WHY WASN’T ETHIOPIA COLONIZED?
On the first day of March 124 years ago, traditional warriors, farmers and pastoralists as well
as women defeated a well-armed Italian army in the northern town of Adwa in Ethiopia.
The outcome of this battle ensured Ethiopia’s independence, making it the only African country
never to be colonised.
Adwa turned Ethiopia into a symbol of freedom for black people globally.
Africa which was the main victim of colonialism is said to have two nations which were never
colonized; Ethiopia and Liberia.
In order for us to understand why Ethiopia wasn’t colonized, it is important that we
first understand what colonialism is.
Defined as the control by one power over a dependent area or people, colonialism occurs
when one nation captures another, conquering its population and exploiting it, mostly while
forcing its own language and cultural values on its people.
The concept of colonialism is closely related to that of imperialism, which is the policy
of using power and influences to control another nation or people.
By 1914, a vast proportion of the world’s nations had been colonized by Europeans.
COLONIZATION IN AFRICA Beginning in the 1880s, European countries
focused on taking control of African lands, racing each other to coveted natural resources
and building colonies that will hold until an international period of decolonization
began.
The colonization of Africa was part of a global European process of reaching all continents
in the world which dramatically changed the world.
The rapid colonization of most of the African continent by European powers resulted from
the so called “scramble for Africa”.
Also referred to as the partition of Africa, it was the invasion, annexation, division
and colonization of most of Africa by seven Western European powers between 1881 and 1941.
The reasons for colonization of Africa were mainly, economic, political and religious.
Africa’s abundant raw materials and cheap labor were seen by the European countries
to be a good source of money to solve their ongoing economic depression.
European missionaries, after focusing on the large working class with the aim of bringing
spiritual salvation to the workers and their families in Europe, began to look beyond Europe
and so established missions everywhere in Africa.
Even though they weren’t direct agents of European imperialism, they still drew European
governments deeper into Africa as they preached Christianity in the continent.
The colonization of African nations was rapid due to reasons like the existence of rivalry
between African leaders, natural disasters like drought which caused food shortage and
insufficient energy for the Africans to fight the Europeans, European possession of heavy
weapons to apply force and violence on Africans who stood on their way of colonization and
the outbreak of diseases which weakened African and made them incapable of fighting the Europeans
over their lands.
Of course, colonialism had its impacts on Africa which were more of negative than positive,
including the disarticulation of the African economy, disarticulation in the type of goods
produced by Africans, their markets and trade, distortion in the development of a comprehensive
transport system in Africa, the emergence and institutionalization of classes and class
struggle in the socio-economic and political life of African people and majorly colonialism
brought about under development of African territories in man y different ways.
NON-COLONIZED Nevertheless, a handful of countries including
two in Africa were not subsumed by the monstrosity of Western colonization like Turkey, Iran,
Japan and China.
Considered as the only two African countries which were viable players in the trade based
world economy, the imperialistic European nations avoided the outright colonization
of Liberia and Ethiopia.
Now that our scope on colonization has been widen, let us move to Ethiopia and see why
it wasn’t colonized.
THE ROAD TO ADWA Abyssinia, now known as Ethiopia is one of
the world’s oldest nations and one of the two African countries that avoided colonial
rule.
With its geographic isolation and economic prosperity, Ethiopians, from farmers to kings
throughout the millennia of the country’s history were known for their willingness to
come together as one which helped them score decisive victories against a series of global
colonialist forces.
10 years before the Adwa battle, European powers had decided the fate of Ethiopia at
the Berlin conference of 1884-1885 where 14 European countries divided Africa among themselves.
Only about 10% of Africa was controlled by Europeans before the conference while the
remaining 90% was headed by indigenous and traditional rulers.
At the Berlin conference, it was agreed by the European colonial powers that Italy, who
already had colonial possession of the Assab port since 1882, could take over Ethiopia
as its future colony.
As an effect, Italy started expanding its presence in the Red Sea.
With support from the British, they took over control of the port city of Massawa in 1885.
From there, Italy slowly moved inland, encountering a number of clashes with locals.
Devastated with an infectious viral disease which killed up to 90% of the country’s
livestock and a third of its population due to famine, Ethiopians were weakened and so
Italy’s expansion across their land was facilitated.
Taking advantage of the Ethiopian crisis, Italy sought to divide and conquer Ras Mangasha
of Tigray and Nigus Menelik of Shoa.
Eventually in May 1889, the Treaty of Wuchale which was written in Amharic and Italian was
signed between the Italians and Menelik.
Menelik later discovered that the Italian version of the treaty effectively made Ethiopia
Italy’s protectorate, contrasting the Amharic version and so the treaty became the trigger
for the battle of Adwa.
Once the tragic devastation of the infection eased in Ethiopia, Menelik began preparations
for war against the Italians.
He renounced the treaty of Wuchale on the 27th of February 1893 and then sent out a
command for the creation of food depots at major centers along the way to Adwa for the
sustainment of his army.
At the same time, the Italians strengthened their positions in Tigray by attacking Mangasha
at Coatit.
On the 17th of September 1895, a total mobilization of war against Italy was declared by Menelik
who called on the entire Ethiopian citizens to step out and fight for their nation, family
and religion.
Every capable Ethiopian was commanded to fight while the incapable pray for their victory.
From every tribe, culture and community, Ethiopians answered Menelik’s call.
His call was also responded by regional leaders from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds
that created an army of 100,000 people with inferior weapons but a strong cause.
THE ITALO-ETHIOPIAN WAR On December 7th 1895 at Amba Alagi, the first
showdown of the war took place and a relatively small portion of the Italian army was wiped
out.
Stationed behind a strong fort at Melle for the second encounter, the Italian’s were
surrounded by Ethiopians who cut off their water supply upon Empress Tayitu’s advice
for two weeks.
Already breathing the air of defeat the Italian commander accepted to surrender if they would
be allowed to walk away with their weapons.
Menelik agreed to let them leave the garrison unharmed but instead, the Italians remained
in their strongholds, strengthening their positions at Adigrat and Sauria.
Still not in a hurry to attack their forts, Menelik only watched them from a distance.
After an inactive period of two weeks, General Baratieri decided to advance for a surprise
attack on the 1st of March 1896 which according to the Ethiopian calendar was the day of St
Goerge and so, to the battle field, the priest carried the Tabot, a religious icon which
stood for the sanctity of Ethiopia.
Etege Tayitu Bitul, wife of Emperor Menelik, one of the key leaders of the Ethiopian forces,
a fearless strategist and brilliant administrator, led 6,000 soldiers to the war front and employed
traditional music and war chants which served as motivation as they fought.
With their cannons and machine guns, 20,000 Italian and Italian-trained native troops
advanced put up a brave fight against the Ethiopians before facing a decisive defeat
with severe casualties on both sides.
IMPACTS OF THE WAR The Ethiopian victory in the Adwa war resulted
in a change of government in Italy.
Prime Minister Francesco Crispi resigned, following the public protest and failure of
his colonial policy.
Ethiopia and Italy then had negotiations which resulted in the Addis Ababa treaty which had
as key component, the unconditional acceptance of Ethiopian independence and sovereignty.
The news of the African victory gained global fame and as an effect, Adwa turned Ethiopia
into the symbol of redemption and freedom for black people.
From this victory, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B.
Du Bois, Bob Marley, George Padmore and others drew special inspiration.
The victory also led to the publishing of pride in black identity and African connection
with prominent women writers from 1915-1916 in the first Afro-Brazilian newspaper titled
O Menelick.
Ethiopia linked black people with Africa’s ancient glory and future hope, as Marcus Garvey
scripted “look to Africa for the crowning of a black king, he shall be the redeemer”.
After colonial liberation, several African countries adopted the green, yellow and red
Ethiopian flag and then, a universal national Anthem was created for black people.
Apart from the five-year occupation of Ethiopia by Mussolini’s Italy, the country has never
been colonized.
Till date, Ethiopia still stands as witness to what ordinary Africans can do when they
come together.
Scoring a decisive victory against global colonialist forces, Ethiopia stood as the
antithesis of the colonial worldview.
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