KAMPALA – The Ethiopian Community in Uganda on Sunday gathered at their Embassy in Kololo to celebrate the Adwa 127th Anniversary Celebrations under the motto ‘Unity, Bravery and Perseverance’, a freedom and honor that defines Ethiopia as a pan-African nation.
ADWA is an emblem for African victory and black excellence. The victory witnessed African capability to defend its dignity and ignited the light for the struggle for anti-colonialism for African brothers. Adwa turned Ethiopia into a symbol of freedom for black people globally.
The Victory of Adwa marks the defeat of the invading Italian forces by the Ethiopians on March 2, 1896. The very cause of the war is the colonial ambition of Italy in which it tried to erode the sovereignty of Ethiopia by expanding into Ethiopian territory and tried to colonize the country.
According to a statement from the embassy, this victory has restored Ethiopia’s 3,000-year-old history of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The victory of Adwa is thus not a victory of independence, but rather a victory that commemorates the struggle Ethiopia endured to preserve its inherent freedom.
“The Triumph of ADWA has contributed immeasurably to the struggle for freedom on the African continent and to similar struggles against injustice around the world. Adwa is also a beacon of hope for Black people who have been subjugated to prejudice and suffering, particularly in the Caribbean and the Americas,” the statement reads.
The victory of Adwa was not only crucial in restoring the pride and dignity of Africans who had been oppressed by European colonialism, but it also laid the groundwork for the development of Pan-Africanism and the unity of Africa through the African Union.
The statement outlines that this devastating defeat of a colonial force by Africans has not been accorded its deserving place in history, for reasons that are understandable.
“Yet, the Ethiopian government has taken the initiative to build the Adwa Pan-African University and Museum, for which then-Prime Minister H.E. Haile Mariam Dessalegn of Ethiopia and H.E. President Museveni of Uganda laid the foundation, in an effort to mark Adwa as a global historic site for the Pan-African movement.”
According to the statement, ever since the victory of Adwa, foreign powers have continued to interfere with Ethiopia’s domestic affairs. However, Ethiopia has prevailed in solving its challenges with its resolutions.
“In this light, it is noteworthy that Ethiopia is committed to tackling its difficulties in accordance with the notion “African Solutions for African Problems.” Ethiopia has once more overcome adversity and resolved the issue in its northern region in the spirit of the Victory of Adwa, an African-led and Ethiopian-owned process,” it reads.
The 127th Anniversary of the Victory of Adwa continues to be one of a kind as Ethiopia unites to solve the issues they face with their wisdom and preserve their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Adwa’s victory represents the resilience of unity in the face of adversity, as Ethiopia proved by constructing the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with its own resources, in which the third filling has been completed and 13 hydropower turbines are now operational.
“As we commemorate the 127th anniversary of the victory of Adwa, it is with great commitment that we honour the sacrifices of our patriotic ancestors in defence of the country’s sovereignity. We are determined to ensure the continued survival of Ethiopia and its transformation into a democratic and prosperous country.”
In her remarks, Ms Sara wolelaw Malese, the Charge d’ Áffaires, Public Diplomacy & Diaspora Affairs at the Ethiopian Embassy in Uganda, said as proven by Marcus Garvey’s “Back to Africa” movement and the evolution of Pan Africanism, the Adwa victory had a profound effect on the black culture in general.
She explained that Adwa eventually led to the independence of several African nations, as well as the formation of the Organization of African Unity, today’s African Union, with Addis Ababa as Africa’s diplomatic capital, having hosted the 36th AU Summit a week ago.
“All the way through, Ethiopia has represented political ambitions for freedom in Africa, and the Victory of Adwa has become a symbol of African liberty, independence, dignity, and pride. With its long history of civilization and independent culture and governance, Ethiopia owns a unique virtue that even our adversaries recognize, she said.
Ms Malese shared that Ethiopia has once more overcome adversity and resolved the issue in its northern region in the spirit of the Victory of Adwa, an African-led and Ethiopian-owned process.
“The 127th Anniversary of the Victory of Adwa continues to be one of a kind as we unite to solve the issues we face with our wisdom and preserve our sovereignty and territorial integrity. As African sisters and brothers, we urge our Ugandan Friends to replicate the Adwa Great victory through Unity in the spirit of Pan-Africanism in response to modern-day imperialism and injustice against our continent.”
