The life & legacy of Kebede Anisa: The creator
of ‘Imperialist’ oriented socialist motto’
"There were uninterrupted and well organized institutional memory as the media landscape were favorable to both seasoned and aspiring journalists. For instance, as a senior journalist Kebede mentored protégés who had later become accomplished writers such as late GebreKirstos Desta, Fikre Tolossa (Ph.D), and late Assefa Chebo."
BY WORKU BELACHEW
Former Editor-In-Chief of The Ethiopian Herald
Book Review:
Author of the book: Mesereteab Kebede Anisa
Title of the book: ኢትዮጵያ
ትቅደም
Place of publication: N/A
Year of publication: 2025
Medium: Amharic
Genre: Biography
Pages: 188
The
book centers on the life and legacy of Kebede Anisa who served as the
Editor-In-Chief of የኢትዮጵያ ድምጽ- a newspaper
published between 1963 1970.
Most interestingly, well ahead of its final demise, the imperial government of Ethiopia midwifed a rallying motto for the forthcoming socialist Ethiopia.
Much to everyone’s surprise
the motto was originated in the so-called liberal world, but imposed on the
socialist state of Ethiopia for more than a decade. A book that saw the light
of day later in July last year titled ‘ኢትዮጵያ
ትቅደም’’
which roughly translates to ‘Ethiopia first’ once again unearthed the catch
phrase to be a subject of public discussion.
Mesereteabe Kebede, son of the renowned journalist,
Kebede Anisa, authored the book that revolves around his father’s life and
legacy.
About
የኢትዮጵያ ድምጽ
(Voice of Ethiopia)
A newspaper with a nameplate ‘The Voice of Ethiopia’ was not unknown among Ethiopian elites who lived in the US in late 1940s. A paper bearing a masthead ‘The Voice of Ethiopia’ was founded by Dr. Melaku E. Bayen in Harlem, New York, in 1937. It serviced to expose the atrocities of the Fascist Italy and to garner the supports of Americans, mainly the black community, in the years between 1936 and 1941. It was published under the auspicious of the Ethiopian World Federation (EWF) and folded when the founder Melaku ceased to breathe in 1940.
Similar
newspapers published in both Amharic and English with masthead ‘The
Voice of Ethiopia’ had been connected to their predecessor only in spirit. This
one came to light after Ethiopians successfully expelled the fascist occupant.
It was published in Ethiopia, and the entire editorial leadership was quite
different from the previous one.
The bilingual newspaper, The Voice of Ethiopia, began to circulate in Addis Ababa and other major towns from 1965 onwards. A patriotic association that came to view well ahead of the Italian occupation, ‘Yager Fiker Mahber,’ was in charge of the paper’s publication. The association was established in 1935 with the guidance of Makonnen Habtewold to promote culture and unity in the face of a looming fascist aggression.
The newspaper provided
a platform for matured discussion on social, economic and political topics— both
local and international— and succeeded in attracting a wider readership, as
various sources attest. The paper had been competitive both in circulation and
quality. It was also reported to have reached a record volume of distribution in the history of the Ethiopian
newspapers’ circulation.
The
America First Committee takes credit for popularizing ‘America First’
A motto serving clashing ideologies
The America First Committee (AMC) took the credit for
popularizing the phrase ‘America First’ in the 1940s. The movement of AMC was
apparently a noninterventionist that opposed the US’s entry into WWII. Current
US Pres. However, Donald Trump revived the catch phrase to mobilize the
American people behind him. The idea is to make America Great Again (MEGA) and keep
it as a ‘world police’.
But, the coining of ‘America First’ even predates the
1940s. Library of Congress has a record on this. The phrase was used in a pamphlet
authored by Walker, J. who tried to
critically look into the then US
president’s policy. Woodrow Wilson served as the 28th US president (1913-1921)
and Walker questioned the administration in that pamphlet: ”Has he been for "America first"? Has he been for the great mass of the American
people, or has his administration stood in with the special interests?”
Kebede brought the idea of ‘Ethiopia first’ from the
US where he had a profound exposure. His first visit to the U.S. happened in 1965
as an Editor-In-Chief of the paper accompanied by his counterpart Berhanu
Zerihun, his counterpart from Addis Zemen. Kebede discovered that one American
paper, the New York World, carried ‘America first’ as its motto. “What a captivating
slogan, what if I adopt it to my own paper!” Kebede told himself as it is
recounted in the book.
The book dedicates a chapter to explain why the
newspaper chose the editorial slogan. The
idea was to inspire both public officials and the wider public to focus on the
bigger picture of Ethiopia – encouraging unity and discouraging rattling over
trivial and short-lived matters.
But his earnest intention was misinterpreted by a few
quarters. The matter escalated and the emperor summoned Kebede at his palace.
Rumors spread that the newspaper was boldly demanding the emperor to relinquish
power. As it is narrated in the book, the emperor asked him to explain why he
chose that particular wording. Kebede explained the reason clearly and
confidently. The emperor eventually appreciated him for the good job and Kebede
breathed a sigh of relief.
The catch-phrase that served the paper from 1965-1970 had,
however, been fading out from public psyche at least for four years. No body
regarded it to regain traction by the forthcoming decade and plus years.
The military junta ( aka the Derg), a collection of 120
soldiers who overthrew the Imperial regime in Ethiopia revived the slogan in 1974.
Major Mengistu HaileMariam, then chairperson of the Committee (the Derg), in
one of their meetings walked to a chalkboard to write ‘Ethiopia first’ in
Ahmaric. On July of the same year, ‘Ethiopia first’ was proclaimed on mass
media as the rallying moto of the revolution.
Heyday
of print media
The book highlighted on how the Ethiopian media
landscape, particularly the print media, operated during the
imperial time. One can argue that the period was the heyday of the Ethiopian
print media for various reasons. For one thing, the imperial government
attached huge emphasis on the daily and weekly publications. Assignees at the
helm of the newspapers and the professionals were well educated—most of them
got their master’s degrees in reputable international universities in the US,
Israel, UK and what have you. They left their lasting legacy in the Ethiopian
journalism in general, for another.
There were uninterrupted and well organized institutional memory as the media landscape were favorable to both seasoned and aspiring journalists. For instance, as a senior journalist Kebede mentored protégés who had later become accomplished writers such as late GebreKirstos Desta, Fikre Tolossa (Ph.D), and late Assefa Chebo.
The media context of the time itself brought an added advantage
to the print media. Radio and TV broadcast had not been 24/7 as it is today.
Broadcast services were limited to a few scheduled hours. Hence, the public
depended on newspapers and magazines to update themselves on local and
international information. It was during this time that tens of thousands of
copies of newspapers were published in Ethiopia.
Some government officials who got modern education were
also regarded the media in general as a vital mirror— reflecting both strengths
and short comings. Bitweded Zewde GebreHiwot who served as a
mayor of Addis for about a decade used
to encourage journalists to critically review the development efforts in the
city and spotlight on emerging concerns. Zewde endeavored to modernize the city
by constructing standard road infrastructure, the iconic municipal building in
Addis took shape during his tenure. Zewde wanted to get reflections of
journalists on his projects and make use of the outcomes to rectify the
mistakes. (Ethiopia Tikdem page 75).
But, as the book vividly showed, journalistic practice
of the time did not go without challenges. Government officials usually got disappointed
with the reports that the print media carried. And journalists were intimidated
as a result.
Kebede himself was
called to the emperor’s court for the second time. This time due to his
critique on the government’s reckless procurement practices. To make it more
clear, the Ethiopian fiscal year ends on July
7 (Sene 30). And for much of the
preceding months, government entities remained complacent–only to rush for
spending their budgets in the remaining two and three months. Often, they made
irrelevant and wasteful procurement just to exhaust their annual budget.
Kebede took a stand towards this
daunting trend and wrote an editorial piece. The editorial piece touched officials’
weak spots and they deliberately twisted the facts and hoodwinked the emperor
as if Kebede blatantly criticized the government.
Due to this, he was
again brought before the imperial court. Kebede elaborated his intentions as it
was not to attack but to inform the officials in using the allotted public fund
wisely and properly. Luckily, the emperor again gave him a pat on his shoulder
and set him free. (Ethiopia Tikdem page 94).
But there were several times that government officials
used to convince the emperor that led journalists to face some consequences.
For instance, Mengistu Gedamu, and Asaminew GebreWold were Kebede’s contemporaries,
and both were renowned journalists. Their peeled eye on officials’ wrongdoings
led them to lose their positions. The most courageous, at times controversial
journalist, Mengistu Gedamu, was rather tolerated, at least the imperial
government did not take lethal measure against him. It was during the Derg’s
era that the lives of both journalists were sadly taken. Another journalist who
reached to the pinnacle of journalism career was Ahadu Saboure. Lethal means of
silencing journalists was not the order of the day as his own words indicated
though he described the measure took by the government as “severe”.
A
couple of stories that I wrote angered authorities….One was the article I did
on the proceedings of the trial of the leader of the 1960 abortive coup, in
which I described Brigadier-General Mengistu Neway as an immaculate officer
whose courage and intellectual qualities dominated the courtroom. Immediately
after publication, I was picked up by officers of the Presidential guard and
secretly exiled to Asela, Arsi Province … I was treated humanely, permitted to
attend church under the escort of a guard, and allowed a weekly visit by my
wife, who brought me newspapers and other necessities”. (Ethiopian Observer.com
April 4, 2017.)
As the saying goes, ‘from the frying pan to the fire,’
journalists were brutally treated during the Derg period. Ethiopia lost most of
its dear journalists such as Ba’alu Girma and Abe Gubegna in this
period. Their killings had remained mysterious to date.
Mesereteab delve into the reason that his father
survived the brute period. Kebede was assigned in Wollo as a program and
development general manager where he worked tirelessly to mitigate the
devastating effects of the famine that was ravaging the region at the time.
Kebede
and newspaper
As an eyewitness, this writer noticed Kebede’s love
for the print media. Anytime you meet him, he was carrying newspapers and
magazines of both local and international editions in the inside pocket of his
suit jacket. If it is your first encounter with him, you may be taken by
surprise when he draw half folded newspapers or magazines from his pocket to
show you a recent story that backs his argument on a certain topic.
It is also recounted in the book that he used to say “If
I’m shot dead, burry me wrapping up my body with newspapers. He said this
during the period of red terror—a time marked by pervasive fear and killing. People
lived with uncertainty during that period. Both the Derg and EPRP resorted to lethal
measures against anyone who was perceived ‘enemy’.
Kebede upheld
the principle of ‘balance’, a very important element in news reporting. Quite a
few journalists in Ethiopia who work for a private media find it hard to offer
constructive criticism of the government’s activities. Often, it looked like private media should take bold positions in
completely standing opposite to the government’s actions. By the same token,
public media sphere tend to give blind eye to government’s missteps. Here,
Kebede used to advice both sides to seek a middle ground.
Kebede witnessed and reported a democratic election in
the US. He was among the journalists who got the opportunity to travel to the
US representing Ethiopian Voice along with his colleague Bihanu Zerihun who
then represented Addis Zemen to report Presidential
elections. Comparing
the media practices in the US and that of ours in 2005, he noticed that the
private media fully inclined to the opposition politics and their reports were
highly imbalanced. For him, such unbalanced practice would not serve any
purpose other than sowing enmity among the media and incumbent governments.
Quotable: As Editor-In-Chief of print media:
Kebede said he wouldn’t take a single sip of beer until he was utterly certain
that the newspaper’s publication had begun.
Another legacy of Kebede could be starting to publish
a byline. He also claimed that he started accompanying news articles by a
byline in the newspapers. Ethiopians are
humble and do not want to take a credit for a job well done. This may have
roots in the spirituality of the people, they often believe that a particular
job is accomplished with a divine guidance and give the credit to the creator. The
first editions of Addis Zemen itself did not publish the editor-in-Chief’s
name.
Limitation
The book is highly relevant, especially for anyone
interested in having a glimpse into the history of Ethiopian media. Kebede and
his contemporaries were pioneers who set the example for later generations of
Ethiopian journalists. As a journalist, this author himself drew inspiration
from much of their work. If one explores the archives of the Ethiopian Press
Agency, for instance, it is striking how these writers organized their stories,
structured their arguments, and demonstrated strong language command. However,
the book unfortunately does not give the reader adequate chance to read actual
writings by Kebede and his contemporaries. Including at least some articles
authored or edited by Kebede would have allowed readers to better appreciate
his voice and contribution. It is the author’s hope that future editions of the
book will address this gap.
Ed.’s
Note: The author was former Editor-In-Chief of The Ethiopian Herald.
He
may be contacted at workuasfaw.asfaw@gmail.com