A Chapter in a book on the Victory of the Battle of Adwa

The essence of
the chapter

The Chapter discusses about the role of the victory of
the Battle of Adwa [1896] in boosting the morale of Africans in Africa and
diaspora Africans in challenging colonialism, slavery, and oppression in
general. “Ethiopians marched to Adwa in unison, notwithstanding the country’s
religious diversity and ethnic pluralism.” 
The victory thus “provided Ethiopia the opportunity to inspire others,
and provided a psychological, spiritual, and political base for anti-colonial
and anti-slavery movement.  In short,
Ethiopia became a Pan-African North Star.
Post-Adwa and post-independence Africa, therefore, can learn some lessons
from the victory of the Battle of Adwa.

Despite such a glorious past, Ethiopia and African
countries in general are increasingly being marginalized by external forces and
the people disempowered exclusively by their own leaders. The chapter argues
that a new foreign onslaught that amounts to colonialism, such as “land grabbing”
where ethnic minorities are uprooted, is unfolding. The situation has led to
human rights violation, social disintegration, and ecological destruction.  As the land grabbers are from global south
countries, the regrettable state of affairs amount to south-south colonization.
The promise of development, technology transfer, and improvement in the life of
the uprooted remain unfulfilled.

When we critically examine the situation, “sustainable
quality environment, food security, quality of health and educational services,
poverty mitigation and political and economic empowerment remain perplexing
issues.” Countries, therefore, are cautioned and be serious about the situation
and not to lose the possibilities of the 21^st century and bring upon
themselves a new form of colonialism and a raged citizenry that is promised
much and receive less or nothing.