The somber mood induced by the Corona pandemic and the
tragic violence of the past week has been brightened by the news of the start
of the filling up of the GERD. Every time some significant milestone is reached
that could elevate Ethiopia our attention is normally focused on who were the
initiators and leaders whose dedication was instrumental for the great
achievement.
We celebrate Tewodros II not because he was an angel but
whatever bad things he did he united Ethiopia and sacrificed his life for Ethiopia's
honor. Yohannes IV had also his own share of vice but we celebrate the great
role he played in National defense. Menilik II is also blamed by many for
atrocities but he gave us the large Nation that we are proud of. Haileselassie
I was a modernizer and the father of Africa. We don't need to curse him for the
serfdom that he allowed to prevail and abandoning Ethiopia during Italian
occupation. Mengistu was a blood thirsty tyrant but he ended serfdom and
defended Ethiopia against Somalian invasion.
Next in the line is Meles Zenawi. He is cursed for
"giving out" Eritrea, and bad governance in the EPRDF. It is unfair
to allow double standards creep into our judgments when it comes to the role
played by Meles Zenawi to break the "Nile spell" over Ethiopia by
boldly starting the construction of the GERD. Even Afework Gebreyesus was being
celebrated as the first to write a novel in Amharic by a certain FM radio
broadcast last week. The FM was at the same time telling the public that
Afework was a Banda serving Italians against Ethiopian patriots. He also
foul-mouthed the north. As a person whose maternal grandfather was killed by
Italians I could bear grudges on Afework. However, I feel that his contribution
to literature should not be obliterated by his betrayal of Ethiopia in bad
times.
Meles Zenawi invented GERD like Thomas Edison who created the
light bulb. The bulb created by Thomas Edison is inferior to the high tech
light bulbs of today, but creating is harder than improving. Many past leaders
of Ethiopia may have dreamt of a GERD as many scientists before. Thomas have
dreamt to replace candle light. Fate was on the side of Meles to realize
that dream of generations as it was for Thomas Edison. How do we celebrate
Meles Zenawi? I have to inseparable proposals: 1. to name the GERD reservoir as
"Lake Meles"; 2. Include his name in the history curriculum.
