Teddy Afro Bedele Beer: Atse Minilk Controversy

Ethiopia’s democratic process has taken one small step forward last week. Activists from the Oromo
community in Ethiopia have started a well organized campaign against Bedele Beer owner for becoming the main sponsor of the upcoming tour of Teddy Afro. The campaign started when Teddy Afro known for his infatuation with past emperors was quoted glamorizing Atse Minilk’s conquest and his expansion of Ethiopia towards south where many of the Oromo community lived. It is said Atse Minilk army was very harsh against the Oromo people and other communities in the area. Many argue, Atse Minilk – partially from the Oromo ethnic himself, harsh treatment of the people was not unique since most of the feudal emperors before him were also harsh to the Amhara, Tigreans and the Afars.

In the West when people get frustrated with certain companies act they usually start a boycott campaign to punish the company where it hurts. This has been a very known and effective tool in many of the well established democratic countries. Unlike the old days where Ethiopians always turn a simply disagreement in to a quarrel of zero sum game outcome, this time, the Oromo activists are using a proven tool to make their voice heard. We say amen to this, but what about you?

Also, we were taken back when we heard after coming this far in the democratic process and after building the strong foundation of the new federal democratic Ethiopia, the Orormia regional government has given a go ahead to build a museum somewhere in Arrsi that will hold a controversial statue. The statue is said to represent Atse Minilk’s atrocities against women. We think this is not what Ethiopians need to bring forth at this point in time. Now is the time to forgive and move on against the common enemy we have that is poverty.

Never mind about the veracity of the history behind the statue. We do not need to go that far to find out of our brutal emperors and governments before. We have the Mengistu Hailemariam government with a much more horrific stories. The question is why was OPDO not persuasive enough to ask the locals to focus on the current issue than the past? We understand some of the dysfunctional opposition infatuation with emperors of the past! At times it is irritating but why fall for their trap? These oppositions are left over’s of the last supper that was served some 22 years ago! Can’t we forget them and move on? Have Your say!!

113 thoughts on “Teddy Afro Bedele Beer: Atse Minilk Controversy

  1. Dear Aiga;

    Two things that comes to mind are a) As you said the left-overs are really running out of heroes they can worship. Why re-live Minilk after 100 years, and who is to say Minlik was theirs anyway? b) I have a feeling the “Oromo activist” may not be who they are, they could be the same activists who are trying to exploit the situation and extend the “wuhabist campaign” of the past.

    Last but not least if the government is behind this campaign hoping they can score points on the opposition then they are wrong. This will hurt investment and encourage others to take similar campaign in the future.

    As for the statue, honestly this should have been ignored. Had it been ignored no one would have known about this and its effect would have been minimum. But now some how the Amhara community thinks it is an affront to their history? Which I say excuse me I thought Ethiopia’s history was everyone else history?

    • in my opinion the future of democratic ethiopian politics will be with oromo and amara giving their demographic and the good and bad history they have. this two people has to come up with a win win deal for everlasting peace, they either swim or sink together. .
      in regards to tigray i think with out gun they r no different then sidama or ethiosomali or goragay in future democratic ethiopia.

      • again if any body think what minilik did was wrong then reverse it and give Independence instead of looting them for south, oromoia and others or shut up.

        • opposing OLF, ONLF, or the Muslim movement means in other word supporting TPLF so we ethiopians need to wise up and work with them.

          • Addis,
            Why do you have to associate every failure with TPLF or people of Tigray.
            The thinking you have is that If all things go wrong–it is because of Tigray. Is it because you have a larger than you height hatred against people of Tigray?

            I tell you what—take Tigray out of the picture for a while. Do you see Ethiopia? I do not think so?
            For sure, there will be Ethiopia similar to a widow with all problems. All I say is read history. I am not saying other ethnic groups do not have an impact on Ethiopian unity–but contrary to your degradation and dehumanization of Tigray, Tigray is the center and mystery of Ethiopia, period.

  2. When I read about what is going on related to the so called artist “Teddy Afro”, I was surprised and at the same time felt sad. Back in the Minilik’s day, the politics of the world, as we all know, was forced subjugation of one people by another, one ethnic by another ethnic, and so on. Millions had suffered and perished. People’s mentality for humanity and nature in those days was far less developed than the present day. We have to acknowledge that those who did the wrong in the past didn’t have the maturity and level of thinking we have now. However, it seems there are still some who are upholding the same less developed mentality as people in the past. There were positive things done in the past by former emperors and leaders all over the world and also an outweighing negatives, especially when it comes to humanity. We don’t need to delete history. We need it for our evolving mentality. But we need to acknowledge the wrong doings to help us develop in our understanding of humanity and nature.

  3. The Ethiopian political fever once again is ignited and I happy watching such futile wrestling all over the social media.
    Pro and against Menilik campaign were undemocratic by the their very nature. one thing is true here in both camps, they are uploaded with hate politics. So long as the Menilik is remembered as a Hero among Ethiopians, at same time there is no foul play if we as well remembered him for his wrong doings, because it is true and it is part of our history.
    Teddy Afro, a controversial singer, this is not his first time putting his fool in his mouth. And the most painful part of the current political fever, he didn’t happen to excuse the oromo people. I wish he reaped his misdeed…..

  4. Dear Aiga:
    I see the entire Ethiopian population is stuck in the past and not able to move forward. This is includes you AIGA and your likes. There is a lot of problem with mentality of Ethiopians. TPLF is good in re-freshing the past. It is irrelevant to waste time what Menelick did and what he did not do. I do not know how this mentality will change soon.

    The man lived 100 years ago. Whatever he did bad or good; he was human subject to do bad things and good things. I am worried why the entire nation waste time talking about a man who have died 100 years ago?

    But the way, even if he has done bad things, there is no any living person who can be charged on his place as there is no anyone who can be charged for Meles Zenawi. Leave alone an illiterate man who lived 100 years ago, even Meles Zenawi recently tried to teach us false history that Ethiopia is 100 years old and landlocked our country by force and he did many wrong things.

    My point is aiga, there is no single person who can be considered an angel, past , present or even in the future. Teddy has a right to glorify anyone who loves or inclined to love. If few Oromos do not like it; it is their problem, not Teddy’s problem. I am not fan of anyone; I have to tell the truth that there is no need to politicize everything. Teddy has the right even to worship Menelick if he chooses to do so. No one has a right to deny his right. There is no one sided right. Right is not only for few narrow Oromos or narrow ethnic nationalists. Right is for everyone.

    I suggest people rather focus on problem the country is facing. People being hanged almost everyday in the middle east. No one wanted to talk about this real problem. They wanted take us backward only? why?

    I do not care what Menelick did now. I can not reverse what he did or what he did not do. And there is no single Ethiopian who can take responsibility for Menelick because no one is alive today who worked with Menelick. If you or others are trying to blame Amhara ethnic, it is barbaric and racist attitude only. It is like accusing or blaming the unborn baby for a crime committed by his mother or father while he was in the womb of his mother. This is really high level of stupidity. You people need to learn how to move forward instead of living in the past.

    In conclusion, can you please stop this backwardness and focus on the present problem of the country and work towards a better future for all.
    AIGA, leave alone Menelick, even TPLF today is making or has made a lot of mistakes one cannot imagine. Menelick did mistakes and so what now? who is going to be liable for that? is it Teddy? or Amhara? It is really disgusting. Leave Teddy alone. Teddy is also human and he will make mistakes. Why we focus on negativity only? I am not perfect human. I can make mistakes any time? is it crime to say something wrong? what if Teddy makes some wrong opinions? Is he supposed to be a preprogrammed Robot? This means Teddy has to say something everyone likes? How is that possible for human? We are not robots. sometimes we say something wrong? You can not criminalize a person for saying something someone does not like it.

    Please remove this post. There are many big issues. You did not post about Ethiopians hanging themselves everyday in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Arab Imirate, … everywhere in the middle east. Please Aiga, time has value. Time is precious and do no waste our time posting rubbish ethnic narrowism here

    • What you wrote is quite interesting. However, in my opinion, it is a bit out of reality. Probably that is something we can achieve in the future. If what you said had been the case, we wouldn’t expect any swift complaints or response from the Chinese or South Koreans regarding the recent visit to one of the Japaneses war-linked Yasukuni Shrine by the Japanese Prime Minster Abe. The reality whether in Ethiopia or in the rest of the world is different from what you are trying to depict.

      • That does not necessarily mean it is right; There is no benefit to back and recycle evil of the past. Let me tell you, Europeans killed 2 million during the inquisition period, they were not black or yellow; About 2 million were killed by the Catholic church accusing women having sex with devils. They accused allowing devils to lick their vaginas during the night. The women beaten and hanged to confess they are allowed to devils to lick their vaginas. They hanged the women and beaten them, the admitted allowing devils to lick their vaginas. They killed 2 million in the name of Christianity. If Europe has to go back in history, they will kill each other over the stupid things done long before. My friend, today we are civilized and know a lot. We can not do that. Otherwise, if that is the case, then no white man should do business with Africans because the white colonized Africa and abused them and destroyed their culture? but the truth is the white generation of this time can not be blamed for the past. The Jewish are heard today about their holocaust by Germany, not by force or protest, but mutual understanding between the people and this generation of Germany regretted for the past but they obligation to do anything about the Holocaust. If Menelick has done something wrong, it can be discussed and a common opinion can be reached in a civilized manner based on mutual respect and understanding. But what is happening now is going back to the repeat the same thing. EPRDF is playing this dram,, but be warned fostering interethnic hatred is a criminal in this century. Stop this ethnic thing please.

        • When I read your comment,I said for my self we got hope to live in peace and harmony.thank you very much you make my day,god bless you.

    • If Teddy has aright to worship Menelik, We, the Oromos have a right to oppose him. your opinion is nothing but double standard for Habashas and Oromo.

      • It is double standard. I never divided people into Oromo, Amhara. I am 100% out of ethnic politics. I do not buy it. Oromo= amhara = trigreans = …. all the same for me. I define human as human being only. I do not definite people by religion or race or colour or ethnic or tribe. I only know human face, I do not give damn these thing. Do not drag me to the wrong topic. I have no interest talk about ethnic. As long as Teddy did not violate or infringe the rights of living people. I do not buy other stories. You can call me whatever. I for myself the people who helped me in my life are from all ethnics. There are Ethiopians who jumped into my life to help me; they never asked me if Amhara or Tigreans or Oromo. There was a time I was in difficultities an Oromo jumped to help me as Ethiopian. He never asked me for my ethnic and the same there was still another Amhara who jumped into my life and helped me out.They never asked me for my ethnic.That will be the way I will treat every Ethiopian. I will not discriminate people based on ethnic. It is not part my ideology and I am even getting sick of it.The only time ethnic comes into my mind is when I visit Ethiopians websites. You waste our time chewing your ethnic. Stop going backwards please.

        • I am proud of you because you are a proud Ethiopian. I agree with opinion 100 er cent. Ethiopia will be at peace and in prosperity if all of think and live like you. We could exploit our resources properly in stead of digging the dirt of the past. Those who try to find fault against Menelik have forgotten under what kind of system he lived and operated. For example, most American presidents before Abraham Lincoln condoned slavery and even owned slaves. But Americans do not waste their time dwelling i the past. We Ethiopians must purge ourselves of such back-warded perception. Let us from mistakes of our past so that we should not repeat them our current and future generation.

    • Gezaee,
      You are talking about people hanging themselves. I can’t see the day when you will hang yourself. Pease do us a favour. That would be a good new year gift for us.

      • Jacob, why don’t show him first hung yr self and be a role model we will follow loool. As to Tedy afro Aiga go and find your fool. “The first step in democratic process” the first step democratic process is not opposing a single individual; it should be done by the people when the government entities takes their democratic rights. We know TPLF is doing this behind some Oromo, what would happen if they start the same thing for sons and sisters of Oromo in unjustly in jail, Oromo whose land taken, name it all the atrocities committed by current government, ….Boycoote Bedele campain has nothing to with Oromo human rights and democratic process, this is a deliberate irresponsible TPLF move to benefit when Oromo and Amhara are at odds

    • Gezae, with all due respect you are becoming harsh against the oppressed people of Ethiopia. You are telling Teddy Afro to continue on his ugly comments unhealthy deeds. He should not cross the border and force to scratch the wounded hearts of the Oromo people. Every body has the right to exercise his right of expressing his ideas as long as he respects other’s rights. But Teddy is wounding the hearts of the Oromo people as he had done against the people of Tigray some years ago.
      Gezae, if you are close his close friend, would please advise him that he better stop playing foul and act humanely? He must stop to cause pains agains the oppressed people of Oromo and other nationalities of Ethiopia?

    • I am sorry first of all for I read this controversial issue very late to post my say.
      I appreciate partially what Gezaee said about the issue provoked by Teddy Afro, saying let us forget what has happened in the past and simply look froward and do what we have to do to speed up our progress.
      Basically rallying on and around the issue as to what Emperor Menelik did during his reign against the Oromos, Tigrians, the South region people etc is not important and has to be forgotten because it does not have any help to our purpose of fighting poverty democratization process. By what I don’t understand is why is this singer called Teddy Afro many times trying to provoke people unnecessarily? What is his ultimate interest? Even if we accept the principle that to ere is human and to forgive is divine and similarly forget what has been done by Emperor Menelik against the oromo people, but I can imagine that Teddy Afro is aware that his song about Menelik is honey so may amaze some people but on the other hand is sour and may irritate others. So why does he want to irritate others? After all he is a singer not a politician and should he be bothered about who unified Ethiopia in the past and how etc? no he is not, in my opinion, fit for that. Any ways, let us forget about this historical rhetoric rather see a new path and focus on economic development.

  5. I blive tedey is have Heiden big agenda he don’t like to learn frome his past big mistake.
    When he come to USA he is hangout with Tamege Beene,Elias kifle etc.
    Pls respect the people of oromiya,the south people and the Tigray people
    So we have to stop this he have to learn this killer.

    • He has right to be with Elias or even with a devil. It is not none of your business. Because you do not like Tamagne or Elias, Teddy must not get around them? This is the problem. Every Ethiopians wanted other to live , think and do things to the liking of someone.

      Pleas grow up. Teddy is wrong if he is directly disrespecting other Ethiopians by himself; Why we talk with Tamagne? Oh my God,? he must then become EPRDF? laugheable. If you do not like Tamagne , you can not ask others to do the same. This the same mentality across Ethiopians. The diaspora do not want to anyone to talk with TPLF supporters and you the same? Shame

      Challenge Tamagne by ideas, not by hating . Otherwise, two wrongs does not make things right.

      • Dear Gezaee,
        I usually follow your comments and most of them are balanced which is why I read almost all of them.

        I share with you many of the ideas you have written above. But let us be honest. How many of you (Ethiopian nationals) who live in the “civilized” West go to the same church or mosque or restaurant or other social events without considering the people who will be there and their ethnic background. Why do you think people are sensitive to ethnic matters here in Ethiopia? Do you think it is because the ruling party wants it to be like that? I don’t think so. In my view recognizing the rights of all people without any qualification is one means of removing the valve that suffocated those people for a century. You can forget the “one people” idea which was essentially a means of diluting the identities of many oppressed people. It is gone for good.

        True, Ethiopia is one country but has many ethnic groups.
        It is OK if a singer sings what he likes but then the song is meant for the people and the people have the right to choose the song they want to listen. However, I don’t think the issue here is about his song but about his remarks related to Minilik’s expansion to the South in which he is alleged of saying “For me Minilik’s war of expansion to the South was a holy war”. Gezaee, don’t you think he should have been sensitive to the victims of the “Holy War”. The problem with the singer is he is nincompoop. He should have left such matters for others and focus on what he is best at. As the singer is entitled to his view regarding the “Holy War” my Oromo brothers and sisters are also entitled to choosing the beer they should drink. It should work both ways.

        Happy European New Year!

  6. We Ethiopians must promote serious national reconciliation so that all ethnic groups must have a healing from their old grudges, hurts and animosities of the past and current regimes. We should stop dividing our country under ethnic jurisdiction and gerrymandering by manipulating the feelings and old wounds of our people to gain electoral advantage and to maintain the grip of power by means of divide and rule system. If we don’t get this matter right, Ethiopia will definitely delve into civil war that is similar to what we are witnessing in South Sudan or Syria or that we saw in Balkans. We should learn from history that there is no democracy built on ethnic divisions and cultivation at all. The rights of all peoples of Ethiopia must be equally protected by the constitution without any favoritism to any race, ethnic group, language, religion, gender, etc. Ethiopia should be open for all and we have to promote harmony among peoples of Ethiopia. No government did that so far. In fact, the track record of EPRDF is not good at all. If all Ethiopians have sense of unity and equality, no foreign forces can defeat us. Also none of our internal problems such as poverty can ever defeat us. All our problems are rooted in our division, civil wars, selfishness, power-mongering, corruption, embezzlement, abuse of power, etc. We are not exercising democracy in Ethiopia yet because no one is free to criticize the weakness of the government policy and its ill-actions. If we do, we will be categorized as terrorists and put into jail for life. Please let us unite and create a democratic system by listening to the suggestions of all Ethiopians. The leaders must listen to their constituencies otherwise it will be an occupying force which imposes its own will against the wishes of the people. We are great people with thousands of year’s civilization and we have to stop regressing backwards and talking always about poverty. We can definitely make it history if we create a conducible environment for all of us. This is very naive comment, but I said it from my heart and I wish all the best and greatness for Ethiopia and Ethiopians to forget and forgive all our past mistakes and to learn from them. We should stop appeasing our leaders while they are still in the wrong course of history. We should emulate the best practices in the world because the world is one village and we are hearing a lot of good things about some democratic countries. Why not we practice them at home? It is only a threat only for those who want to stay in power at cost of others no matter what happens on the ground. So who is behind the incitement of Oromos to mobilize against Menelik or Amharas? We know who is behind it. But please let us stop dwelling on such divisive actions which always create a huge gap between nations and peoples of Ethiopia.

  7. @ Gzeee are you ok.
    You ask aiga to delit some people coment.
    How about ur coment I don’t like ur coment is that ok to delit?
    talk to much…. Complin,complain and agin complain

  8. Funny, Funny, and Funny! Forget the past? Why do not you go ahead and tell to Jewish, who were massacred by crazy Hitler, to forget the past. Oromo’s believe they were massacred by Minilik’s army the same way as the Hitler’s army did to the Jewish. Why do not you forget the past and stop glorifying the very person Oromos hate living on their land..
    For the individual who said few Oromos please thing twice. Go and visit the campaign page and it will surprise you. You will be proved wrong.
    For the Neftegna’s, you know what you have been doing to the Oromo people for the last 120 years. But rest assured it will never, ever happen again. Over our dead bodies. You better tell you Semayawi party who just received Minilik’s Baton in DC to be careful and not to step foot in Oromia with Minilik’s photograph.

    • Too naive/ Honest, I could not make of your comment.
      Did the Oromo’s massacre others to con-quire the land all the way to Raya? Do you know other way of making a country?
      If what happened by Menelik II was wrong,would you want to undo???

  9. teddy afro is entitled to his opinion. true menelik deserves every ethiopian respect for his stand and leadership against the italians. also his successful campaign to unite ethiopia is the reason why we have a country called ethiopia today, but there is nothing holly about what happened to the oromos. their land was taken and they were made chissegna/serf on their own land by menelik and his people mostly from amara. teddy afro should be given a chance to explain his insensitive remark and i am sure he will agree that, this is the dark spot on Menelik’s legacy as the father of ethiopia.

  10. Individuals who are wicked in their making immerse themselves in this kind of controversial issue so they can pronounce their name as a brand of heroism and courage. This guy is one of those people who actively involved in controversial issue that polarizes citizens. This is not his first time to hurt groups or individuals politically and emotionally. I quote <>. He is morally and academically weak person, I bet he doesn’t know properly what menilik did to the great Habesh Midir and the southern people. This all blood shed Ethiopia experiencing this time is as a result of his self-centered and irrational administration. It is so hard to assimilate for a mindful person to glorify for a person who was the root cause of this all bloodshed and atrocity. unless, that person is prompted by hate, and social complex. For any one of you who are interested to read history of Ethiopia I referred you to read a book entitled Embita antsar wererti “ by Memihir gebrekidan desta.

  11. የበደሌን ነገር “አተርፍ ባይ አጉዳይ” መሆን ነው ። የቴዲ አፍሮ ጉዳይ ግን አፍሮነቱ ፀጉሩ ላይ ሳይሆን ምላሱ ላይ መሆኑ ነው፤ ሌላ ምሥጢር የለውም። ስለዚህ ይህ ነገር አስቦና አስተውሎ የሚናገር፣ ልባም፤ አንድ እውቅ የታሪክ ምሁር/ተማራማሪ ወይም አንድ ፖለቲከኛ ወይም ልኩን የሚያውቅ አዋቂ ሰው የተናገረው ስላልሆነ ብዙ ሊያነጋግረን አይገባም።

  12. What is to be learned from Teddy Afros preach, it is only hatered nothing more or less. How does a person who doesn’t have love would teach about love and foregiveness. How does a man like Teddy who raise orphan and full of identity crises would able to teach about unity and integrity.
    Teddy is always after the Oromos and Tigrians who made a big sacrifies inorder Teddy and his like to live and open their wide mouth without any limitation, Does this infant minded Teddy have the moral capacity to open his nasty personality infront of the Oromo, Tigray and Other community in the nation.
    Hope his attemt would lead him to grave if once more try to humilate the hero people of Ethiopians instead of praising his stupid & killer anscestors.
    We Ethiopians under the leadership of Meles & his party EPRDF we are living in peace,harmoney,love and unity of respect and we don’t need any advocate for this and it is not Teddy who is full of decay and mucus filled brain expected to unit the Ethiopians unless & otherwise he tried to flogged us as what his old fathers did in the past and this act of the crules is once and for ever buried with the struggle of the Ethiopian people.

  13. If Menilik committed attrocities in Southern Ethiopia, why should anybody or any group be offended , just because a statue has been erected to remember the victims at the time?
    If it’s not a fact, then challenge it. If it’s, then it’s their right to remember their fallen heroes and tell it to the current generation in any way they want…. it’s history.
    We have to know that only Menilik and his regime is responsible for the attrocities committed, no particular linguistic group should claim responsibility….certainly not the current generation.

    What’s offensive is Teddy Afro’s comment about the attrocites committed by Menilik on our southern brothers and sisters as a ‘Holy war’ and it should be condemned.

  14. Aiga has been blaming Atse Minilk among others things for not inspiring the Renaissance, the Reformation, the enlightenment, for not preaching the Gospel as good as John Wesley, for not inventing modern medicine and quantum mechanics, for not starting an Ethiopian moon mission project, for not cloning dolly.

    Atse Minilk lived in a different time, generation and zeitgeist. Please refrain from judging the past, instead for a change start working hard right now thereby showing your love for your own generation and time.

    How civilized and just was the region (AKA-BA-BIW) before the start of modern Ethiopia, before the birth of Aiga’s sweetheart Atse Minilk?

  15. Dear AIGA,
    Boycott Bedele, Boycott this and that will hurt the country’s investment as someone stated above. EPRDF may think it will gain it some political scores but in the long run it will backfire.

  16. Teddy is the most ignorant Ethiopia singer…he is money hunger singer ,many times he accuse other for his mistakes …in his first albam he took most of his song from other but he didnot acknoleged them , & presented them as his ,Tilhun & Zewdeys’ father ,
    …in his seconde albam most of the bits are from Mali songs , only the poems are Amharic but he didn’t acknowledge
    …there are many things to say about this stupid , when ETV interview his about his Haile g/ selassie , he angered many Young Gondar people …”said why not Haile ,people sing about Gondar balager ” … in 1997EC election time he make discussion with Berhanu Nega & took 1million birr , then he song for them …said Ethiopia leader don’t have eduction , particularly for meles & TPLF official
    ….now , he is working with Semaywi party ( it was secret, but not any more) to bring the old monarch system of government , one identity , one language , one culture …which is Amharic .

    • habesh,
      u good at blaming others, what is your contribution?
      i think Tedy’s message is too much for you to understand .Start from the basics, read Ethiopian history written by historians not Cadres.

  17. The sad truth is that we are cursed. This is not the first time nor the last we have this kind of useless infighting. We had similar ethnic based squabbling for generations. I read a very interesting article written by Gebrehiwot Baykedagne that was written during Melenik’s last days and surprised to learn that the ethnic sentiment was just like what it is right now. The Oromos (gallas) were not happy with the Shewa Amharas and the same thing with the Tigres and Angober’s . Our society (in general) was uneducated and narrow minded (As it is the case right now).
    Our government need to be proactive and divert this kind of negative energy for the sake of the poor. Unfortunately, Our toxic diaspora is nothing but a liability to our society. Social media is created to bring positive change to human beings but unfortunately, we habeshas are using social media and technology for the wrong reasons. I just pray that God will open our eyes and help us to work for the betterment of our nation.
    Happy New Year

    • @Mamo,
      You mentioned in your writing “Our society (in general) was uneducated and narrow minded (As it is the case right now).” In principle you are right. if they are educated and understood the rights of individuals, they don’t try to trash rights of individuals and group of people. They don’t campaign against a memorial statue erected for the forefathers of any group of people. The neo-nefteynas are not only trying to revive the serfhood status of the Oromo from 1880s to 1970s in one way or another, but they are further trying to tell us deed of their past evil emperors. The second trial simplifies their attempt to achieve their dream of again looting the Oromo and other Southern people as it was a norm of life during their fathers, grandparents and great grandfathers. This can only happen on the dead bodies of millions of Oromo people. Silence is not accepting the past or current atrocities against the Oromo people. We have talked a lot in the past and seen the uselessness of talking and writing a lot. It may help manufacturing lies and writing them.
      @Mamo
      Immediately after writing a sentence on lack of education for the problems in the county, you immediately wrote the following: “The Oromos (gallas) were not happy with the Shewa Amharas and the same thing with the Tigres and Angober’s”. There is no person who is most suffering form lack of education than you!!! You are the most ignorant, arrogant, and uneducable person. It is not ONLY you, but this is not uncommon among the neo-nefeteyna generation.

      At last not least, The AIGA team and their bosses on the throne of Minilik are not different from the neo-nefteynas. AIGA did not bring up this issue for a fruitful dialog. But it is trying to get some juice from the fighting between the neo-nefteyna and the Oromo people to get some extension in the TPLF life for its equally horrible political moves.

      • Hunde,
        Are you serious? Let us be frank for the sake of truth. TPLF, together with some wonderful sons of the Oromos, contributed immensely in empowering the Oromo people. Let us give credit to whoever might deserve it and in this case TPLF really deserves it.

    • i can assure u that there is no animosity between oromo and amara people there might be with the muslim oromos, i know this because both of them r my family i lived with the community. u been inventing animosity for the last 23 years and keep doing it, u might succeed one day.

  18. It is not about Teddy or Bedele Beer, what I can learn from this social media campaign is that, we still did not reach to a common understanding and consensus our history, be it the good or the bad part of it, after 21 years we said we solve the nations ethnic problems. I believe by now most of our population should have agreed that bad side and deeds of our rulers in the past.I feel there is still a need for our historians to tell us unbiased and the full picture of our history and the knowledge should be disseminated in any possible means. Ofcourse it will continue to be issues as long as there are politicians to use the agenda for there hidden mission. But it will not be damaging as long as we have the knowledge and the consensus. But one thing we shouldn’t agree is that no body should be told to shut up, everybody should have the right to air his opinions.

  19. Some naive people are saying we should reconcile like South Africa. Which in nobel idea but when the descendants of the victimizer are recalcitrant and refuse to acknowledge the injustice and keep assaulting the victim verbally just because they lack force doesn’t bode well for reconciliation. This was my answer to one misguided soul who pleaded reconciliation.
    My foot reconciliation! like in South Africa? Imagine if the Afrikaner and those who committed the crimes of apartheid glorified Botha ( The leader of apartheid)and expressed pride in their criminal and inhumane actions and asked the black people of South Africa and ANC to to forgive and forget. You think the reconciliation would have worked.
    It takes two leaps in faith to achieve reconciliation. First the victim should be willing to forgive but not forget and I truly believe the benevolent Oromo people have tried hard to forgive and move on. Second and most important prerequisite is for the victimizer or its associates or descendants to be genuinely contrite and apologize. Here the least the Oromo people are asking Tedy Afro or his kin and kindred is to avoid rubbing salt to their wound to reconcile. They (The Oromo) have been magnanimous that they didn’t seek apology or compensation but simple acknowledgement of the brutality they endured and for ignorant people like Tedy Afro to stop re wounding them and insulting their intelligence. Is that too much to ask?
    Hence if we care about Ethiopia we should start to care about the other Nations and Nationalities rather than being stuck in our own old mindset and worse our own old and defunct mythology and of “heroism”.
    The Oromo people have reconciled with the rest of Ethiopia spare a few that continue to attack them for who they are. That is why they are mobilizing against Tedy and his sponsors but not the ignorant and misguided who are still supporting Tedy Afro in his divisive gaff. They would have advised him to apologize and move on instead of defending the indefensible.
    Those who live in glass house shouldn’t be the once to cast stone. Times have changed. The Oromo people are proud Ethiopians despite the injustice they suffered and don’t wish any harm to any of their fellow ethiopians and the rest should also be magnanimous and understand their hurt and respect their wish. The history of Minilik II is not defensible and seems to continue to divide the the people and it is oxymoron to think he was uniter.
    PS. Don’t think I am an Oromo because I understand their plight. Neither am I accusing any one in this generation. I am trying to say Tedy Afro should be given a lesson and the lesson should be anonymous even from the “Minilik lovers” becuse they are on the wrong side of history. Jim Crowe of the south comes to my mind when I read some of the postings here. During the civil rights movement Jim Crowe may have thought he was defending the whites by attacking the black Americans during their struggle for equality but he is the loser and the people (white and black) who stood on the side of justice and right vindicated / won.

    • No one denied Afrikaanears from Glorifying Peter Both. He was not even put in prison for one day. The truth and reconciliation commission asked Peter Both to come and reconcile and to admit mistakes. He refused to go the TRC. No one ever touched him or insulted him and he died with dignity; Peter Both said he did not nothing apart he was following the system. If Menelick was alive, either OLF or TPLF would have killed him. They would not allowed him to live. That is Ethiopia; Bloody Ethiopia. You wanted recognition. I do not know what Melelick did. I can not condemn him because certain people do not like him. OLF just wanted to use it for its agenda only. Otherwise, then Obanga must take to International court for killing Gambelans by EPRDF. EPRDF if trying to look as if it is an angel. Obanga must take the case to ICC then if EPRDF is interested to take us back to the 19 century. EPRDF must asked condemned and even removed for killing 100 000 Ethiopian during Shabia. it is the same; no one has right to kill people. Leave alone in the 19 century, you are doing it even today. Wushetam bicha

      • Oh men! You are going tangential and you are obtuse. All the giber you have written about ICC is stupid hence doesn’t deserve an answer but for the sake of others who may read and get confused by your ignorant or ill informed comment hear you go.
        I give more weight to Obanga than you and rest assured there is no stone he has not turned over and no sludge or mad he has not thrown over to the EPRDF/TPLF, he would have gone to ICC before even your bird brain had entertained it if there was any chance in hell (or he has tried or failed).
        There is no case for ICC in the case of current Ethiopia. Because a nit wit like you says so doesn’t mean the ICC will hear it. You should have also known the ICC has no jurisprudence over Ethiopia.

        As to the case of P. Botha you have tried to enlighten us, thank you but he was not celebrated not even respected as good human being by the Afrikaners or South Africans who wanted to reconcile.
        You probably didn’t read my article carefully but I have laid out how reconciliation can come about which is that
        a) those who want to reconcile become contrite. (No were do I say those who don’t want to reconcile should do anything)

        I didn’t say Botha should become contrite and I knew for a fact he didn’t even appear for the hearing of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission leave alone to denounce his actions.
        But there couldn’t have been reconciliation with those who came to the hearing and cleansed their sins with out them being honestly sorry of their actions an denounce the actions of Botha and his predecessors.
        My dear poor soul reconciliation is not one to one with a person. It is people to people and for the sake of the good some bad persons are also pardoned together with the great mass. Some weed and chaff mixes with good seed during good harvest.
        Minilik has been dead for a century and for you to say he would have been killed etc.. is mere stupidity and conjuncture which doesn’t merit discussion.

        b) the victim should be ready to forgive was the second prerequisite I had put out.
        Let me hear if there is argument with merit, in opposition to my two pre requisites (a) and (b) and may be your argument would have weight. Because that was the substance of the discussion.

        I have admired and will continue to congratulate the Oromo people who have been willing to forgive and and move on except to object when some idiots like Tedy rub salt to their wound as I mentioned in my article. And hence I call on all justice loving people to stand by them and right the wrong. They have the democratic right to call for a boycott ( which is voluntarily abstaining from doing something) of the merchandise of any sponsor of lose cannons like Tedy Afro.

        Here I stand by what I said and I will not entertain a tit for tat discussion hence forth with the likes of you unless your writing is on substance and not tangential (meaning wallowing in the less important leaving the crus of the matter aside).

        • Mr. Derebew, or debrew,kkk. I have bad news for you. you do not qualify to have discussion with me. Reasons: you are tribalist, ethnicist, racist person. you do not deserve to have a discussion. You and me, we are different by light years. There is no pointing you waste you time and I waste my time. If I have to follow your ideology of eye for an eye? Then someone will set Ethiopian on fire. So sir, it is better we stop here. It is not your fault man; it is the Ethiopian water that you drink. I am lucky and live in the civilized world and it will demerit for me to think like you. If I have to think like you and your likes, I will be disadvantaged again. Please leave me now and enjoy my freedom which I never had while I was there. God blessed me and I safe and free think freely. No oppression, no suppression or no repression. Freedom is so sweet. So my brother, leave alone, you go and digging the tomb of Menelick and I enjoy my life here. You are one of the cursed generation of Ethiopia. But I advise you to take the log from your eyes before trying to take the beam from others eyes.

          If this the case, The people of Tigrai will be asked to apologized for TPLF selling the land of the Gambelans and also for killing the Anjuka tribe. You all have blood in your hand. Thanks God anyone I do not live with people like you. I admire and respect the society that gave freedom I never had in my life. Live there and keep on digging dead people. Good luck.

  20. I believe this is what the present government wants and the opposition politicians are falling in to this hate issue and fooling them selves. why don’t the present day politicians do what is expected of them in the 21st century? The past rulers had done what they believed was right on their time. Let’s leave it for history and move on. We all Ethiopians are wasting our time for something we can’t revers.

  21. Aigawoch, have you guys just awaken from a deep slumber and started to see the serious consequences of ethnic federalism? Ethnic segregation and dividing people have been the center pieces of the ruling party. You woyanes have falsified and fabricated history so that you can divide and conquer Ethiopians. You have branded Ethiopia a colonizing power to places like current day Eritrea. The reason behind this report itself is your desire to disseminate the ethnic based tension and tribalism. Evidently, you have stated “glamorizing Atse Minilk’s conquest and his expansion of Ethiopia towards south where many of the Oromo community lived.” is why the oromos targeted Teddy Afro and its sponsor Bedele Bira. “Minilk’s conquest and his expansion of Ethiopia towards south”, you stated. First of all, what Minilik did in the south was not any different from what he did in the north when he assembled an all inclusive army of Ethiopians, including the oromos, to defend the sovereignty of the country from the Italian’s invasion. If anything, it is very similar to what Atse Yohannis did in Wollo, with less severity. His campaign was neither a conquest or an expansion. He was merely reconquering or reclaiming Ethiopia’s territory that was lost during the invasion of Gragn Ahmed and the consequent migration, encroaching, invasion and settlement of the oromos. Had he lived a little longer, Atse Yohannis would have done the same once he gathers enough power and army. However, the great emperor of Ethiopia from the north did no get that chance, hence Minilik’s campaign reinstate the country’s territory and enforce the rule of the land. If what Minilik did is counted as a conquest and expansion, then with the same logic what woyane Tigray did to the rest of Ethiopia is an invasion. I know for sure, if he hadn’t done anything, you would be cursing for abandoning our territory in the south. Unlike Meles Zenawi who have signed off aseb and the entire eritrea, Minilik was a true Ethiopian leader and defended and protected his country’s interests. No amount of fiction, falsification and fabrication of stories will change that truth, but I still urge you woyanes to stop this dangerous game for the sake of mundane short term gain. If you continue this, you, collectively, will be the losers at the end. You have been warned!
    Aseb Ethiopia

    • Agree; AIGA is a fascit website hell bent to divide people. Even AIGA believed in the Meles history of 100 years. The cursed people from the region Tigrai. AIGA you better not call Ethiopian yourself. There is no Ethiopia in you. You need only Ethiopia for its milk. I do not know where came from. During the Zarayacob the entire Ethiopia was under his control long before Menelick. AIGA, since you do not know Ethiopia why act as if you know. Menelick did something wrong is different , but telling Menelick colonized Oromo is so stupid. Ugly AIGA. I did not actually read your comment. I just read it now. AIGA, you are becoming another Teddy afro now. AIGA Afro? Shame on you. TPLF means evil.

    • Asseb Ethiopia,
      Whose creation is today’s Eritrea? First read history and when you read don’t be selective on the books or articles that you read. When you read historical facts without picking some and dropping others it will help you keep your balance.

  22. I don’t have much to say but everything already gezae wrote so please let us do some thing more important than this or talk about how to build this beautiful country. today from all over the world Ethiopians going back to their beloved mother land and investing,creating jobs. after few years maybe we will not see Ethiopians running away for better life In Arab counters, so think for the sack of young generation. remove het from you mined learn from the greatest icon of the world Mandela. even if it was happened forgive and look forward a lot of writers already wrote about I don’t wont to repeat it.
    Thanks.

  23. Aiga:

    I believe as a country we should be able to say there are somethings our past leaders have done we should ALL be proud of. But we must also be very sensitive when dealing/discussing certain events or time periods which were reportedly very bloody. Thus, I believe it’s fair to punish individuals/celebrities who don’t show such sensitivity to Ethiopian people through boycott as this one. It will deter such insensitive behaviour in the future by celebrities or other well known personalities.

  24. Wow what abou oromo killings of other ethiopian population
    Oromos especially the musilim oromo community
    Killing and spreading rumors in the name of amharas or others if they get a chance the will kill almost the entire
    Ethiopian population

  25. I hate the polotics of digging grave and politicizing it . The late peace champion Nelson Mandela has taught us to forgive your past for the sake of your children and grand grand children ,and future generation , a wise man polotics ,reaching your enemy , reconciling your difference is a strength by itself. Ethiopia should be free from vindication or grudge . We don’t have to follow crusaders of hate like Tesfaye Gebreab who wrote a book of hate ,and vengeance . Ethiopians need to follow the foot step of Nelson Mandela. FORGIVENESS our diversity is our beauty .

  26. I believe that the idea of building a memorial museum in commemoration of the atrocities ሚኒሊክ and ደቂቀ ሚኒሊክ commited against civilians is a welcome idea. But, it must be in the sense of “we forgive but we do not forget.” There are many Holocaust museums in Germany and elsewhere but it doesn’t mean that the Jewish and the Germans hold a grudge one against the other. Actually, both people now have one of the closest diplomatic and social relations.

  27. I think the government miscalculated this time by advocating or by becoming passive with the boycott campaign. If this boycott is successful, the opposition will use the same tactic to boycott the EPRDF affiliated businesses. In the end, it discourages investment by foreign companies and hurt the economy. It doesn’t even make sense to have two opposing statues in one country. One glorifying Minilik in the capital city and one depicting him as evil in one oromia city. What is next? A statue of Emperor Yohanes in Wollo forcefully converting Muslims to Christianity? And after a century, a statue of Meles giving Eritrea in a silverplater to Esayas? If we only concentrate on the negative, no one will be immune.
    I think the government should think twice before doing long term damage for short term political gain.

  28. Well what can I say except please grow up and look around your neighborhood.
    You do not want to be in the same situation south Sudan is today.Teddy Afro is
    quit an ignorant neftegna who does not know how to do business. Ignore him.

  29. posting my comment again:

    The erection of the statue in Anole is not any different from the erection of one in Hawzen. Minilik’s atrocities happened not too long ago, we grew up listening to our grandfathers telling us the horror stories. Yes, the Hawzen massacre happened during the time when various technologies could record the story as it unfolds. Yet, you must have heard that these neo-neftegnas questioning even the veracity of the Hawzen history. So, don’t throw a sentence that borders on questioning the veracity of the Anole history. It amounts to you playing a double standard

  30. Strange!!!
    I didn’t know loving your country is a crime.People who ridicule Ethiopia are considered as Hero, visionaries,Patriotic….while a young man who admires the contribution of his ancestors is treated like a dirt or one who infatuates with the past .
    Those who condemn Menelik II’s expansion to the South are those who have fake love for current Ethiopia(Narrow nationalist and extremist) In reality they wish it didn’t happen,they would rather see dis-fragmented Ethiopia, how else would they pretend to love Ethiopia and hate the creator.

  31. I am deeply saddened to note Aiga orchestrating this backward discussion, at a time when Ethiopia is forging ahead to defeat the common enemy of all its peoples – poverty. Who cares about Menelik, Teddy Afro, or any other individual at a time when there are bread-and-butter issues, like corruption, good governance, increasing cost of living, heath care delivery, access to education, which all need urgent attention by all Ethiopians. AIGA, as a responsible social media, has a responsibility to choose and select which issue is worthy of its coverage, and learn from other responsible social media. As a proud Oromo-Ethiopian, I resent any attempt by anyone, be it anti-Ethiopia groups in Eritrea, Egypt, or Somalia that work day-and-night to see my country stay poor, weak, and its people divided. I call on my fellow Ethiopians and AIGA to be aware, stop this nonsense discussion, and focus on working together !!!!.

  32. Aboma,
    How on earth could you compare Hitler and MinIik? Are you crazy? Hitler wanted to eradicate the Jews, MinIik never wanted to eradicate his own race/people. So, please get your facts correct.

  33. Dear Aigas, I am very happy you come up with such contemporary issue. I was wondering why you boycott the issue until now. But credit to you, it is not too late to come up with such hot issue. Above all, unlike other Medias, you have presented it in a creative and constructive way. I really like the way you highlighted the engagement that you expect from your readers.

    Coming to the issue, here is what I think.

    1. “We say amen”: Although such boycott campaigns are democratic by their nature and should be encouraged in our country, not all boycott campaigns are helpful especially in countries like Ethiopia. I completely respect my Oromo brothers’ right for such campaign. I agree with them that the aristocracies of past emperors should be acknowledged by everyone the same way we acknowledge their great contributions to the present day Ethiopia. I don’t think they are asking the young generation, from the North, to pay the price. They are simply saying the problem needs recognition and acknowledgement so that we all learn from history. That is completely acceptable. However, some of the Oromo activists went too far to push the campaign from democratic to authoritarian nature. They are almost saying we should accept their version or perish. And that is not acceptable and that is not going to happen. They went too far to compare Menelik with Hitler and they are pushing the campaign in such manner. So, is this the one that you said “We say amen to this”. I am really disappointed. You might mean the idea of boycott itself without subscribing to its contents. But, I again disagree. You have been criticizing some opposition parties and personalities for their unhelpful remarks and zero-sum game. However, I don’t think you were criticizing them for exercising their right, but for the contents of their remarks. So, if this is the case, then you have to have the same glass for the boycott too. The boycott campaign should also be criticized for its contents.

    2. The contents of the campaign: If the boycott campaign has to gain some credibility, it should focus on credible contents. The campaign targets Teddy Afro for his unhelpful remarks on past emperors. Despite his quality in music, Teddy afro has been so controversial. He seems to preach love and respect, but acting the other way round. It seems he preaches love and peace for some and hell for others. It doesn’t make sense. I actually didn’t expect anything from him despite enjoying his music. Therefore, I agree with cause of the campaign, but then the campaign includes controversial and totally unacceptable contents. Instead of focus on Teddy’s remarks, the campaign turns into another political war. It should only focus on Teddy’s ‘kudus’ war remark. Coming to Menelik, through his leadership, he has done tremendous job in forming the Present day Ethiopia, started by Tewodros. He continued the struggle against aggressors, started by Yohannes, and left a history which we are all proud to say ‘we are the only African country which is not colonized”. On the other hand, Menelik has taken controversial decisions regarding ‘cutting off Eritrea and Djibouti’ and ‘miscalculating strategic relationship with Italians’. Menelik mishandled the people under his Empire (particularly those from Tigray, Oromia and Southern Nationalities) for different reasons, during and after the expansion process. This should equally be acknowledged. But, we need evidences regarding the scale of ‘cruel actions’ against the people that I listed above and the reasons behind it. Having said this, it is equally important to acknowledge the positives and negatives that are backed by evidences. Our historians are expected to filter fictions and myths from facts. It is also advisable that some ‘public figures’ shouldn’t interfere and dilute facts. They should choose their words and substantiate their idea with evidence.

    3. To sum up my point, I agree with the cause of the campaign, but not with contents. It should have focused on Teddy’s remark of ‘kudus’ war instead of Menelik. But, it didn’t. It rather becomes another tool of political war with unethical and irresponsible contents. If the company withdraws its sponsorship based on such campaign, it should also expect a complete boycott from the northerners, where the largest demand for beer comes from.

  34. Hey every body
    Teddy doesn’t represent any nation or nationality.He represent only himself even not Menilik II. All Ethiopians wants to one and one strong Ethiopia economically, socially and democratic. But the way that we want to have one Ethiopia is different.some wants one Ethiopia as Menelik II try to do by force, killing etc but others want to have one Ethiopia by respecting each nation and nationalities culture, custom, language etc
    Therefore we have to choose one and discuss with ideas for the sake of Ethiopia and it’s people. Otherwise advocating ethnic attitudes and insulting any nation and nationality or religion has no Importance and is dangerous for our country.
    For the Teddy’s case it is his belief what he says and those who feel bad they can punish him as they want .They can oppose his campaign even by not buying his songs.Because he is known person and he had to think twice before he speak ones. He should ask excuse.There fore don’t connect it with ethnic,religion or government.
    Have a nice time

  35. Dear you all.
    Being ignorant is a power!! when you open your mouth never mind what comes out likewise Teddy dam.. All our leaders have passed with positive and negative image to our people and our beloved country. However we Ethiopian we are leaving with harmony forgetting the past. This controversial person he doesn’t mind the pains of oromo people faced by the monarch….lets give us our peace ……think twice or get informed other people pain pinching ….shame on you.

  36. I wante to answer some of the comment makes minlk crime only what he did to Oromo people .
    Minlk is directly responsible for the last 100 years miser hange poverty &backwardens because he made a deal with the Italian to divided Tigray Ethiopia in to two to woken Tigray but band minlk so selfish he woken the hole contury .
    Minlik made a deal with davil(Italian )sold Ethiopian land now eritear privasly part Tigray land .minlk sold Djibouti to the French .this Banda minlk stab back Ethiopian .poeple like Tedross Kassahune do not care about the hole Ethiopia .they only care about minlk& H/selass to them ethiopia is tow poeple .they donot understand Ethiopian is very big contury with a lat of interest .

  37. Ethiopia and its Boycotting politics as panacea?
    I am still wondering about the shunning politics in our beloved country as a remedy for all the problems that we all have had.
    These simmering and infesting polices does not stop there in mainstream medias like Aigaforum and others, opposition parties and even the government…. Is it that we could not come a better proposition or are we the victim of short-sightedness?
    In the western world that I reside, a group of people always promote boycotting against the use of Ethiopian airlines, Ethiopian public institutions and other productive civil service intuitions….. there was a repeated but a failed move in the headquarters of the United Nations (UN),International Monetary Fund, (IMF), World Bank (WB), World Trade Organisations(WTO), European Parliament, (EU) asking for these institutions not to involve in Ethiopia’s development endeavour……
    Aigaform and others were denouncing the actions of these “few extremists” or “toxic diasporas” Though I share the worries of the same, I am so Irate now to see the same principle that was protested is now aggressively promoted? Who are we to help here? Why are we too interested too much on Menelik II and his acts centuries ago? Why only him? Can we blame or shame a history of ourselves? If we do, on what historical preference? What evidence do we have to use as a frame reference? I am afraid, Ethiopian politics and its own making looks so bleak until we all work hard to formulate Ethiopia in its epicentre. Otherwise, no one can learn from our proud history of over 20,000 years.
    Hope I am making sense for those whom they can listen and learn from…..

  38. You poor diaspora the european colonizer never gave a piece of cake and take your natual resource in any continent in the whole world .
    they all shock the world in their might and one of the victum was minilik.
    that was then this is now
    .I never see any sensible ethiopia talk about 30000 ethiopian slotered in addis ababa by mosolini was that minilik

    European today and european yesterday are different we are living in global villege
    to forgive and live in harmoney for better future.

    The oromo ethnic group with out any doubt they are who defend their country with their fellow ethiopian .Oromo are a true warriors thats what the spoiled diaspora diden’t get it .

    Tedy afro is entertainer he is entaiteled to what he said.
    If so can not represent any one.

  39. You have said well; but you wrong to believe in expansion; There was no expansion in Ethiopia, but only contraction. What Menelick did was reuniting the country again. Leave alone Southern Ethiopia of today, even the entire Somalia up to Mogadisho was under Ethiopian sovereign land. Even educated Somalian agree with this. For instance, Mogadisho is a geez word. There was expansion in Ethiopian is a fiction written by TPLF and OLF.
    You may not agree with me, but all Ethiopian are the same, inside and outside, they hate each other like no one. All of them they are right. In a country where everyone is right but no one is wrong. I do not know how you can even educate them. There is no room for critical thinking. The only time tribalism comes to my mind is when I visited Ethiopians websites. I do not see many countries obsessed with their ethnic than Ethiopia. May be this is why we are poor. AIGA = DIASPORA = OPPOSITION = FACTIONS = REBELLS = all behind time. Anyway, one journalist has said recently Ethiopia is the land of the left-behinders which means the land of the backwards. There is some truth in it. Ethiopians are the only people who are not able use internet market economy. Business is done hot online, e-commerce these days, but you can hardly find an Ethiopian running an e-commerce. But you have 100s of websites fully engaged in tribalism everyday. No single Ethiopian has an online shop but an online hate websites only, not one or two, but 100s of websites engaged in hatred politics. I tried to buy online Ethiopian items as I did from across the globe. I did purchase online from England, USA, Scandinivian, Australia, Latin America. But to your surprise, I can not find single Ethiopian item on an online Market. No single item online from 97 million people? imagine? This begs many questions? The only item I found online is the one Ethiopians dress for women. I got that ebay, only that one. I understand now why the country is stuck in the stone age. Those who have access to internet they use internet for bad things.

    Good luck with digging dead people. Shameful generation; you must know you are refusing to live in the 21 century. You are the only people who is regressing in time and wanted to live in the past. Good luck AIGA and your cohorts. I wonder why TPLF needs Ethiopia if it believes Oromos were colonized ? This is my last comment. Thank you aiga for wasting our time. Take note: you are not different from the opposition. you are the other side of the coin

    • Kenya sounds like an Oromo word does that make the whole Kenya an Oromo country? Let us not invent false narrative just to argue against some assertion somebody else makes. This claim that Ethiopia’s border goes way to the Indian ocean is just a fabrication just like the story of Queen Sheba existed or even if she did she was even from where she was claimed to be. If you are looking for an excuse for southward expansion, come up with something presentable even if it is wrong. Meniliks expansion has nothing to do with Ethiopia. He went South because that was where he could find the resources he needed to fight the other kings in the north. He could not have gone North if he had not gone to the South first, because other kings wouldn’t let him. He was in much weaker position before his Southern expansion.

  40. Aiga Forum Administrator,

    You presented the case to your audience in a very shallow understanding of the issue at hand. You as well as the Oromos have known for fact that extremist Amharas have been scratching their head since 2005 to find a unifying issue that could bring their Amhara base together. Hatched in the USA, they started to re-write their history and re-live the ages of their respective kings. In order to achieve their goals they have co-opted political organizations and individuals from all forms of groups.

    The birth date or memorial day of Menilik had never been commemorated in Ethiopia by the past regimes including this one. There is a national Holiday to commemorate Adwa day. The attempt by the Amhara extremists to exhault Menilik is a direct threat to the oromo people’s narrative.

    Understandably, the writer does not share the view of the Oromo people when he attempts to down play the human tragedy caused by Menilik’s war as compared to Mengistu Haile Mariam. History is replete with facts about the genocide of Menilik and the figures of the victims of both dictators are not even comparable by any imagination. Biased coverage nor political opportunism should not blur the truth. You may not even know the depth of anger that Teddy’s attribution of the genocidal war as a “Holy War” generated.

    Teddy is being used as a front runner to advance the most extreme Amhara political establishment. The Oromo people are determined to kill that attempt in its bud.

    • thank you aigaforum.The scope and depth of the Amhara extremist renaissance movement is now more threat to the federal system than any external one.

  41. 1. Something Teddy did not said was posted and then the megazine appoligized
    2. Teddy made it clear that it is not in his interest and concise to promote hate
    3. All of us knows that expansion was made when Minilik was King not emperor, and he has got the permission from the then emperor.
    4. His generals are moslty Oromos
    5. It is not at all Amharas war culture to Mutilate breast(to heart women).
    So I wonder why it is so much associated with Amhara and become a hot agenda behind!
    I think, a political force, probably the government is behind to evaluate how much are the Oromos and Amharas can work together to solve, if issues, such as this arise. My second guess is the powerful bear factories, in Ethiopia may use this opportunity to damage Bedele, though it does not work.
    I also think Aiga take this opportunity to evaluate opinions and the sources of opinions or just to further ignite the flame.

    • menelik was never Emperor, only king. He signed off Eritrea to Italy two month after the death of Yohannes IV at Metema. what are you defending?. Neftegnas were deployed through out south after the victory of Adwa. Before Menelik appeared there was no hate and exlusion among the people only respect for each other. theodros was cruel but not narrow nationalist. Yohannes IV was inclusive and even his base was in debretabor and Mekelle. none of the 100s of Eperors and kings before Menelik are implicated for hate treason and narrow nationalism, only Menelik and there after. the recent Ethio-Eritrea war is his Legacy. his missdids are costly. If you think the Amhara people are Beneficiary of his Ugly work you are dead Wrong. go every where to rural Area and Look for your self if you can be proud of. only hand full people and their relatives are the one that benefited from that kind of political system. the rest are victims like every one else. So there are some interest groups who were direct benefitors and most others are being used by them. Tedy Afro might be one of them.

  42. I am pleased to announce that the Boycottbedele attracted over 40,000 people. The second campaign is to boycott visiting tabloid websites who glorify Minilik or Teddy. Wait and see. We are going to teach the neftegna relics a lesson which they will never forget if they continue singing their (Kererto) on our grad father’s grave.

  43. … IGNORANCE, that’s all I make of all this nonsense!
    the entertainer /so called artist/ happens to be whatsoever thanks to the ignorance that reigned in the populous, thus making him a populist by default. no substance nor coherence in what he claims and declares …

    the so called activists presented themselves as the ones to fill the vacuum created in lack of sound explanation of our troubled history and dealing with it as it is supposed to be. sadly, the ignorant audience is not in short supply.

    thus, it is high time for EPRDF to be ahead of the game by putting the right remedy: INFORMATION
    PEACE! dawit

  44. A note: This is a note to all Ethiopians. The hot topic North America and Europe today is how to colonize new planets in deep space. And the other hot topic is developing how to develop neutrino communication which includes how individuals people can communicate with their body so that people will able to become their own doctors using Neutrino medical imaging which will shows everything inside your body on computer screen. Check this link: But you are digging dead people for development?
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
    1.How to colonize new planets , 6000 people discussing on facebook. Ethiopians you are dead alive? You do not even eat twice a day? but you are digging a man who died 120 years ago?
    fbid=564363586983388&set=a.338058762947206.80193.313312622088487&type=1&theater

    2. Neutrino news
    http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2013/12/27/book-review-neutrino-hunters-the-thrilling-chase-for-ghostly-particle-unlock-secrets-universe-ray-jayawardhana/Uni7DbWLoeTHdiIQOfKnJJ/story.html

  45. Menelik does not deserve a statue any where else in Ethiopia. The Adwa victory was not his own makeing. actually he refuse to mobilize to the North to defend the Mother Land. frious at his stupidity Itege Tayitu ordered her 5000 army to the North to defend the country. warried he will be damped if he do not act, he finally follows suit. but the Adwa war planning layout and execution was a work of Ras Alula Aba Nega. credit goes not to Menelik but to the rank and file of the Ethiopian patriots including Itege Tayitu. Alula Aba Nega crushed one after another the Italians, the Egyptians and the Dervish through hard work and sacrifices, but Menelik betrayed all the hard work and sacrifices of our Heros when he signed off Eritrea willingly to Itally only two months after the death of Yohannes IV at Metema. after the Victory of Adwa, he refused repeated request by ras Alula and ras Mengesh to drive the Italians out of the Whole Eritrea and instead he stole the whole weapons Captured from the Italians and used it to abuse and opress the Ormos and the south people. Menelik is the founder of hate, exclusion and narrow nationalism in this land of ours that lasted for 100 years. not only that he snatched Raya Azebo, TSelemti and Wellkayit Segede and incoroprated it in to the Amhara administration. Tigray its North Mereb given Away to Itally and its south west stolen to be part of Amhara was a gross treason by all account. and all the rest of 100 years systmatic crimes committed against the people of Tigray. At the same time the Neftegna were deployed to the Ormias and south which dispossess them of their land, reduced them to as second class Citizens. On accounts of his treason I strongly belive that Menelik deserve no statue of any kind any where in Ethiopia. If the Amhara politicians insist on having one, I hope not, then they can have it at Bahardar. I do not think Tedy Afro has carefully studied the last 120 years Ethiopian history. his references are verbal words from his mentors hate groups and narrow nationalist of Menelik origin.

  46. What Teddy has been doing and continues to do is catering to the toxic diaspora, which is dam of him as an artist, he is an irresponsible arrogant who is trying to inflicting pains to Ethiopians on whom he depends on to sell his talent to make his living by digging buried history. Now he is narrowing his market to match narrow thinking. The unity of Ethiopia is not dependent on selfish Singer rather on its sons and daughters who understand and are willing to do what is required up to paying the ultimate price just so people can live their life including him free of fear and intimidation and this is evident in today’s Ethiopia.

  47. Ethiopians:

    We are living in the 21 century; Think in the 21 century ; We are better today than ever before; Thanks to civilization; we can communicate each other across the oceans at the speed of light.What did we contribute this amazing Techonology? We are abusing Technology? White must credit the white man who made us enjoy communication civilization at the speed of light. Move away from hate please, the ordinary Ethiopians of today, regardless ethnic or region or religion wanted peace, bread and butter and clean water and proper housing. I do not believe the poor Oromo, or Amhara or any body else wanted this bullshit incarnation of a man who died 120 years ago. South Africans has lost their land for 500 years and up to now their land is occupied and they are still living in peace with the people who occupied their land in peace. I think mutual understanding and co-existence and sensitivity is the only peace solution for any society. antagonizing different group will hatch perpetual war. I hope the narrow AIGA websites and other websites of Ethiopians who engaged in disseminating racism will learn and stop their madness before they plunge the country into bloody ethnic war. Someone has to advise few chauvinists Oromos, amharas, tigreans(like AIGA) to stop their dirty game of ethnic discourse. While Europeans and North Americans speed day and night planning how to colonize other new planets in deep space? Ethiopians digging their king who died 120 years ago.

    Check this link? 6000 people are discussing on face-book how to colonize other planets in the next 100 years and they are laying the ground for future generation. But you laying the foundation of hatred.
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=564363586983388&set=a.338058762947206.80193.313312622088487&type=1&theater

    Please see the future, time is irreversible and every second is so precious. Our life is worth living in peace and love. There is no any country that has developed by Anarchy. Take lesson from Somalia. It is now 23 years since Somalians have been killing each other. The majority of Somalians are wonderful people. I know them and they are part of my life. But they do not deserve the life the they have been living for the past 23 years. The conflicts was started by myopic Somalians like AIGA and other chauvinists. We have chauvinists from all Ethnics. Chauvinists must be stopped before they plunge our country into bloodshed. If you want to discuss issues you come together and organize civilized discussion if there is any merit from the past. Otherwise, the people 90% Ethiopians live below poverty line; Ethiopians do not even eat twice a day. No clean water, no proper housing, no electricity . This is topic is not in the interest of the poor Ethiopians regardless ethnic.

    Let us look forward and work for better future for all Ethiopians. Love is the only weapon that can win everything that makes us suffer. If we antagonize each other, then it will our people who be bearing the brunt. There is a saying in English that goes: ” when bulls fight , it is the grass which will be trodden down.”

    Be advised brotherly and sisterly, you need to stop your promoting hatred among our people. As I said myself, my life has been touched by all people, not only Ethiopians, but even Somalians people. I know how nice Somalians to Ethioians; I am talking innocent people. They are the people I saw them in my life jumping to help Ethiopians in trouble. I have never seen an Ethiopians helping Ethiopians like Somalians do. My heart ache Somalian people. We must learn what they have been through because of narrow ethnicist who ignited war.

    Once more , take my advise, stop all of you this campaign; Even if EPRDF like AIGA and other oppositions promote that, please say no; this is in the interest the population at home.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=564363586983388&set=a.338058762947206.80193.313312622088487&type=1&theater

  48. Here is my take on this issue and issues of other people of the South. The question that I have is what did these people lose as a result of the conquest? Any thing that was taken from them should be given back to them. Now, has that been achieved or even tried yet? I don’t think so. Why not? Because the so called changes were cosmetic in their very nature. The people in power want us to believe this is a new day. I agree it is a new day but it is not for Oromos and people of the South, who lived under this system for the last hundred years. It is for those people who came in to Addis with their guns blazing who used some individuals of the Southern origin to continue the exploitation and subjugation that started under Minelik. There is no reason for the Struggle to stop because these people’s struggle to be free from any occupiers ends when these invaders get the hell out of there. Therefore every freedom lover needs to work towards that end. Amen!

  49. I was one of the sypthisers of Teddy Afro. I always assumed he was innocent. I thought he was used by nasty people who wanted to promot their racist agenda. I knew what he did against the people of Tigray. It was realy silly but still thought he did not mean it and stood beside him.Now, I have found things very different with him indeed. Now I could understand the very nature of this person. He sided the Neftegnas and adored the inhuman atrocities perpetrated by king Menelik as “holy duties”. I am sorry, though it is not time to scratch old wonds, the neftegnas have to be told a spade is a spade. Teddy has to either side with the people or watch his unavoidable fate of disgrace.
    Another point I want to raise is about what Ato Gezae said in his comments about the Oromo people. Ato Gezae is the other side of the coin – in the name of unity, he wants all wrongs justified. In the name of ‘ rights’ he lets the Neftegnas to continue insulting the people of nations and nationalities of Ethiopia. The Oromo people have the right to express their their pain in what ever way they want. Do not tell the to shut up. Enough is enough Mr Gezae,

  50. እንግዲህ እኛ ኢትዮጵያውያን ኣንድ ነን ከተባለ በክፉም በደጉም ኣንድ እንድንሆን ያስፈልጋል። ያለ ኢትዮጵያ ሌላ ኣገር እንደሌለን እናውቃለን ሆኖም ግን ኣንድ ያልሆን ኣንድ ነነ ብለን ለራሳችን እንድንዋሽም ኣያስፈልግም።
    ኣንዳን ሰዎች የድሮ መቀስቀስ ለምንድን ኣስፈለገ? ይላሉ፣እነዚህ ሰዎች ያልገባቸው ነገር ቢኖር ነገሩን ኦሮሞች ኣላነሱትም! ቴዲ ኣፍሮ ነው ያነሳው፣የኣፄ ሚኒሊክ መቶኛ ዓመት በማክበር ነው ያለሱት! ስለሆነም እንኳን የኣይሙሮ ቁስል የሰውነት ቁስልም እስከ እለተ-ህልፈት የማይጠፋ ጠባሳ ጥሎ እንደሚያልፍ እየታወቀ እንደው ዝም ብሎ የሰው ቁስል መነካካቱ ያለያያል እንጂ ኣንድ ኣያደርግም፣ኢትዮጵያ ያለ ኣፄ ሚኒሊክ ንጉስ ያልነበራት ይመስል ቴዲ ኣፍሮም ይሁን የኣፄ ሚኒሊክ መቶኛ ኣመት ያከበሩ ሰዎች ሁኔታ ሁሉም ነገር እንዳለቀባቸው ለማወቅ ኣያዳግትም።
    ኣንዳን ሰዎች ደግሞ የተፃፈ ታሪክ እያለ ይላሉ! ማን የፃፈው ታሪክ? የኢትዮጵያ ታሪክ እንዳለ የተፃፈ ሳይሆን ግማሽ እውነት ሆኖ እሱም የገዢ መደቦችን ብቻ እንዲያስደስት ተብሎ የተፃፈ ነው! ገዢዎች በኢትዮጵያ ህዝቦ ላይ ያደረሱት በደል ግን እንዳለ ተገድፏል! ሆኖም ግን ታሪክ ታሪክ ነውና የተረሳ ተረስቶ ያልተረሳ ደግሞ ሲመር ሲዋረድ ይኖራል!
    በመጨረሻ በህዝቦች ላይ የደረሰ በደል በይቅርታ ማለፍ እየተቻለ መልሶ መላልሶ የሰው ቁስል መነካካቱ ተገቢ ኣይደለም!
    ለነገሩ ኣሁን ኢትዮጵያ ተቀይራለች። ማንም ከየትም መጥቶ ህዝብን የሚበድልበት ዕድል በጣም ትንሽ ነው።
    ስለ በደሌ ቢራ፦በደሌ ቢራም ሰላም ፈላጊ ኢዮጵያዊ ሁሉ ማኣቀብ እንዲያደርግለት ያስፈልጋል! በዚህ የተነሳም ለሌሎች ትምህርት ይሆናል።

    ኣንዳን ሰዎች ደግሞ ካለማወቃቸው የተነሳ ይኼ ወያነ የፈጠረው ነው ይላሉ፣ ወያነ ግን ይኼን ያክል ርካሽ ኣለመሆኑን ባወቁ ነበር! ከዚህ በተረፈ ሁኔታዎችን ኣብረን እንከታተል!

  51. I am happy to see all kind of comments on the article, opposing, agreeing, raising different issues, and suggestions. It seems is a start for all Ethiopians to come to one mission that is to build the country with all the knowledge of its citizens. Did you see how Ethiopians are rich of ideas? The article was just one, but entertains about 94 comments. I totally appreciate AIGA forum to be as transparent as maximum possible. And urge you to continue such openness in your next articles. This will help to develop and change the existing political culture of Ethiopia.

  52. Ladies and Gents..
    We all are stuck in this politics not just now. but this had been same for the last hundered years or so. Menilik did great job, of course, but equally had made some serious political mistakes that we are paying so far. one is the issue of eritrea. he gave up the people of there by signature. thats why the so called mereb milash issues came up and the two brothers had to bleed.

    Go to the south of showa..ofcourse the people have now equal rights and are enjoying what collective ethiopia has to offer. but it is still fresh in every of their minds of menelik’s successvie campaigns. why is OLF alive, why is ONLF alive…? it is utter stupid to deny these people were not HAPPY as much as most of the rest of ethiopians (the habeshas).

    Now in the middle of this, Teddy made fool of himself by calling the war as holly war. Ofcourse, it is his right to say whatever he wants to say but he was less of a smart to KNOW the other side of the story. it was insenssitive of him.

    Anyways, the whole point is imagine if Teddy was a government official ?? this will likely triggered some kind of conflict. but, lucky he is just a singer with some insight on the political histroy of ethiopia.

    Ofcourse, EPRDF lined up all those unhappy people to fight the centrist views and now are enjoying their rights more than any time in their history with in Ethiopia. But, it looks most have not yet understood or seem to have forgotten what EPRDF is all about and what the constitution is all about.
    So, a lot has been done to heal the wounds of these peoples via political and economical means.
    yet one thing remained I thik.

    HOW ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, ON BEHALF OF THE PAST REGIMES, SAY SORRY TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO STILL FEEL BAD BY THE PAST??

    AIGA could you please setup a means so that may be the netters vote on this ?

  53. Bedele Special decides not to pursue the sponsorship concert tour | “On 20 December 2013, we announced a sponsorship agreement between the Bedele Special brand and the Ethiopian artist Teddy Afro. We regret that we will disappoint those who were looking forward to the concert tour; however we have decided not to pursue the sponsorship of the concert tour.” Nebat Sukker, HEINEKEN Breweries S.C. Press Office

  54. Tplf successed,Ethiopia lost.to be honest Oromo never had great enemies than tplf.even some one say in ethiopian prison the only language you can hear is Oromo.yet people upset what happen a century ago.as if Oromo liberated today.if you can not change your present today,you are no difference than your ancestor,stand up people.oromos are not a better shape in any form,than those who live minilk era.

    • Selam,

      Since when did any Amhara raise the issue of human rights violation of the Oromos in the last 20 years. Now they tell us about Oromo suffering. That is not news to us. The fact that the prison speaks Oromo is not news to us. Your Amhara media were not willing even to post the violations in Oromia over their web pages.

      Sure, we do not share the same level of protection as the Tigreans and the Amharas. But that does not mean that we ignored working with any one of these groups on issues that bind us. I am not sure how you will handle when we get our people from the prison houses in the future.

  55. I can say words that can break your bones and deprive you sleep. But I am a civilized man and I can not do what you are doing. If AIGA is not happy. AIGA knows how to talk to me. They do not need your support. Buddy, learn, grow up, … there is no human dog, there are only people who think like dogs, and you are one of them. You may not agree with me, but even dog is far better than you. Dogs are the most loyal and faithful animal on the planet. Dogs are far better than people like you. Felas, It is non-of your business I can write 1 million pages. Mr. Woldai, please stick your finger into your ass for now and have a good year that way. I hope this is enough for you. AIGA post this one and do not delete it. This the law of physics , there must be at least mild response like this to the most primitive action. Good day!

  56. Some ppl in Ethiopia and Ethiopians around the world still they don’t understand what is democracies mean I suggests pleas anyone before talk empty and unhelpful word respect indviduals right .

  57. @ Gezaee I feel sorry about u why u loose ur time those ppl never understand or they don’t won’t understand at this time maybe ………… Agin maybe near future my bro .

  58. Like millions of my generation and the generation after me, I am not responsible for what happened to the oppressed and neglected peoples of Ethiopia by precious regimes. But as an individual, although there is nothing I can do to reverse it, the least I can do is acknowledge that atrocities have happened that affected the lives of past generations which , in turn had left an impact on how present generations think. Slavery is fervently opposed by white people who abhor what happened in their name. Germans condemn what Hitler did to the Jewish people; white South Africans fought Apartheid along with the members of the ANC. Without such acknowledgment of past atrocities by the new generation, it is impossible to go forward. We have to have a shared understanding of our past in order to move forward to our shared goals. To this end the Amhara elite must come to terms with its own guilt and start to begin to acknowledge that atrocities have been committed in its name. In modern day Ethiopia this group whether living inside or outside of Ethiopia has to make all efforts to distance itself from political groups and monarchists who want to take us back to the bad old days. The very elite that condemned feudalism in the 60s and the 70s in unison, is now finding it difficult to accept that the imperial regimes have unlawfully expropriated properties , imposed socio-economic subjugations and unethical governance on millions of Ethiopians across many regions.
    Instead this very group is aligning with megalomaniacs like Teddy Afro to rub salt into the wounds of any Ethnic group in Ethiopia that feels that it has been a victim of imperial policies. People should not hide behind high sounding phrases and words like ‘right’, ‘freedom of expression’ etc. in order to allow the likes of Teddy Afro to insult people. What is difficult in saying to the past victims, I am sorry of what happened before I WAS BORN, What can I do to make things better?

  59. AIGA, please post my response to Woldai, please, if you allow one to insult, then you must allow a response to it. No one has a right to run on others. Please AIGA do that; if you do not do that, I will not come to this website and I will consider as enemy. I do not take racism in form because you guys enjoy ethnicism and racism? I am allergic to tribalism. If there is anyone who try to control me from TPLF, they are wrong. I am not the type of person TPLF can control me by remote control.

  60. If Teddy is proud of everything Ethiopian, can somebody tell me why he hasn’t sung about AXUM obelisk when it was coming back from Italy? Is that because it is related to Tigray? I wonder?

    This is a good lesson for him, it brings him down to Earth and ,I hope make him think a little bit before beating the drum next time.

  61. George Washington, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, was a slave holder. But we don’t often see people in the U.S., African Americans in particular, boycotting products just because a company sponsors an artist who praises Washington in his songs. To the contrary, the name and image of Washington is something highly sought after. While it is difficult to compare Emperor Minilik with George Washington, for all the bad things he did during his reign, Minilik, like Washington, is responsible for the creation of modern Ethiopia as we know her today. Furthermore, mobilizing a voluntary ragtag army and defeating the modern Italian invading forces at Adwa was no easy task. Therefore, I don’t agree with Aigaforum’s description of the artist as “Teddy Afro known for his infatuation with past emperors…” Appreciating one’s own history should not be described as infatuation.
    Regarding the Oromiya regional government’s decision to erect a statue depicting “Minilk’s atrocities against women,” I am surprised you guys (the people at Aigaforum), of all people, are taken aback by this decision. After all, EPRDF has always been hell bent to tarnish the reputations of Minilik and Hailesselassie by constantly reminding us their bad deeds and never mentioning any of the good things they did – however small they might be. So why are you now surprised when the Oromiya regional government finally decides to implement what EPRDF has been preaching about all along?
    For my Oromo compatriots, do not fall prey to the propaganda of EPRDF. I am sure Minilik, like other rulers of his time, has committed atrocities against various groups (Amharas, Oromos, Kembatas…). But we should also consider what he did to preserve the unity of Ethiopia in the face of European colonial powers. Let’s also not forget the many Oromos who played a prominent role, alongside Minilik, in this struggle. The more time we spend bothering about the past, the less time we have to think about the future. Which is, in my opinion, exactly what EPRDF wants us to do.

  62. There are few Ethiopians who hate their past and now they are trying to tell us bad about minilik. what i say is this ” you can not change the past but the future” Minilik was not god, he did good and bad to Ethioians and Ethiopia as all our past leaders. we love you minilik for those good things that you have done to ethiopia and we learn from the mistakes that you have done in order to create a better society and leaders

  63. There we go again! Teddy Afro is an artist! The past emperors have done a lot of good things for the country, but none of them were democrats and we do not expect that as it is always was the case in the History of the world. I have never heard of people in the world who become sworn enemies of their own history. Italians are trying to erect a statue for Graziani, the known fascist! on the contrary, it is so depressing to see Ethiopians relentlessly attacking our emperors who made mistakes but also who fought against fascists and built their country. Why do not we judge them by their era and move forward! why would it be the Oromo’s only who should be activists on this issue! why should it not be an Ethiopian issue what so ever! Why does Aiga forum choose to sensationalize very sensitive and dividing issues all the time? it is really shameful to see the media becoming a forum of conflict instead of a uniting one at the very time we Ethiopians need unity more than ever! do not you watch what happens to Ethiopians all over the world and what the potential Enemies of Ethiopia do day and night! why do we hand them over weapons that in turn would destroy us? come on! please grow up!

    • Thank you Zeru Hagos, you made my day. AIGA thinks they are so clever and they are fully engaged in dividing our people. Shame on them . And next time they will tell us about toxic diaspora while themselves are more than toxic.

  64. Aiga! Stop talking up your lip! Guad Mengistu H.Mariam did nothing bad on Oromo people! Oromos are Ethiopian in front of Mengistu ; No systematic discrimination for education, for position and etc. like your bosses are doing on us now and the MOA-ANBESSA EM-ZE NEGED YIHUDAs in the past.

    Mengistu was a real Ethiopian leader; He has no intention of siding with this or that. In Mengistu’s time; everybody had equal opportunity…for position, for education, etc. We real Ethiopian Oromos loved him and will keep up on loving him forever.May God bless him and his family!
    What about in Minillik time and Now in your time: ….We know very well that you are working tirelessly to ENSURE THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DOMINANCE OF TIGRAY PEOPLE(now); and AMHARAS(during ATSEs period).

  65. C’mon man this is an old trick Ethiopians are smart enough to know your tactics they are not gonna be divided with your trash strategy!!! LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA!!! ONE LOVE!!!

  66. It is sad news you Ethiopians discredited king Menlike, even if you go Tigria the big glass to drink Tela or beer it is called Menlike, but some elite guys tried play game against Menlike, There are many books written about Menlike by Western Educators and scholars, But the Northern Ethiopians elite play the card ethnicity and I argue and debate King Menlike played a great roll expanding Ethiopia. Otherwise, the so called Ethiopia are North Shoa, Gogum, Begemder, Wallo, Tigria and Bahar Negash.
    What era King Menlike lived?
    King Menlike lived in 1800 year and this period was colonization period and there was no International Institution to abide by the rule of law and enforce it. Note that AGIA Forum use your balanced judgment be as true Ethiopian balance in a proper way and what you say when United State took over Texas, and New Mexico in 1869
    and killed a million people and you are denigrating king Menlike, but the western scholars called him a black- white man because the defeat white man by black man was considered shameful. Furthermore, King Menlike Introduced Modern civilization to Ethiopia and expanded Ethiopia.because the era colonization.
    For me King Yohannse and King Menlike worked their part for Ethiopia and now we go back returning the wheel of history. Of course King Menlike did not fight to the coast of Bahr Negash and that one of the mistake he did and gave the port Jubuti to France in order to construct the railway from Addis to Jubot.
    Ethiopia was the first country in the continent of Africa to have a diplomatic relationship with West European countries after the defeat of Italian army at AMBA LEG at Adwa. Let stand for Ethiopia and unite and move forward.

  67. Teddy Afro, the 37-year-old pop music star who is also known as Tewodros Kassahun, is the most popular Ethiopian musician of this generation. What made Teddy more popular and admired than all the other Ethiopian artists, however, is not just his musical talent. It is his integrity, social consciousness and genuine patriotism.

    Teddy is among the few prominent Ethiopians who have been willing to stand up and be counted when it comes to promoting Ethiopian nationalism. While the Ethiopian elite has abdicated responsibility, Teddy has picked up the torch of our ancestors and is able to instill Ethiopian pride among the new generation of Ethiopians. Thanks to Teddy Afro, the legacy of great Ethiopian leaders of past generations, such as Emperor Menelik, is being remembered and appreciated by young Ethiopians through out the world. Tedy Afro’s recent hit song, Tikur Saw (Black Person), is just one example of his many works of art that are helping to keep Ethiopian patriotism alive. For many children, Teddy Afro is the only teacher of Ethiopianism, a shared value and source of pride that used to inspire all black people of the world.

    Teddy Afro is also the first Ethiopian artist to emerge as a global music star. He has been selected by FIFA to perform at the upcoming World Cup in Brazil representing Africa.

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