A critical downside to our history of nation formation is the absence of institutional continuity. With every change in regime, there was that inescapable tendency to want to wash away the past’s legacy, good or bad, and start from scratch. There is always the motto, “the new Ethiopia” and “first ever in the country’s history”. Awards, thus, have not been exceptional.
According to local literature, one of the oldest in Ethiopia is the Haile Selassie I Prize Trust award, dating almost a decade from the early 1960s. It was modelled after the Noble Prize, addressing a diverse set of disciplines. The emperor even donated two percent of his shares in St. George Brewery for the award committee, according to the grapevine.
In the 1990s, there was also the Ethiopian Fine Arts & Mass Media Prize (EFAMMPO), by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism (MoCT). Though shortlived, it was full of controversy for it was public – a symptom of all award ceremonies. The absence of reputable institutions has furthermore made the issue more delicate in the country.
There have been attempts to recognise unique individuals, but the lack of institutional continuity has been a constant setback to create a body with the legitimacy required. Due to this, arbitrary recognition of individuals has been causing controversies that may ultimately undermine both the organisations and the nominees.
A recent entry into the award scene was the Abyssinia Award, yet another ceremony that went on to create “laureates” of all kinds on merits that as of yet remain unclear. Similarly, it is arguably commonplace to receive honorary degrees from higher learning institutions in Ethiopia.
One is reminded of the Mark Twain quote, “It is better to deserve honours and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.”
It is evident that financing in most cases is an issue, but the present day information and communication technology could be of great help, especially in the process of voting. It is also unfortunate to witness that FM radios and TV stations fail to affect opinions and remain followers in this regard.
The disengagement of the public, and the apparent attempt by such ceremonies to bring about change, mostly to no avail, is everywhere, including where beauty contests, fine arts, films, sports, literature, entrepreneurship and even humanitarian efforts are concerned. Even regular rankings in the military and other civilian offices are not immune to partisanship. Where companies are concerned, it has become common to assume that international corporate awards are for sale, and only exist to serve promotional purposes.
A Nobel Prize, an Olympic medal or an Academy Award, can become one’s identity, where winning these prizes overshadows the reason for winning them. The same is true for corporate awards. Genuine corporate awards are not just about a pat on the back or a quick ego boost. They can enhance a company’s reputation, help employees take pride in being part of that organisation and instil customer confidence in the products.
A nation is not created out of the blue; it is instead built through the sacrifices of successive generations. And awards could be ways of recognising those people, not just a night out for particular people to dress for. It can have meaning and purpose and acknowledge notable war veterans, physicians, educators, scientists, entrepreneurs, activists, artists, journalists, athletes and philanthropists.
The younger generation needs and deserves role models, which are hard currency these days. We need to have a mechanism for honouring those that have done great things during their lifetimes irrespective of their political views. Those awards could come in different formats and titles.
But, government institutions should be able to play an essential role in establishing the agencies to execute the program or at the very least enable an environment where they could prosper. Their organisation and administration, thus, should be transparent and diverse. Otherwise, they would be susceptible to corruption and bias. That would not only destroy the awards but also undermine the achievements of all those remarkable men and women who have served the nation with unreserved love and dedication.
Awards do not only acknowledge success; they recognise many other qualities like talent and effort. The youth needs to learn from its predecessors and appreciate the sacrifice that has been paid for an Ethiopia which is, by and large, better than has been the case so far.
A good place to start would be to establish a framework for standardised criticism in every profession. Critics are the key to healthy systems. Without critics, literary and other creative fields often lack the sort of feedback that brings improvement. Without critics, audiences will lack a term of reference and analytic understanding of the broader context.
Hence, rather than the ceremonial and arbitrary recognitions that are carelessly wasted, clear and transparent processes during nominations, awards criteria, and appropriate judging processes, can create the type we all can reference.
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