Half the story has never been told

Ibo Foroma Rastafarian Perspectives
IN their scintillating lingo, Rastafarians often declare that “half the story has never been told”. This is greatly in reference to hidden history or that knowledge not so popular amongst the general public. This intriguing field of study indeed requires uncompromised attention. Including also in modern and recent history; the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the whole truth concerning RasTafari has not yet and is not being told.

To illustrate this let us ponder on the following evidence published by Tadias Magazine on April 17, 2014 in a new book by Dr Belete Belachew Yihun titled ‘Black Ethiopia’.

The diplomatic history of Ethiopia and the legacy of Haile Selassie is revisited with the scales of history rebalanced to show more sides of the embattled leader.

According to Dr Christopher Clapham at the Centre of African Studies at Cambridge University, “This book tells the remarkable story of how Ethiopia seized the diplomatic leadership of Africa.”

While many historical materials on Haile Selassie’s diplomatic efforts remain inaccessible to the general public, Belete’s book is among the few compiled resources on Ethiopian diplomacy in modern Ethiopia, which studies the time period between 1956 and 1991 as Ethiopia took the reins of African diplomacy that continued in subsequent governments.

“If we are to truly understand the events of the present, we must look to the past for answers.

“We must look with a critical eye toward the past and examine why events happened and why people are perceived and ultimately preserved a particular way,” adds Elias Wondimu, founder of Tsehai Publishers.

The scarcity of compiled documentation of Ethiopian diplomacy, especially in a time of great change and modernisation, makes this book a particularly valuable piece of history.

Just over two years ago, on the eve of the fifty year anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Union (OAU)/ African Union (AU) was celebrated as the new AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia opened its doors for its inaugural summit to large fanfare.

The celebration included the unveiling of a bronze statue of one of the most famous leaders of the organisation, Kwame Nkrumah.

A quote from Nkrumah was inscribed in front of the statue in golden letters, “Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hands unto God. Africa must unite.”

The quote epitomises the significant role Ethiopia played towards the founding of the OAU.

Nkrumah, the leader of the Casablanca Group, fought for a completely united Africa under the motto “One continent, one nation”.

Nkrumah’s contributions to African unity are invaluable, and yet the statue has stirred debate not just in Ethiopia, but worldwide as Nkrumah’s legacy is only one part of OAU’s origins.

Emperor Haile Selassie, who was a uniting figure among the different factions, is another person who played a major role convincing African leaders to bypass their ideological divisions to work together.

As a well-regarded international statesman of his time, Emperor Haile Selassie led the way to the establishment of the OAU in Addis Ababa in 1963.

Dr Theodore M. Vestal, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Oklahoma State University, sums up Ethiopia’s impact on African politics in the following way, “Ethiopia has a long history of

leadership in the pan-African Movement, the complicated mosaic of continental and regional political and economic association liberation movements and mediation efforts.”

Undoubtedly Haile Selassie was a major part of this tradition as he set a standard of statesmanship that has helped to advance Ethiopia and all of Africa towards a united global force.”

In general, the world over, it is Nkrumah who is solely awarded the responsibility of liberating and uniting Africa. The founding of the OAU is attributed to be the works of chiefly Kwame Nkrumah when yet that duty was fulfilled by Emperor Haile Selassie I the Conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Kwame Nkrumah was absolutely correct when he quotes Psalm 68, “Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hands unto Jah,” (KJV). Indeed it was Ethiopia and Haile Selassie who united Nkrumah’s Casablanca and the Monrovia Group in his capital Addis Ababa to form and found the OAU in May 1963.

The Monrovia bloc, named after the capital of Liberia where the alliance first met from May 8-12, 1961 was less radical than the Casablanca bloc named after the Moroccan capital were the leaders first met again in 1961.

The two groups were merged together in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in May 1963 by Emperor Haile Selassie, the founder of the OAU.

The OAU, through the Lion of Judah and King of Kings of Ethiopia immensely contributed in redeeming Africa from European slavery, colonisation and apartheid and hence Selassie is the redeemer and undisputed Saviour of Africa and the Black race.

It was especially because of His pivotal leading role in uniting Africa that His Imperial Majesty Selassie I was chosen to be the first Chairman and President of the OAU.