Of-course a lot should be done to spread national language and Ethiopian system of Education. One of Ethiopias many problems right now is the very poor level of spoken English of its university graduates. Social Studies with Mister Parker 3.14K subscribers During the Scramble for Africa only two African nations managed to stay independent. Or are you referring to every decade since the 60s when African leaders have either bowed to the structural adjustment policies pushed by globalists or pushed top-down macroeconomic approaches to prematurely integrate their countries into the globalized market? Which African states colonized? Emperor Haile Selassie made animpassioned appealfor assistance in removing the Italians and re-establishing independence to the League of Nations on June 30, 1936, gaining support from the U.S. and Russia. You can`t use the free education paid by poor majority farmers to benefit only yourself through globalization. Woldeyes argues that this approach was the norm in Ethiopian education for centuries. Haile Selassie was only able to return after British and Ethiopian forces expelled the Italian army in the course of World War II . Schooling today, argues Woldeyes, is as much a process of unlearning local tradition as it is about learning the art of foreign imitation. Opera News furthermore does not condone the use of our platform for the purposes encouraging/endorsing hate speech, violation of human rights and/or utterances of a defamatory nature. Whether I am in favor of the use of Amharic in grade school or of another Ethiopian language is completely irrelevant. Formal colonialism first came to the region we today call Ghana in 1874, and British rule spread through the region into the early twentieth century. ?..You dont need to know.Mastewal Taddese Terefe, yes it is a good idea to learn more for masters; maybe you will be observing the fact.Until that, please just the struggle to throw this stinky the so-called Ethiopian government. The changes to education curriculum and languages is actually very revealing. The Thesis of the book in the article and the article seem to base their thesis on a premise that didnt take into account the crucial historical background.I write and speak in English reasonably well but I am a lot more fluent in Amharic.Ethiopian languages are rich languages and worth learning,being an Ethiopian,you dont have to abandon them in order to master foreign languages.Parents should make their children aware of that, adopting English didnt rob us of our rich language and yes fortunately we were not colonized and those who attempted have been saved from one more sinning due to colonizing.Tefera Worku, currently An Indy Adv Math Researcher in Addis ( PMSs or now AKHSs and SUNYA+Rutgers Alumni). Some scholars argue, however, that Liberia's 23-year period of American domination until independence in 1847 qualifies it to be regarded as a colony. African studies is waste of cultural and intellectual energies. Meet Jerome Kerviel, the poorest person in the world. Ethiopia was officially recognized as an independent state in 1896, after decisively defeating invading Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa. Liberia, Africas Oldest Independent and Democratic Republic, Celebrates the 169th Anniversary of Its Independence. According to a survey conducted by Durex, Ugandans and Cameroonians are among the most sexually active countries in Africa, and by extension the world. But we live in 2020; this colonialism is still going on in some . Successive rulers maintained a contradictory relationship with Europe between friendship and enmity until Emperor Haile Selassie, who ruled up to 1974, initiated a period of radical westernisation post-WW2. If youre proud of Ethiopian ancestry follow their way not Ferenjochen. On May 5, 1941 Ethiopia regained its independence and Selassie was reinstated as the Emperor of Ethiopia. One addition.Ethiopian Christianity is different from Christianity in other African countries(e,g, South Sudan)where the religion was introduced by politically motivated colonial missionaries ,bearers of colonial agenda ,intent on wiping out the indigenous culture and languages. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Those countries were Liberia in West Africa and Ethiopia in East Africa. :- Coffee is the country's largest export. Here is where I would like to say, ignorance is bliss. The aim of invading Ethiopia was to boost Italian national prestige, which was wounded by Ethiopia's defeat of Italian forces at the Battle of Adowa in the nineteenth century (1896), which saved Ethiopia from Italian colonisation.This was used as a rationale to invade Abyssinia.. How did Italy win against Ethiopia? But after that, the language of instruction switched. When has Afrocentrism failed us? Why is Liberia so poor? and these trainees kept returning replacing the Expats.The main effect of such visionary and wise educational policy drive turned out to be most Alumnus of , especially the oldest high schools + AAU (formerly Haile Selassie University ) became successful in further education abroad.Hence the main reason we Ethiopians use English as Medium of instruction, are addicted to English Lits or Hollywood movies is because of the way our exposure to the Advanced Nations was engineered.When Deng xiao Ping opened China to the Industrialized world it sent its brightest to US,UK,France,Canada,etc..and they returned and turned China to the envy of the world.Opting to the best Available Education and adopting the best fitting medium is not Self-Colonization, it is being smart and visionary.The French,Italians,Germans,etc have their exclusive high School and Culture and language centers here in Addis, but Historical circumstances favored The Brits+The Americans, it is historical coincidence too. Is the native education system inclusive? Failing hospitals and private-public fiefdoms: what healthcare reveals about Sudan By Nesrine Malik, A struggle in a struggle: Patriarchy in Kenyas social justice movement. Their location, economic viability, and unity helped Ethiopia and Liberia avoid colonization. Ethiopia is considered "never colonized" by some scholars, despite Italy's occupation from 19361941 because that did not result in a lasting colonial administration. - Ethiopian rulers have fought with Europeans as well as made agreements and friendship on their own free will without compromising the nations independence and sovereignty. Ethiopia needs the technical knowhow required for its economic transformation, and the extensive body of knowledge used for this purpose is available in English, and not in Amharic. China in Mauritius: Gateway to Africa or forgotten friend? . But what do you mean by Native education ? - Amhara culture was already engrained within Ethiopian society, both through political culture, and, as the author mentions, religious traditions. - With a population of 1,402,983, Equatorial Guinea has a literacy rate of 95.30%. I was An Academic in Math in Eth for 7 yrs I did get my first B.Sc.+M.Sc there and did my Ph.D.work and Worked as an Academic in the US for 21 yrs.English became a medium of instruction because of sound reasoning and wise and visionary decision by the rulers who facilitated the introduction of Modern, i.e. I listened to American songs. Even the best language solution for Ethiopia is to adapt English as not only medium of instruction but also official and working language for the federal government. Liberia was never officially colonized, but Liberia was effectively an American colony. I can understand the writers unhappy sentiments about English, and not Amharic, being used for higher learning in Ethiopia. !! They occupied the capital Addis Ababa on 5 May 1936. Thanks for this great analysis about Ethiopia! The British called the territory the Gold Coast Colony. Maybe in the future Mandarin or Cantonese!! The argument by the writers (both the book and the article) is one-sided and did not take into consideration the realities of Ethiopian societies who have multiple epistemology, cultures, and languages. After a successful overthrow the Britons considered it not worth to take Ethiopia as their colony. ?? This also calls into question the very existence of an Ethiopian epistemology. At its end, there were only two African states remaining: Ethiopia and Liberia. This is our proud history that our fathers and forefathers and mothers sacrificed for. Leave Greater Africa out of your deluded theories. Mali: The stoning that didnt happen, and Child sexual exploitation is on the rise. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform What was Liberia called before colonization? It will also entail a critical study of the modes of scholarship previously side-lined as traditional. During its brief military occupation during World War II, Italy never established colonial control over Ethiopia. Do we not worship the same celebrities worshipped in [Addis Abeba]? Their location, economic viability, and unity helped Ethiopia and Liberia avoid colonization. As English is the widely spoken language in the developed world, learning in English has benefited us. Nigeria is known as the giant of Africa in terms of population and economy and it also has some of the most good-looking people. 3/ The fact that the development of education in Ethiopia has been uneven and now worsening quality should not necessarily mean the solution is in going native. We need to be pragmatic; Which strategy best serves the purposes of producing a society that is literate, law-abiding, and able to feed itself? During its brief military occupation during World War II Italy never established colonial control over Ethiopia. Rwanda is arguably the safest country in Africa, which is immediately apparent upon arrival in the relaxed and sophisticated capital Kigali. The author used the term colonization out of context. If some body is brilliant enough, he/she will learn any language and make benefit out of it. - On the other hand, they were not if you are comparing their history with that of other African countries who were However, few stints of foreign control in the two country has been a subject of debate whether Liberia and Ethiopia truly remained fully independent. Opera News furthermore does not condone the use of our platform for the purposes encouraging/endorsing hate speech, violation of human rights and/or utterances of a defamatory nature. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. English is the dominant language in science and technology, international trade and communication. Some geniuses didnt go unnoticed. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The author of this article seems too young to remember the time when primary and secondary education in Ethiopia was in Amharic up till the 12 Grade with English being the language of study only in University and Higher Education. The point I was trying to make is that it makes more sense to talk about native colonialism when referring about, for example, the use of Amharic rather than the convoluted argument that native colonialism is the imposition of a foreign academic culture by a local (read native) elite. Emperor Haile Selassie's reign was interrupted on 3 October 1935 when Italian forces under the direction of dictator Benito Mussolini invaded and occupied Ethiopia. ? However, there were a couple of countries in Africa that were never colonized. So there is an argument to be made that there has been a native colonialism to impose the Amhara culture, the Ethiopian Socialism and now the ethno-nationalist agenda of the successive power holders (including at times with the use of physical violence). - ??? 1/ I would de-emphasize the idea of Ethiopian exceptionalism; there exists no society in the world that in some fashion does not lay claim to such an idea. The United States finally established diplomatic relations with Liberia in 1862, and continued to maintain strong ties until the 1990s. Nigerian men are handsome and classy. This is what we are doing under the banner of Post-Africanism. The Amhara tribe could own the burden of uplifting their language for their own cause! Do we not mock or denigrate traditional values? She used it to hipe readers. Italians made an attempt to have Ethiopia as their share of Africa. but Liberia was a US-backed construction where freed american slaves could be returned to Aftrica. Afrocentrism is not the solution to Africas problems, it is the root problem. This makes Ethiopia the only nations in Africa, probably in the world that has never been colonized. Our teacher would enforce a 5-cent penalty for every Amharic word that slipped through our lips during lessons. !!! Although Liberia received partial independence in 1839 through a commonwealth declaration it took them eight years to become a self-independent nation on 26 July 1847. Your choice for a header says a lot Ethiopia was Colonised. - ? Both the author of this article and Woldeyes completely ignore the very physical nature of violence that colonialism entails. The path traversed by Ethiopia was not to modernize the traditional system rather it was a policy of throwing away its own indigenous experience. : It started as Cape Mesurado Colony, a creation of the American Colonization Society, and later expanded to become the Colony of Liberia in 1824. It is only since 1994 that local languages were used in the primary schools and that English became the language of instruction in the Secondary and Tertiary levels. Despite its abundant natural wealth and favorable geographic location, Liberia is among the worlds poorest countries. Their location economic viability and unity helped Ethiopia and Liberia avoid colonization. Mastewal might not like it but the answer now is English!! African history records only two countries which are considered to have survived the scramble for Africa and remained independent during the invasion, partitioning and forceful ruling of Africa by European nations. Although the attention grabbing headline Ethiopia Was Colonized might be offensive to many Ethiopians sensibilities, I think it is more offensive to people who actually suffered colonization. Countries Who Were Never Colonized Liberia got their independence officially in 1847 but before then, they gained partial independence by Commonwealth Declaration of 4th April, 1839. When an Ethiopian is selling coffee, or holidays, or flowers or the output of the rapidly expanding manufacturing sector to a Japanese, Chinese, or German importer, what language do they use to negotiate a deal?? Take Ethiopia, the only sub-Saharan African country that was never colonized. Interesting article, but lack research and understanding of the Ethiopian context. Between 1885 and 1914, Britain took nearly 30% of Africa's population under its control; 15% for France, 11% for Portugal, 9% for Germany, 7% for Belgium and 1% for Italy. You know initial impressions formed from a headline can have a significant influence on a readers thoughts, even if that person reads enough of the article to recognize the headlines flaws. And while using English as a medium of instruction has its advantages in terms of economic utility in the global market, the author makes the very important point that it incurs an important opportunity cost. The country was established by Americans in 1821. So how did the countrys school system come to be the way it is? In Kemetic History of Afrika, Dr cheikh Anah Diop writes, The ancient name of Africa was Alkebulan. I say, shallow, because you dont need to be a social scientist to know it is much more complicated than the use of English as medium of instruction that causes the ills he identified in the piece. To respond to Kal, since I am the said One critic [who] even complained that HIM was pushing Amhara domination by using Amharic as a medium of instruction in grade schools, do re-read my argument. In the year 1970 the foreign nations were controlling a tenth of the Africa soil. Score: 4.7/5 (58 votes) . In other words, which is the predominant cultural reference in Ethiopia at the moment both in the urban and the rural part of the country, is it Teddy Afro or Kanye West? Couldnt we imagine one of the shemagele from the countryside saying: Their location economic viability and unity helped Ethiopia and Liberia avoid colonization. 5/ Education outcomes are not always predictable. Every single country in the world offers a globally standardized education- mimicking the western way. Is Africa still colonized? The status of Liberia as once a colony of America was in question. - But make sure that we keep our values, cultures and identity but at the same time learn from others!!!! how did ethiopia successfully resist European rule? This is manifested not just in schools, but in societal modes of discourse and expression, as well as in societal norms and values. There is no doubt that cultural colonialism is taking place in Ethiopias urban localities. The history of Liberia exposes the controversy of their consideration as a never colonized country. I agree with the author. Emperor Haile Selassie received support from the US and Russia after making an impassioned appeal to the League of Nations on 30 June 1936. News ), Opera News is a free to use platform and the views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent, reflect or express the views of Opera News. Ethiopia and Liberia are widely believed to be the only two African countries to have never been colonized. the Islamic education? Ethiopia won the First Italo-Ethiopian War, becoming the first African nation to defeat a European nation. In Native Colonialism, Woldeyes does not stop at diagnosing the problem. Why did Italy conquer Ethiopia? So please let us not waste our time in simple arguments about language or colonization issues but make sure that we all get the right information, knowledge and capacity from any source written in any language and make a difference!! The question of why these two countries survived while so many failed has intrigued historians since the 19th century. Your focus on Amhara is revealing, given that the author, in each instance, simply argued for indigenous cultural empowerment. The Ethiopian traditional wisdom and religious teachings may be of no value for those of us who live in the West. Rwanda is arguably the safest country in Africa, which is immediately apparent upon arrival in the relaxed and sophisticated capital Kigali. She know what she is talking about. But manyLeague of Nationsmembers, including Britain and France, recognized Italian colonization. Most of the new comer countries in the world who were better in adopting foreign technology, producing new technologies or efficient way of production, improving the quality of life of their people are those who borrowed advanced languages as medium of instruction such as Japan, south Korea, India and lesser extent china. Besides, so long as you give the priority & value to your identity first, there is no harm in learning others language, culture, etc you, for example, have listed a bunch of all foreign institutions to show how much educated & commanding you are (which, by the way, is no wrong!). Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. Mind colonization is worest! African Safari Tours: Bowed and hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, but still resilient, Support the African Tourism Industry featuring Our Favorite Stays, 6 quick tips to consider when choosing a hotel. I have scored A in Amharic and B in English (ESLCE). ? Mastewal Taddese Terefe is a student at New York University School of Law. This is the central argument the author is making, so I will invite you, in turn, to re-read the article, perhaps ignoring for a second, the provocative title. The western techne was sure used as the basis of the education system, but the episteme itself was never fully foreign to Ethiopia. Ethiopia and Liberia are widely believed to be the only two African countries to have never been colonized. One critic even complained that HIM was pushing Amhara domination by using Amharic as a medium of instruction in grade schools. Growing up in Ethiopia, fluency in English was considered a mark of progress and elite status. Why did Ethiopia not get colonized? He argues that: before the rise of western knowledge as the source of scientific truth, ones political and social status in Ethiopia was justified on the basis of traditional beliefs and practices. Ethiopia and Liberia are widely believed to be the only two African countries to have never been colonized. :: The wealthiest city in Africa. So yes, for obvious and practical reasons, English for higher learning and Amharic for Ethiopian literature and cultural matters theatre, music, etc. Contributions from traditional Ethiopian educators such as elders, religious leaders, and customary experts were squeezed out. In a sense, they were, because at some periods in their history they were ruled by foreign powers. I was interested in studying in Norway since the tuition is free, but I couldnt get a single University that teaches science and technology in English unless it is in Graduate level. And what could be considered as being native: Teddy Afro, the quintessential Ethiopian superstar, or the Ethiopian radio DJ that just happens to play Kanye West because its what the rest of the world also listen to? Please enough is enough for us the subjects! 9 May 1936 Abyssinia became the colony of Italy. Their location, economic viability, and unity helped Ethiopia and Liberia avoid colonization. Today, we may need native epistemologies to take back the country from native colonisation. This cannot be considered as colonization but seeking a lasting solution for a troubled country like Ethiopia. The country was established by Americans in 1821. Traditional language & way of life is nessesary but to compete in the global economy wesrern education is nessesary. It started as Cape Mesurado Colony, a creation of the American Colonization Society, and later expanded to become the Colony of Liberia in 1824. And for that matter, in virtually every multicultural nation on Earth, there is a dominant sub-culture that was instrumental in shaping national identity and cohesion, so it is unfortunate that Ethiopian history should be subjected to such intense revisionism. Lastly, I find it interesting that both the blogger and the author of the book use their grandfathers name as their last name instead of the traditional Ethiopian way of using your fathers first name as your last name. In essence, you are the same as every Euro-centric development technocrat, who believes that Africans are incapable of using indigenous culture to propel development. . This quest was grounded in the two core values of wisdom and humility. Later on, in 1895 the Italian government signed a treaty establishing a border between Italy's colony of Eritrea and Ethiopia. After a successful overthrow the Britons considered it not worth to take Ethiopia as their colony. The western system of education was pursued by majority of nations throughout the world for development. The system of Education can be addressed with clear heading line. During its brief military occupation during World War II Italy never established colonial control over . Liberia and Ethiopia, our neighbors, are the only countries in Africa that have not been colonized. Was Ethiopia colonized? Their location, economic viability, and unity helped Ethiopia and Liberia avoid colonization. While the other powers were busy colonizing other nations, Italy was unable to capture Ethiopia. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. ! The resulting state of Liberia would become the second (after Haiti) black republic in the world at that time. Battle of Adowa (Ethiopia) As you have already learned, Ethiopia along with Liberia, were the only African countries that were not colonized by Europeans. ui am baffled the writer dwells too much in unnecessary explanation fi it is Amhara colonised Ethiopians might be true and then who is Ethiopian and who is not. .. ????. It is great to have your own calendar, languages and traditions but the reality is that we live in a globalised world. The writers has a separate view of English as a communications language and English as a medium of instruction. European Education to Ethiopia.The Brits, because the Fascist Mussolini was their enemy too, they fought side by side with Emperor HS and Ethiopian patriots during the final push that drove out Fascist Mussolinis Army.The General Wingate School was named after the General that led The British contingent.GW High school admitted the brightest kids from across Ethiopia and those from more or less most ethnic or religious persuasion.The Alumni of this and other major high schools in Ethiopia went on becoming Academic, scientists,Engineers,Medical practitioners or capable managers.GW used to follow the most rigorous academic standard.When Modern Education was introduced west Europe and America were the leading industrialized countries and inviting The Brits,Canadians (TMS, the 1st HSchool had Candian School principal for a long time)who were leaders in science is the smartest decision.Ethiopia barely had its own Teachers,Lecturers and Proffessors and only text books in sci.Med,Engin,Law,etc.from abroad could be used and so instructors and the books had to come from these countries.Also, Haile Selassies Gov was retaining those who finish at the top in college and secure for them an advanced degree scholarship in US to a lesser degree from Uk,etc. During its brief military occupation during World War II Italy never established colonial control over Ethiopia. I have attend or down the same a st eh writer in fact Amharic was thought all the way from grade 1 -12, the later years i.e, 9-1 was somehow specialised in Amharic language what happen to the other ethnicity languages is bewildering and to add to it insult in history we studied the Reunification of Germany, Yugoslavia history and Ethiopian history was shrouded in mystery, that is it, mean to say AMhara colonised the rest of Ethiopia by force, forcing the their language and culture to other ethics so AMhara has been and is the most brutal system of colonising power by confusing history with patriotism.
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