Content: View From Arada

  • Elders: Bridges of Harmony

    Elders are pillars of societal harmony. They serve as bridges of intergenerational connectivity. Their role in conflict resolution is also vital. Ethiopia is rich with traditions that accord high value to elders. Lately, however, those traditions are losing weight in the eyes of modern governance structures.

  • Football at a Crossroads

    Ethiopian football stands at a crossroads. Its recent resurgence is in danger. Even though the national team managed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations, its performances thereafter have been nothing short of dismal. It is now time to redefine its path, if the objective is to be the creation of sustainably competent football in the country.

  • Dreams Never Die

    Dreams have a significant place in the lives of communities and leaders. It has been so in Ethiopia throughout history. All the popular leaders of Ethiopia had their own dreams, yet, some of these dreams might be too ambitious to be realised. The evaluation depends on how dreams are defined.

  • Football-Sewnet Must Go

    Three years have hardly elapsed since the Ethiopian National Football Team – the Walyas – strode forward from back page sideline commentaries to front page news stories after coming out of their 30-year hibernation. Their victory over their Sudanese counterparts in Addis Abeba was one of the many factors that triggered it. But there was […]

  • Myths of Expediency

    Logistics has become the pertinent challenge for the international trade of Ethiopia. The case has become worse with the independence of Eritrea, including the Assab and Massawa ports. With its new sea way,Djibouti,Ethiopia’s logistical issues are getting worse with time. Even latest regulations are not able to ease them.

  • Coffee A Bean of History

    Coffee has become a popular drink all around the world. Its popularity has even overshadowed the essential questions that people ought to ask about the very bean it is made of. Despite this reluctance, thinking and researching about the coffee bean helps to illustrate that Ethiopia has a very rich history, which it should be proud of.

  • Temporal Incongruence

    Time is of the essence, it is said, and indeed it is. The world moves under the banner of time. Yet, the very concept of time varies with various countries. While the whole world uses the Gregorian Calendar, Ethiopia sticks to the older Julian Calendar. This seems to create systemic problems.

  • Compounded Christmas

    Christmas has arrived. It entails a season of joy and cheer. But the context differs between nations. The difference is wide even if economic factors are the yardsticks.Europe witnesses a discount in the price of almost all tradables and consumers seem to enjoy that. The case closer to home, however, entails an increase in price and disappointment for consumers.

  • Lesson of Freedom-Why African Leaders Promise Big, Act Small

    The memorial service of Nelson Mandela saw global political and religious leaders paying tribute to the freedom fighter. Most of them also made promises to relive the values of the great leader. In reality, however, few are seen sticking to their promises. It seems as though leading by example has died with Mandela.

  • Remembering Nelson Mandela

    The death of Nelson Mandela might have brought world leaders together. But it does not mean that they all live up to his legacies of freedom. Some of them rather do against the values of the person they travelled to South Africa to pay tribute to. Some African leaders still oppress their people. It is contradictory that they are saying one thing but do another thing, when it comes to freedom.

  • The Economics of Migration

    Even if Ethiopia has a long history of nationhood, its contemporary history is filled with citizens migrating to a variety of nations across the world. Both push and pull factors contribute to this exodus. What seems to make the case with the Middle East peculiar, however, is the extent of the abuse that they have to face.

  • Historical Missing Links

    Speaking of history, the younger generation seems to be deprived of the essential access necessary to explore it. But even when there is access, their interest is very low. This happens while the treasures of history are getting lost to poor preservation. Changing this trend is essential if the generation is going to be able to learn from history.

  • Football Conspiracies

    Football is not an advent in Ethiopia. It rather has a very rich history. But its development has been volatile. Its path is full of ups and downs. The latest revival could be taken as another peak in the historical wave of the game. As it has been with the other historical moments, maintaining the momentum is the pertinent challenge.

  • An old City Without History

    History has many benefits in the life of people. Whenever it is preserved, it can be used to guide the future. But there is no established culture of preservation in Ethiopia in general, and in Addis Abeba in particular. As a result, residents know little about their surroundings. Worse is even the fact that development disrupts history so much so that generations could not rightly exchange ideas.

  • Monuments of History

    History can be saved in various ways. One such way is through the erection of monuments and dedicating squares to historical milestones. Even if the culture of doing so was rich in Imperial times, little seems to have transpired to this age. What instead seems to capture the attention of decision makers of the time is destroying historical relics and replacing them with modern, imported structures. It is saddening that development seems to come at the cost of the past.

  • Addis Abeba Shifts in Shape

    The ongoing light railway project is seemingly changing the face of Addis Abeba. But the change involves a shift in shape, rather than substance. The major scenes of the city remain the same, despite the huge destabilising impact of the project. Even then, hopes are high that things will be very different once the project is completed.

  • When an Economy Goes Wrong

    Prices are indictors of economic stability. They also define the benefit citizens will tap from the growth of a given economy. Ethiopia’s emergent economy could be no different. Instability of prices in the economy shows the instability within the macroeconomy of the nation. Measures ought to be taken to stabilise price if economic growth is to translate into economic development.

  • Could Ethiopia’s Football Be Any Better?

    The Nigerian Super Eagles defeated the Ethiopian Walias 2-1 in the first leg of the World Cup play-off, held here in Addis Abeba on Sunday, October 13, 2013. The Yidenekachew Tesema Stadium was full to capacity with most football fans wearing the tricolour jersey, head scarves and arm bandages of the home nation.

  • Water A Treasure under Threat

    Water is life, but only when it is clean. That is exactly why people care so much about this natural gift – the water cycle. Often, however, human interference affects this cycle and puts lives under threat. This seems to be what is happening in Addis Abeba, the ever-expanding capital of Ethiopia, which continues to see devastating water pollution.

  • Football Mania Can the Walyas Win?

    The Ethiopian Football National Team will be facing its Nigerian counterpart in the qualifier for the coming World Cup. Even if most commentators favour Nigeria, the Ethiopian Team, a.k.a, the Walyas, will not be giving an easy win for them, they seem to agree. A win will indeed be historic for the Walyas, though.

  • Time to Learn from Belgium

    Transportation is the nervous system of an urban centre. Its integrated provision brings real economic benefits to residents. Yet, the case often is that transportation provision in expanding urban areas faces systemic hiccups. This could serve as a learning point. A similar tangent point seems to connect Brussels with Addis Abeba.

  • Enkutatash Overseas

    Holidays have deep cultural meaning. They can also help bolster social cohesion. But their role cannot be realised unless they are seen from abroad. In the shape and colour of holidays, seen through the prism of memories, sit the relationships between nations and people.

  • Home Sweet Home

    Owning a house inEthiopiahas become the dream of almost every Ethiopian Diaspora living in Europe with the execution of the new 40/60 housing scheme. But a lot remains uncertain about the schemes. Further complicating the case are the stringent legal requirements for money transfers in Europe.

  • Food-Eat Not, Talk Not

    Food is an item that Ethiopians talk about a lot. Unfortunately, they are not privileged to have much of it on their table. What continues to be puzzling is that Ethiopian aphorisms about food are so detailed that they take much time to describe. No different is the culture amongst Ethiopians in the Diaspora.

  • Flying Happy

    Flying is an experience full of events. It sometimes even entails surprises. Some flights involve a series of surprises, whilst others are simply conventional. If anything, however, most flights are similar in that they expose travellers to some sort of turbulence.