Africa Unite

Welcome to this second “The Last King of Kings”, the final in the series Liberation Heroes – featured over the last 10 weeks on Africa Unite Capital’s dedicated page for our lovely continent. The writer extends his gratitude to the many who expressed their appreciation of the portrayal of Emperor Haile Sellasie. Your feedback is like manna. Have an Africa day!

Liberation Heroes

The Emperor, contrary to the accusation by detractors did not perpetuate feudalism and the gross mistreatment of the peasantry. Rather, with the patience and tact that are his hallmark, he recognized that he could never hope to eradicate a decadent and medieval system at one stroke. Haile Sellassie, by his relentless pursuit of the expansion of education. (quality learning – not the thinly yet widely spread ‘education’ of post-Empire years) undermined the feudal structure.

The Last King of Kings II

It can be argued with a high degree of conviction that events of too recent passage defy accurate historical analysis since we lack perspective. This may hold true of the life and times of Emperor Haile Sellasie; a towering personality and a man that is still synonymous with the very being of modern Ethiopia as his legacy is found all around us.
It is sad yet all too real that historically, the victorious side upon forming an administration, embarks on systematic and sustained (throughout their stay in power) vilification of the institutions, accomplishments and personalities of the defunct regime. In this sense, Haile Sellasie and his legacy have been dragged through the worst sort of muck. He was deposed by an untyped decree, read out by Debela Dinsa, a junior officer at the time who later became a top WPE official (now awaiting sentencing on genocide charges with Mengistu Hailemariam, et al).
The Emperor was immediately bundled unceremoniously into the back seat of an old VW Beetle and driven off to the 4th Army Division headquarters. His family members then in the country, including pre-teen grandchildren, were imprisoned for many years, innocent victims of a vengeful military junta. The Derg leader is suspected of personaly suffocating the 80 year old Emperor with a pillow before having him buried near a toilet in the former Imperial Palace. His Majesty’s remains were discovered 20 years later in 1995, 4 years after the brutal psuedo Marxist cancer had finally been excised from the blood soaked soil of Ethiopia.
Despite the incessant hate propaganda directed on the person of His Majesty, the abuse on the record of his Empire, the desecration of the monarchy’s symbols, etc, the Ethiopian people – in a sentiment that solidifies with each passing, more challenging year, increases its appreciation of the Emperor. This writer is supremely confident to declare that the Emperor’s era had indeed been Ethiopia’s finest hour of the 20th century.
His Majesty did have and has still, of course, many who view him and his empire with undisguised loathing.
To those who charge Ras Tafari as a usurpor, I challenge them to a quiz show focusing on Ethiopian history. Isn’t our history a chronology of power struggles, court intrigue bedroom secrets, poisonings, exile, marriage alliances, foreign power machinations, divide and rule tactics, and other mysteries? To those that categorically disdain the reign and achievements of Emperor Haile Sellaisse, I must remind them that it was not routine practice that kingship in imperial Ethiopia passed smoothly from the proper royal line to a designated heir. In fact such clockwork transition was relatively rare.
The Zagwe Dynasty, the grand-daddy of usurpors, is still like a fresh memory by the relative terms of the historic passage of time.
The Emperor, contrary to the accusation by detractors did not perpetuate feudalism and the gross mistreatment of the peasantry. Rather, with the patience and tact that are his hallmark, he recognized that he could never hope to eradicate a decadent and medieval system at one stroke. Haile Sellassie, by his relentless pursuit of the expansion of education. (quality learning – not the thinly yet widely spread ‘education’ of post-Empire years) undermined the feudal structure.
In the end, what the Emperor ran out of was time. Here was an octogenarian surrounded by mostly kow towing opportunists – many of whom wouldn’t dare or didn’t want to suggest change from within the elite – in fact they resented the Emperor’s insistence on the promotion of education, rightly fearing that an informed public, once it realized how it had long been dealt with, would give them no respite. Ditto for the gross negligence that led to the whitewashing of the Wello famine.
What makes the story of the epic rise and fall of the world’s last king of kings resemble a Shakespearean tragedy is that he was a victim of his own success. And oh, let’s not forget that Emperor Haile Sellassie was also probably, among the first great leaders to have been deposed by television. Remember Johnathan Dimbleby’s global airing of the Wello famine, how it was skillfully manipulated by the Derg to arouse public wrath against a king it loved … and loves still.

Qoutes from His Majesty’s eloquence

On education
“Since education should be deprived to no one, We are sharing this most precious of gifts with other African peoples, and large numbers of students from other states and territories of this continent are studying in Ethiopian universities today, many of them under scholarships which We have granted to them. The African peoples, so long denied the benefits of education, must cooperate together in concentrating their efforts to this most critical and important problem.
Education knows no boundaries, nor does it distinguish among men on the basis of differences in race, color or creed, and the regrettable situation which exists today (in Africa)… can in large measure, be traced to the lack of adequate education…”
On health
“Just as education assures the development and well being of man, so must man’s body be free from the scourge and ravages of illness and disease, and in the field of public health, praiseworthy advances have been made in the expansion of health facilities throughout Our Empire…”
Advice to members of the Imperial Parliament, Nov, 2, 1960
“Within a few months, new elections will be held, and on this day next year, a new parliament will convene here. Accordingly, it has appeared appropriate for Us to consider with you briefly your achievements during the three years since the elected members of this body first took their seats in this body.
The results of your work in this assemblage can be judged, in some measure, by the legislative measures which you have enacted since you first took office. This record is written large for all to see in the pages of the laws of Our Empire.
But there is another standard by which your labors must be gauged. When We first addressed you three years ago, We pointed out the paramount importance of your task as the link between Us and Our people. We recommended to you then the cultivation of certain habits of mind and development, in your work, of those virtues which would enable you to best serve the interests of your country as her devoted servants.
Today, no one but you, in your innermost hearts, really knows whether the words which We spoke then have been heeded. You alone know whether you have succeeded in placing your country above self, whether you have, in your debates, placed uppermost the broad interests of Our people and Our Empire.
If you can, today, with clear conscience, look back upon three years of devoted labor in this august body, if you can aver that in your deliberations, you have been ever guided by, principles and ideals of the highest order, your contributions to the further progress of Our people will have been great indeed, and this generation, and numberless generations to come, will owe you a debt of gratitude.
On Haile Sellasie university
Eleven years ago this very day,We laid the foundation stone for a full university to be established in Our capital city, and We had anticipated that this project would proceed to speedy completion. However, because of un foreseen difficulties, including delays in the extending of promised assistance, it was not until this past year that firm decisions were taken looking to the ultimate realization of this long-cherished desire.
God willing, construction of this university will commence during the present year. In this institution,Our youth will receive training in law, in medicine, in economics, in science and in the fine arts, up to and including the graduate level. We are grateful to the government of the United States which is aiding Us in the realization of this project.
On justice
They (the Judiciary) must be aware at all times that in the creation of a system in which God and the Law reign supreme, the law-givers and the law-administrators share a duty of the highest order, and that they are responsible to their fellow-men for the proper discharge of their duty.
If Our judges and those who appear before Our courts as advocates labor for the abolition of injustice and for the full implementation of the laws which We have conferred on Our people, the benefits which will accrue to Our people will be invaluable… We have during the recent months given orders for the construction of a Palace of Justice in Our capital city which will house Our courts and serve as the focus from which the administration of justice within Our Empire will radiate into the furthest reaches of the land.

Addis Meets Luciano in Cencert

By Abiy Demilew

He was only here while the whole nation was jiving in festive moods celebrating the arrival of the new millennium, in September. Of course he was here before as he and his native Jamaicans treasure this nation as the holiest place of the black race.
He is one of the international superstars of the music scene being described as one of the most expensive reggae stars whose tickets are sold out much earlier before the actual day. Well spoken, heavy presence and a man of positive messages and vibrations. He is the messenger, Luciano.
In September, he gave out one of best live reggae performances this nation and its people have never seen before. Organized at Masqual square, the ‘One Love Africa’ festival embraced live performances of other reggae superstars including Mickey General, Raga Lox and many others, mainly flavored by Luciano.
“As a messenger, over the years I was singing about Ethiopia, Zion, Africa and coming home to our land,” says Luciano. “And the Ethiopian Millennium sparks a new beginning for me. I feel very much excited and enthused about embarking upon new ventures and taking on new responsibilities and new activities.”
He thinks this is a time for Africans where we have more things to do, talking about African unity, repatriation and restoration of great royal kingdom. “There are a lot of us in Jamaica, especially in the Rastafarian community, that look forward to coming home to our motherland more and more.”
In most of his songs and performances, Luciano is best known of his songs, themed about Ethiopia. “I have a lot to tell in terms of the richness of spirit of the people and old jubilee, the celebration, festiveness of the whole season, and also righteousness rules, righteousness rains.”
On September, he and his crew were privileged to visit the presidential palace. “Stepping my feet in the royal palace really felt good, which I will sing about that as well.” But he always asks why this nation had abandoned to continue the royal kingdom.
“Why do we have to abandon the throne of royal kingdom which came from King David and Solomon while still some countries like England, India, and Japan have this tradition?” for him, this is one of the questions people should ask in the new millennium.
“We are a strong people,” says the reggae giant and award winner Luciano, defining the black race and their future. “Even though many have tried to destroy us with different elements like guns, slavery, biological warfare, infiltration of abduction etc. the African people stand proudly and I still believe and I know there is hope for an African nation. I believe God has selected us,” he says.
“We are a chosen people; we are a special people on the face of the earth. I believe when we loose faith in his almighty that is when we crumble.” And he underscores that, African citizens have to acknowledge the spiritual foundations and connections we have with our nation and African movements. “This is what maintained and sustained the African people over years. This is a means of survival.”
Talking about the values and contributions of African leaderships, he stresses that; any major move that we make towards African unity definitely will need the help of the governmental bodies and the legislation of these leaders.
“They need to come to a more serious position to take up these serious responsibilities even more. Because as a people we can do so much but one little law or legislation can change the whole vibration of the people.” For Luciano, this is why we say once the head of the stream is cleaned, the stream will be clean.
“When we have the unity of the leaders, then we will have the unification of the entire continent, but not until these governmental bodies play that important part.”
The renowned musician of content, also underscores, if the leaders stick to the traditions and foundations of the people that is when Africans see change. “Africa needs true leaders, not followers.”
Coming to Ethiopia in September for the millennium festivity, he was faced by strange blockages at the immigrations of the airport. At the time he told Capital that, I was hoping that the government would realise this Millennium marks a new homecoming for Africans and at least they would open the gate for us. I did not see that and that brought a little darkening in my spirit. At least, looking at the Millennium, you would expect the government would to give us a free passage.
“But there was a blockage from immigration of the airport. That does not seem right to me. How do we celebrate the new Millennium and talk about repatriation while we have this blockage. But yes, I see hope for change in the Millennium,” he said.
Luciano gives out his concert September 06, 2008 at the Juventus club, here in Addis, for the first time after the Masqual Square’s giant concert of the millennium.