Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has urged Ethiopians to inherit the positive assets of their forefathers from the victory of Adwa to solve contemporary challenges and build prosperous Ethiopia.
In a momentous ceremony steeped in history and hope, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated today the Adwa Victory Memorial in the presence of President Sahlework Zewde, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh, Supreme Court President Tedros Mihret, House of Peoples Representatives Speaker Tagesse Chafo, Prosperity Party Deputy Chairman, Army Chief of Staff Field Marshial Birhanu Jula, high-ranking government officials, diplomats and other invited dignitaries.
The memorial, a testament to the legendary 1896 Battle of Adwa, stands as a beacon of Ethiopian resilience and self-determination.
Its unveiling, 128 years after the resounding victory, resonated deeply with the Prime Minister.
He attributed its realization to a confluence of “chance, struggle, and hard work,” highlighting the pivotal role these elements play in shap
ing human destiny.
‘Human life is filled with chance and struggle. When chance and struggle conflate attainment occurs.’
We, Ethiopians, are inherently fortunate, declared Abiy, his voice resonating with pride. This very identity, being Ethiopian, is a privilege we possess.
Abiy noted: ‘We all Ethiopians here are lucky. What makes us lucky is the fact that we are Ethiopians.’
While other nations with shared ancestry may strive to build such monuments, but they cannot embody the spirit of heroes of Adwa such as Minilik, Balcha, or Alula . This is a legacy uniquely ours.
He added: ‘Other countries with black people can build such amazing memorial, but they cannot be the son of Minilik, Balcha, or Alula. Ethiopianness is a privilege we are endowed with. But we realized this memorial through struggle and endeavor.’
Thus, ‘We inaugurated this Adwa victory memorial here, in a manner that matches Ethiopia, after 128 years today, through hard work, struggle and endeavor to pass it to the next generation,’ Abiy
said.
However, the Prime Minister acknowledged that Ethiopia’s journey has not been without its thorns.
Our forefathers had known on what issue they became cooperative and made difference. They also knew the difference between the government and the interests of the country.
The forefathers have the knowledge that identifies government and state interest and called on the new generation to inherit the positive assets from them.
Our forefathers, the Prime Minister emphasized, understood the power of unity and discernment. They distinguished between the government and the true interests of the nation. This wisdom is a crucial inheritance we must embrace.
He urged the younger generation to not simply inherit the “fires” of the past, but to harness the true spirit of Adwa’s victors. This spirit, he elaborated, embodies the eradication of poverty, unwavering defense against invaders, the preservation of dignity, and the achievement of food sovereignty.
Furthermore, Abiy underscored the enduring lesson of sep
arating government interests from the national good, a wisdom gleaned from the triumphs of Ethiopia’s ancestors.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency
OSHAKATI: Namibia’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), Margaret Mensah-Williams held a memorial service on Saturday to honour the legacy of the late President Hage Geingob.
Geingob passed away at the age of 82 in Windhoek last Sunday.
‘He not only shaped Namibia, he shaped Africa,’ Mensah-Williams said during the ceremony held in Washington DC.
She told the mourners that the late Geingob made it his mission to prioritise education throughout his life although he had to leave his country of birth in pursuit of knowledge and instruction that would later help him to challenge and change the system.
The ambassador said he will always be hailed as the chief architect of the Namibian constitution and servant of the Namibian nation who devoted his life to liberating his country.
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, in her remarks, stated that Geingob displayed his unwavering devotion to the people of Africa.
‘He was a true liberation hero who fought for the people of Namibia and Africa at large an
d was a leader of the people,’ Bowser said.
The embassies of the Russian Federation, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Haiti, Tanzania, Angola and The Philippines sent through their tributes to Mensah-Williams.
Zambia’s Ambassador to America, Chibamba Kanyama, stated that President Geingob provided significant leadership to help liberate the continent and help it gain economic independence.
‘That’s why the whole African continent is mourning a great leader,’ Kanyama said.
Zimbabwean Ambassador to America Tadeous Chifamba described President Geingob as a towering figure for the significant role both pre- and post-independence. As a Pan-Africanist he played a key role in the liberation of Namibia, he added.
Geingob fought apartheid in Africa and most of the ambassadors were privileged to rub shoulders with the great leader of Africa, Chifamba said.
Geingob will be laid to rest on 25 February 2024.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency