodes in Gambella, despicable incidents in some higher learning institutions, clashes in certain areas where differing peoples of various language or religion groups are called to live side by side. Perhaps too much has been written or said about them in proportion to the too little concrete measures taken by the responsible authorities, be it at the federal or at lower levels). The ‘siren’ should be used as an alarm clock that serves to awaken. Those who foment these incidents and those who abuse human rights should be held accountable. The ‘rule of law’ is too important to be neglected!

On the other hand, the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS, amongst the entire population, wherever they might be, is rendering all our development efforts vain. It might put a threat to our very existence as a nation, unless current tendencies are halted right away. Unless a new direction and new sense of life, a new conduct/mentality of life is adopted, by every one. And a lot has been said on this issue that repeating it would only bore us! Some candidness and some concrete action, some volunteering is however what we really miss.

The ‘spirit of Adwa’ hence should make us ‘reflect’ seriously on the challenges of today. It should be transferred to help us tackle all these urgent issues, in earnest. Otherwise, it shall have served little. Conserving our sovereignty, after harsh sacrifices paid, to now surrender to today’s divisions, today’s crisis, today’s incomprehension and erroneous/misguided outlooks, would only undermine, or even annihilate the meaning of Adwa!

Politics, the hobby of many, and power, the prerogative of a few. However, there should be the realization that there could be so many serious and life long repercussions that follow erroneous political projects and decisions (adopted by whoever is placed in positions of power), telling us that we should not abandon or forget the sacrifices of yesterday to value our day, today. Peoples’ participation and commitment, peoples’ sacrifice has given us glories such as Adwa. Today’s decisions as well must involve and commit the public in a conscientious manner, so that their results are well taken/absorbed by the same, the sacrifices are endured with pleasure. Anything extraneous to the people, (done without their consultation and consensus) could lead to a sense of betrayal of the spirit of our forefathers (as exemplified by the masterpiece Adwa).

Africa’s major obstacle to progress has often been linked with lack of enlightened leadership, like the one exhibited at Adwa by Emperor Menelik. Often, African leaders have been accused of arbitrary rule and summary, dictatorial decisions, approved and intended to favour only an elite, whose clannish interests could not reflect, nor reconcile with the interests of the majority. Africa’s major problems (and Ethiopia is grouped by many as very much symptomatic of the darkest sides of Africa!) derive from the absence of a group of people, capable and responsible enough to guide her to a democratic and just government, however difficult it could be to realize! Good governance, respect of human rights, or better still, peoples’ rights, the democratic culture as emphasized by a free and independent press, along with a fair and free electoral process, is what Africans crave for. And if you go about touring the countries of Africa, it would be difficult to find more than a few who would fulfill such conditions!

Inevitably, under similar circumstances, with the greed and irresponsibility of its leaders, Africa is destined to remain a poor land, despite its immense natural and human resources! They continue to wage wars against one another, and squander all their precious resources! Ethnic wars, border wars, religious wars, political wars etc! All sorts of factional conflicts are still ravaging the beaches of Africa and we Ethiopians have had more than enough of our shares of such conflicts. We had the ‘Red Terror’ vs the ‘White Terror’ (as masterminded and interpreted by the ‘Derg’). We may now risk to have this ‘nationality’ against that one, this ‘party’ against that one, this ‘woreda’ against that one..... Such fragmentation has always resulted in a negative outcome. Such mentality is diametrically opposed to the ‘spirit of Adwa’, to the spirit of a union of nationalities facing the most indomitable of enemies. We would need another Adwa. Another victory. Only if we have learned from that victory shall we have honoured those who fell at Adwa! God bless those who gave us such a brilliant moment today!