Monuments of History

The mast head of this page, the statue of Emperor Menelik mounted on his horse, Dagnew, turned 83 last week. I believe it is most appropriate to dedicate this week to this monumental statue of Emperor Menelik and the need to preserve and build statues and squares in major cities across Ethiopia.

In countries, like Ethiopia, known for their rich history, there are several milestones that can be recorded or kept in historical archives and libraries. There are also other ways of preserving these landmarks for generations to come.

These are not easily accessible to users. Nor are they convenient to carry around for reference.

Statues and monuments are, therefore, the best representations of long histories and heritages that transcend quantified time. They are also inspirational, as the small inscription written on the statue seems to indicate. The epitaph, if I may say so, can roughly be translated as the following:.

“Greatness is not bequeathed by being born to a family of royalty or laity. It is rather the result of achieving something that is glorious that makes one great”.

Many of us agree that the substance conceived in this quotation, whoever said it, carries forth a universal truth. But telling the facts of Emperor Menelik’s pioneering achievements seems to be no less than describing the stepping stones for Ethiopia’s modern history.

The Statue of Menelik is located right at the epicentre, and at a commanding elevation, of a convergence of roads. The St. George Cathedral, on the northern end of the statue, could not be located in a better place, when one considers the fact that the Emperor and his followers carried the Ark of St. George with them to one of the most historical African battle fields – Adwa.

Menelik is known for his unifying of the different ethnic groups and kingdoms around the country. He was also popular for his victory at the battle of Adwa, where he unequivocally defeated one of the colonising powers – the fascist Italian invaders, who were equipped with state of the art warfare of the period.

Incidentally, I met a group of elderly men and women at a Cafe in Brussels, Belgium. They asked me where I was from and when I told them that I was from Ethiopia, they argued that Ethiopia was an Italian colony. I tried to tell them the truth, but they would not listen.

I then asked if they had read or heard about the battle of Adwa. They all blushed and the argument was aborted there and then. Fuming Italians were kept mute having lost their case and realising that I had come from a country different from what they had in their minds.

It is true that the Statue of Menelik had been removed by the invading forces during the five-year occupation period, but it was re-erected immediately after victory.

There was a controversy going on for years on whether or not something was missing in the process of re-erection. Some argued that the spear Menelik was holding was missing. Others said that it was the shield that he carried with his left arm that had got lost.

A couple of decades ago, a gentleman by the name of Mesfin Eyassu, who clams his ascendancy from Lej Eyassu, was trying to do some repair work on the Statue by painting the bronze silverfish a metallic colour. But that was done unprofessionally and instead spoiled it somewhat.

Last year, again, the danger of removal, or at least the partial demolition of the Statue and its platform, was hovering in connection with the tramway line construction project. The Abune Petros’ monument, a stone’s throw away down the eastern end, became the prey instead. It is expected to be reinstated as soon as the tunnel construction work has been completed.

Addis Abeba, unlike other cities in the world, has only a few squares and monuments, in spite of the abundance of historical wealth and uncovered milestones. As if that fact is not enough for an emerging capital and seat of the African Union, the unfair mishandling of the Mexico Square Fountain sculpture has enraged many dwellers of the metropolis. The culprit again is reported to be the tramway project.

History is not only preserved by statues, monuments and other architectural structures. Demolishing them to replace them with new buildings that bear no resemblance to the counter’s generic or indigenous designs should be of national concern.

Different designs stand for different periods of history. Some of these structures need to be kept preserved. The generation that follows needs to know its history.

 

 


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