Adwa an African Victory
Commemorating the 126th Anniversary

7 March 2022

“Prior to the victory at Adwa, Africa was, to the European interest, an object of conquest and domination. This was combined with contempt and racism,” said Deputy Ambassador of Ethiopia to South Africa, Mr Mulugeta Wuletaw Wodajie at the 126th commemoration of the battle of Adwa.

“Ethiopia has stood for African freedom, African independence, African dignity and African self-respect.” His remarks were a reflection of the current geo politic and the need for unity among African nations by adopting complimentary and conciliatory policies for inter Africa relations.

Deputy Ambassador of Ethiopia Mulugeta Wuletaw Wodajie, Director at Dirco Bulelwa Kiva and Unisa Director of Projects Ambassador Prof Iqbal Jhazbhay

Ethiopia successfully hosted the 35th African Union Heads of State Summit which took place in the capital, Addis Ababa in February 2022 and Wodajie thanked the member states for their support.

He said that Ethiopia will never kneel down to foreign aggression, especially to some western countries that are meddling and interfering in the internal matters of the country, and which Ethiopia has the capacity and will to resolve. Currently, the government has taken steps to handle the situation by putting in place unilateral humanitarian ceasefire, the release of high-profile detainees, lifting the state of emergency, unfettered access for humanitarian assistance to conflict zones, halting the advancement of Ethiopian forces entering Tigray region and established National Dialogue Commission to convene inclusive and genuine national dialogue, are some of the major initiatives, he said.

As relations improve, Europe and the west need to move away from a flawed supremacist ideology of a bygone era and adopt a progressive and humane policy, particularly on race.

The largest hydroelectric power generating project in Africa, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), has started the first energy generation and, on its completion, it will generate the capacity of 5,150 megawatts of electricity. This project will benefit many Ethiopians and will have a knock-on development effect on the region and the continent as a whole.

The celebration of Adwa in Pretoria was hosted in true Ethiopia style. Traditional dance and music was performed, Ethiopian cuisine was served and no Ethiopian function will be complete without the coffee ceremony and popcorn.

Artist, Netsa Lemma Guya,with Kirtan Bhana, Founding Editor of the Diplomatic Society

Artist, Netsa Lemma Guya, displayed some of her artwork and paid tribute to her father, the renowned Lemma Guya who recently passed. She also made reference to an art centre on the outskirts of Addis Ababa to which the proceeds of any artworks sold will help fund.

The display included portraits of President Cyril Ramaphosa and First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe. The portraits were painted on goatskin using a special technique taught to Netsa by her father.

Invoking the Pan African spirit Wodajie said, “Our own African treasure Nelson Mandela, in his work, No Easy Walk to Freedom wrote, “Ethiopia has a special place in my imagination, and the prospect of visiting Ethiopia attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England and America combined. I felt I would be visiting my own genesis, worthy of the roots of what made me an African.”

TDS