Thursday, September 20, 2012

Ethiopianism

 
Most of the African flags based their flags  on Ethiopian Flag or directly taken it to theirs like Ghana and Mali with minimal modifications. The block colors of the rainbow (The sign of God's promise for Noah not vanish the Earth with Heavy Hot Rain Genesis 9) 

By: Adejumobi, Saheed A.
 
Ethiopianism is an Afro-Atlantic literary-religious tradition that emerged out of the shared political and religious experiences of Africans from British colonies during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.  Ethiopianism linked Africa historically to the ancient classical era, challenging the then prevailing idea that the continent had no history before the arrival of European colonizers in the mid-19th century.  Proponents of Ethiopianism argued that the African nation was one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world and claim that some of the first examples of organized religious festivals, solemn assemblies and other forms of worship evolved in Ethiopia.  By the 19th century when Ethiopia was one of the few nation-states under African control, many people of African ancestry embraced it as evidence of the black capacity for self-rule.

The "Ethiopian" tradition in the United States found expression in slave narratives, exhortations of slave preachers, and songs and folklore of southern black culture, as well as the sermons and political tracts of the urban elite.  In the latter case Ethiopianism often embraced black nationalist and pan-African dimensions which called for association with the African continent through a physical or allegorical "back to Africa" movement.  Black writers used the term "Ethiopianism" in reference to an inspirational Biblical passage: "Princes shall come of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God" (Psalms, 68:31).  This verse was seen by some as a prophecy that Africa would "soon" experience dramatic political, industrial and economic renaissance.  Others interpreted the scripture to mean that someday people of African ancestry would rule the world.

Those who embraced the Ethiopianism ideal included 19th and 20th century leaders who often differed sharply on its specific meaning.  These leaders included Martin R. Delany, Henry Highland Garnet, James T. Holly, Reverend Alexander Crummell, Francis Ellen Watkins, W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Marcus Garvey, Edward W. Blyden of Liberia and J.E. Casely-Hayford of Ghana.
 
By the early 20th Century Ethiopianism emerged among African anti-colonial activists as a subtle method of challenging colonial rule by combining Christian and secular nationalist traditions to promote the idea of African capacity for organization-building without European tutelage.  As early as the 1890s new independent African Christian churches arose across the continent from Liberia to South Africa either by seceding from the Anglican or other colonial mission churches or by forming new religious denominations.  In Nigeria, the Native Baptist Church was founded in 1888, the Anglican United Native African Church in 1891, and the United African Methodist Church in 1917.  Other churches derived from the Ethiopianism movement included the Cameroon Native Baptist Church, founded in 1887, and the Native Baptist Church, founded in Ghana in 1898.

“Ethiopianism” was particularly popular in South Africa where hundreds of churches were formed around that idea. Many of these churches were heavily influence by African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Bishop Henry McNeal Turner who visited South Africa and urged a religious independence that would precede and lay the foundation for political independence.
Ethiopianism played a part in the Zulu rebellion of 1906 and in the Nyasaland rising of 1915 led by John Chilembwe, founder of the independent Providence Industrial Mission.  Ethiopianism continued to be popular into the last years of colonial rule.  The Kenyan Church of Christ in Africa emerged in 1957 from a former Anglican sect.

Ethiopianism in sub-Saharan Africa called for the restoration of tribal life and political and cultural autonomy, demonstrated in the slogan "Africa for the Africans."  It became the genesis of a much wider campaign that eventually led to the independence of African nations.  

Source: An Online Reference Guide to African American History (http://www.blackpast.org/?q=gah/ethiopianism)

Monday, September 17, 2012

Ghanaian Cultures and Traditions

  1. Kingship and Traditionalism of Ghana

Ghana, West Africa is a democratic nation having a very well defined political structure with an elected President, who serves four-year terms. Yet, the embodiment of the nation is culture and tradition, in which much pride is taken. Even democratic expression is flavored by Ghanaian culture. The cultural spirit is strongly seen in all government dealings. Ghana has beautifully and strategically combined various traditional cultures to form a national culture, which also enhances their political identity. [3]
Ghana is conventional in its approach to every facet of life, including government. Consequentially, every one within the political structure has strong traditional roots and belongs to a tribe. Each of the political parties is composed of a cross section of individuals from all of the tribes or traditional groups. However, political figures are voted into office, not by a tribal vote, but by a national vote. Traditional kings help in the democratic governance of the nation, yet are not directly involved in politics. Nevertheless, the time-honored institution of kingship has significant influence in the development of the entire nation. The kings work in concert with the political structures, encouraging those under their rule to collaborate with the government’s regional administration for the betterment of the nation. Natural resources in Ghana are owned by the government for development.[3]

Although the Ghanaian kingdoms highly respect and abide by the democratic system, they find security in knowing that Kingship is permanent, having existed long before democracy, unlike elected officials, which may change from term to term. The Kings represent and serve their people for a lifetime. The permanency of the Kingdom is based upon its people, history, traditions and values.
Every Kingdom has stool land(s), under the leadership of the King and their traditional councils. The lands are distributed at the discretion of the Kingship, mainly for the development of the towns or region. The government usually has no jurisdiction in the distribution of stool lands. It should be understood that all land within a Kingdom is not owned by the Kingship and considered stool land. Individuals also own land and are free to buy and sell property. [3]

2. Clothing and Fashion in Ghana

Clothing

People in Ghana continue to dress in the traditional styles despite an abundance of Western influence. Most of their clothes are hand-dyed, hand-woven and hand-sewn by professional seamstresses.



                                                   Traditional Clothing for Men

Ghanaian clothing is usually made of sturdy fabrics that are rich in color and detail. Many outfits include expert embroidery and beading. Women in Ghana are more prone to dressing in the more traditional styles of dress, whereas men can be seen wearing khaki slacks, jeans, soccer Jersey and suits more akin to Western fashion.

                                                         Typical Kente cloth I see in Ghana

Kente cloth is a type of silk and cotton fabric made of interwoven cloth strips and is native to the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast., Asante kente is identified by its dazzling, multicolored patterns of bright colors, geometric shapes, and bold designs. The cloth is usually made in strips form. They would sew them together to make clothes. [1]
Kente cloth is the most popular and celebrated cloth in Ghana and in the whole of Africa. The strip-woven cloth called Kente, made by the Akans (Asante) peoples of Ghana and the Ewe peoples of Ghana and Togo, is the best known of all African textiles. Its renown has spread internationally, so that it is now one of the most admired of all fabrics in many parts of the world. Its colorfulness makes it stands out wherever.
Traditionally, kente is woven in Ghana by the Ewes and the Akans (specifically Asantes). The Asante kente is woven in villages just outside Kumasi in the area around Bonwire, Woonoo, Maape, Adawomase and Ntonso. Kente is also woven by the Ewe in the Volta Region. Even though Asante and Ewe kente may look very similar, there are significant differences, especially in the weft designs and in some technical areas with respect to the weaving process. Ewe kente is often identified by its figurative motifs. [2] 
                                                       Dress made of Kente cloth
Friday is supposed to wear Ghanaian clothing day. People would wear Ghanaian style shirt to work. It's still a western style cutting shirt but made from the Ghana traditional cloth.In general, people like to wear comfortable fitting shirt rather than slim fit or regular fit. I think it got to do with the hot weather here. [1]
Some of us (the ladies) went to a shop called woodin to buy the material for tailored dress and shirt. Apparently, it's is a well known store located in various countries in Africa. They sell material, and the price is about 15-30USD for 6 yards. For the men, we did not really buy anything there. It is not easy to wear the shirt again in our home country. However, I did manage to get a shirt in the art market for 8USD bargain price (after 45 mins for bargaining and walk-away tactics). [1]
Ghana at 50 pics 219
  1. Jason IBM Corporate Service Corps. Ghana 8 (http://jasonghana8.blogspot.com/2012/05/clothing-and-fashion-in-ghana.html)
  2. Saflirista (http://www.saflirista.com/ghana-fashion-ghana-clothes-ghanian-dresses-fashion-styles-kente-dress/) 
  3. Se(Shai) Ghana Peace and Progress (http://www.seghana.com/kingship.php)

 




Saturday, September 15, 2012

REMARKS BY THABO MBEKI ON THE AWARD OF AN HONORARY DOCTORATE: ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA. JULY 24, 2010.

Former South African President THABO MBEKI
Honourable President of Addis Ababa University, Prof Andreas Eshete,
Leaders, staff, students and workers of AAU,
Fellow honorary graduates,
Ladies and gentlemen:
I would like sincerely to thank President Andreas Eshete and the University as a whole for granting me the honor and privilege today to join this eminent African center of learning, Addis Ababa University,as an honorary alumnus. In many ways this new status, which accords me a particular connection to Ethiopia, represents a homecoming.
I believe that it would be correct to say that the modern African liberation movement first emerged in South Africa towards the end of the 19th century. From its earliest years that movement was driven by the two objectives of the liberation of all Africans and the advancement of Africa on the basis of a Pan-African agenda and perspective.
The antecedent founders of this movement were the very first modern African intellectuals in our country, who emerged from church schools and served as the first African leaders in the Christian church.
I twas significant that when they asserted African ownership of the Church, breaking free from the European missionaries to establish independent African churches, these early modern African intellectuals derived inspiration from the passage in Psalm 68 in the Holy Bible – "Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."
As part of the colonized, they drew inspiration from the fact that even as Africa was falling victim to the European scramble for Africa, Ethiopia remained an independent country. In this context they were convinced that when Ethiopia stretched out her hands unto God, as foretold in the Bible, she imbued the Christian church with an African ethic and ethos.
Thus would the authentic African church serve as a repository of the aspirations of all Africans for freedom and respect for their cultures, their identity and their dignity.
It was therefore not by accident that the independent African churches I have mentioned called themselves the Ethiopian Church.
The African National Congress of South Africa, the oldest modern national liberation movement on our continent, was born out of our country's Ethiopian Churches. Indeed the African nationalism which drove our national liberation movement was described as Ethiopianism. I n 1906, a predecessor of the African National Congress, the South African Native Congress, said:
"Congress believes that Ethiopianism is a symptom of progress, brought about by the contact of the natives of Africa with European civilization, making itself felt in all departments of the social, religious and economic structure."
The same year, a colonial Governor in South Africa said of Rev John Dube,who became the first President of the ANC, that he was "a pronounced Ethiopian who ought to be watched."
You will therefore understand what I meant when I said that my presence here today represents a homecoming. It is a homecoming because of what Ethiopia did a hundred years ago and more, to inspire the birth of our liberation movement, its proud existence on our Continent as an independent state providing powerful assurance of the certainty of our victory over imperialism and colonialism.
Thus did Ethiopia, by occupying its unique place in African geo-politics,serve as a central organizing idea for all Africans, summoning them by its example to strive for their liberation and act in unity because of their recognition of the fact that they shared a common destiny.
You will be familiar with what the famous 1896 victory at Adwa meant for Africa and the world. Shortly after this victory a French historian told his fellow Europeans:
"The defeat of the Italians by the King Menelik...is the waking up of Africa to meet what has been hitherto the disdainful seizure by Europeans of these countries which we call barbarous. It must not be forgotten that in many of these countries now reverted to barbarism, there former lyexisted an extremely advanced civilization and that Ethiopia in particular enjoyed throughout Africa great renown for its refinement and wealth... His victory is that of all Africa...In these countries...it is already known, or will be so tomorrow, that Africa has conquered Europe...Nothing could be more heedless than to rejoice at the defeat of the Italians. That defeat is also ours...(the defeat) of colonizing Europe, that of the Europe of tomorrow."
Many years afterwards, the victory at Adwa continued to inspire pride among all Africans and confidence that Africa had something unique and valuable to contribute to human civilization.
In this regard, 10 years after Adwa a founder of the ANC, Pixley Seme wrote: "The regeneration of Africa means that a new and unique civilization is soon to be added to the world...The most essential departure of this new civilization is that it shall be thorough lyspiritual and humanistic -indeed a regeneration moral and eternal!"
55years later, the first African Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Chief Albert Luthuli, said: "Still licking the scars of past wrongs perpetrated on her, could (Africa) not be magnanimous and practice no revenge? Her hand of friendship scornfully rejected, her pleas for justice and fair-play spurned, should she not nonetheless seek to turn enmity into amity? Though robbed of her lands, her independence and opportunities...should she not see her destiny as being that of making a distinctive contribution to human progress and human relationships with a peculiar new African flavor enriched by the diversity of the cultures she enjoys, thus building on the summits of present human achievement an edifice that would be one of the finest tributes to the genius of man?... Africa's qualification for this noble task is incontestable, for her own fight has never been and is not now a fight for conquest of land, for accumulation of wealth or domination of peoples, but for the recognition and preservation of the rights of man and the establishment of a truly free world for a free people."
Gathered here at this Convocation we should perhaps dare to ask ourselves whether Africa in the 21 st century has such a central organizing idea as Ethiopia provided a century ago, summoning us to act in unity to address our contemporary challenges and thus to add to the world the new civilization of which Seme spoke a decade after the victory at Adwa!
We should ask ourselves the question – can Africa achieve her renaissance if she is not inspired by a common African patriotism that would enable us to outgrow our petty nationalisms, to defeat those who prey on the African masses for their personal benefit, to eradicate the poverty that dehumanises millions, to achieve the dignity that is our due as equal members of the human family, to realise Albert Luthuli's visionwhen he spoke of Africa "making a distinctive contribution to human progress and human relationships with a peculiar new African flavor enriched by the diversity of cultures she enjoys"!
The esteemed President of this university, Prof Andreas Eshete has writtenthat, "Our hopes for democratic advance and material betterment cannot be realised in the absence of an educated citizenry engaged to address urgent social problems in ways that promote the public good."
Surelyone of the tasks of the educated citizenry gathered here today must be to encompass within that public good the historic task to achieve the renaissance of Africa! Thus should Africa's intelligentsia use its collective talent to help Africa to rediscover the central organising idea that would inspire her to act in unity for her renewal.
And thus would our contemporary intelligentsia draw inspiration from the African intellectuals of the 19 th century to give birth to a new Ethiopianism that would enable Africa to claim the 21 st century.
I am honoured to extend my humble thanks to this eminent African university, surely the biggest on our Continent, for granting me the high privilege of joining its ranks as a Doctor of Laws (honoriscausa), and congratulate the University on its 60 th Anniversary,having been established in 1950 as the University College of Addis Ababa.
I trust that as an honorary alumnus of Addis Ababa University I will have the opportunity to engage the enormous intellectual wealth that distinguishes this University to contribute, together with you, what I can to promote the public good.
Thank you.

Source: http://www.aau.edu.et/
Addis Ababa Unbiversity Official Web Site

Monday, September 10, 2012

የታላቅ ሕዝብ አዲስ ዓመትና የአዲስ ህይወት ዕቅድ

Adey flowers


እንኳን ከዘመነ ዮሐንስ ወደ ዘመነ ማቴወስ በሰላም አደረሳችሁ!!!
የምሕረትህን ዓመት አክሊል ትባርካለህ፤ ምድረ በዳዎችም ጠልን ይጠግባሉ፡፡ የምድረ በዳ ተራሮች ይረካሉ፤ ኮረብቶችም በደስታ ይታጠቃሉ፡፡መዝ. ፷፬፣፲፩፲፪
ያደይ አበባ ሲፈካ፣ የሰማይ ብሩሕነት በወፎች ዝማሬ ታጅቦ የንጋት ኮከብ ብርሃን ሲታይ፣ ያዲስ ዓመት ብስራት ነጋሪዎች በከበሮ በፅናፅልና በሌሎችም ጣዕመ ዝማሬ ሲያሰሙ፣ የልባችን በሮች ለብዙ ነገሮች ይከፈታሉ፡፡ አንድ አንድ ሰዎች ማንነታቸውን ዘላለማዊ ህይወትን ለማግኘት በሚያስችል መልኩ እራሳቸውን ለንስሃና ለስጋወደሙ ሲያዘጋጁ፣ መልካም አገልግሎት የተጠማን ሕዝብ በቀና ልቦና ለማገልገል፣ ስንፍናና ቸልተኝነት የሚባሉ የሀገር ጉስቁልና መንስኤዎችን አሽቀንጥሮ ለመጣል፣ ለበጎ ነገር ሁሉ የተዘጋጁ በውስጥ በአፍአ የቀና ለመሆን ይታጠቃሉ፡፡ በዚያው ልክ ደግሞ አንዳንዶቻችን የክረምት ንጋት ነጋሪት ሲጎሰም፣ የመስቀል ወፍና የአደይ አበባ በተራሮች ደምቀው መታየት ሲጀምሩ ተጨማሪ የኃጢያት በሮችን ለመክፈት፣ ተጨማሪ የዘረፋ አካዉንቶችን ለማዘጋጀት፣ አዲስ የማጭበርበሪያ ስልቶችን በመንደፍ እንጀምራለን፡፡
የታላቅ ሕዝብ ታላቅነት ከላይ ከታዩት ሁለት ፀባያት የመጀመሪያዎቹ በሆኑት መልክ የተዘጋጀ መሆን አለበት፡፡ ኢትዮጵያዊነት ማለት የጥቁርነት ከፍ ያለ ማማ፣ የቀጥተኛ ሐይማኖት ምስክርና ባለቤት፣ የሐዋሪያት ትምህርት ህያዉ በሆነ ሐይማኖታዊ ባህል ህልው ሆኖ እንዲኖር ያደረገ፣ የጥንት አዝማናት አቆጣጠርና የሥነ-ፈለክ ምርምር ባለቤት፣ የውብ ኪነ-ሕንጻ፣ የፊደላት፣ የሥነ-ጽሁፍ፣ ሥነ-ስዕል፣ ሥነ-ቃል ባለቤትና ባህረ-ጥበባት ማለት ነው፡፡ ለአንድ ሐገር ሕዝብ ሁለት ዓይነት ጥበብና ሐብት አለው፡፡ እነዚህም፡-
. ቁሳዊ ጥበብና ሀብት፡- ቁሳዊ እሴቶች አንድ ሀገር በዜጎቹና በጠቅላላ በሕዝቡ እንዲሁም ያንን ሕዝብ በሚያስተዳድረው መንግስት ቁጥጥርና ባለቤትነት ያለ ሕንፃ፣ መሬት፣ ገንዘብ፣ የመገልገያ ቁሳቁስና በአጠቃላይ ከሚዳሰስና ከሚጨበጥ ነገር የተሰራ ማንኛውም ነገር ሲሆን እነዚህን ነገሮች ለመስራትና ለመጠቀም የሚያስችል ዕውቀትና ጥበብ በሙሉ በዚህ ምድብ ውስጥ ይጠቃለላል፡፡ ዓለም አድሎዋዊ በመሆኗ የሯሷ ለሆነው ታደላለች፡፡ ቁሳዊ ሀበትና ጥበብ በብዛት ያለው ሐብታምና ኃያል እንደሆነ ትሰብካለች፡፡ በዚህም ምዕራባውያንና ጥቂት የሩቅ ምስራቅ ሀገራት በዚህ መስፈርት የሰለጠኑ ያደጉ የተመነደጉ እንላቸዋለን፡፡
.  መንፈሳዊ ጥበብና ሀብት፡- ይህ ደግሞ ሰው ከእግዚአብሔር ከፈጣሪው ጋር በሚያደርገው መስተጋብር በመገለጥ (Revealation) የሚሰጥ በተለያዩ የቅድስና ደረጃ ላይ የሚገኙ ሰዎች የሚያገኙት ፍፁም እምነት፣ ተስፋ፣ ፍቅር በአንድነት ያለበት ነው፡፡ በዚህ ጥበብና ሀብት ያሉ ሰዎች በእርስበእርስ ኑሮዋቸው ሰላም፣ መቻቻል፣ ፍቅር፣ አንድነት፣ መተሳሰብ፣ ለራስ ያለማድላት ወዘተ ፀባያት የሚታይባቸው፣ በመከራና በችግር ጊዜ እጅግ በጣም ጠንካራ ሥነ-ልቦና ያላቸው፣ ዘላለማዊ ሕይወትን ወራሽ ስለመሆናቸው ምሉዕ እምነትና ተስፋ ያላቸው በመሆኑ ለቁሳዊ ሀብት ፍቅር የሌላቸው ነገር ግን ስንፍናን የሚጠሉና በራሳቸው ላይ እንዳይሰለጥን የሚተጉ በመሆናቸው ጊዜያቸውን በዋዛ ፈዛዛ የሚያሳልፉ ባለመሆናቸው ከጸሎትና ከአገልግሎት የተረፋቸውን ጊዜ በሙሉ በሥራ ላይ በማዋል ቁሳው ሀበት ማፍራት የሚችሉና የሚያፈሩ ነገር ግን ይህንን ቁሳዊ ሀበትና ጥበብ ከቁመተ-ሥጋና በሕይዎት ለመቆየት ከሚያስፈልጋቸው ውጭ ለተጨማሪ የፅድቅ ሥራ የሚያውሉ ናቸው፡፡ መንፈሳዊ ጥበብና ሀብት ቁሳዊ ጥበብና ሀብት አያስፈልግም የሚል ፅንፍ የለውም፡፡ ነገር ግን ቁሳዊ ጥበብና ሀብት ለመንፈሳዊ ጥበብና ሀብት ማግኛ ለበጎ ሥራ መስሪያ መዋል ሲገባው ዘላለማው ሞትን የምታመጣ ሀጢያትን የምንገዛበት መሆን የለበትም፡፡ ስለዚህ ለሁለተኛው የሀብት ዓይነት የበለጠ ፍቅርና ትጋት ያስፈልጋል፡፡ ምክንያቱም ቁሳዊ ሐብትና ጥበብ ጊዜያው ደስታና  ምቾት ሊሰጠን ቢችልም ዘላለማዊ ሕይወትን የምናገኘው ከሞት በኋላ ሌላ ሕይወትን እንድንኖር የሚያግዘን፤ በምድርም ዘለቄታ ያለው አእምሯዊ እርካታ፣ ደስታና ሀሴት የምናገኘው የመንፈሳዊ ጥበብና ሀብት ባለቤት ስንሆን ነውና፡፡ በዚህ መስፈርት መሰረት ዓለም ደሃና ሀብታም የሚባል ምድብ የላትም፡፡ መዳቢው እግዚአብሔር ቢሆንም ዓለም ወደደችም ጠላችም የአንድ ሐገር ታላቅነት የሚለካው ባለው መንፈሳዊ ልዕልና ነው፡፡ እንግዲህ አሜሪካን የመሰሉ ሀገራት ሀብታምና ኃያል ሲሆኑ ታላቅ የሚባል ሕዝብ የላቸውም፡፡ ኃያልነትና ታላቅነት ለየቅል ናቸው ዲያቆን ዳንኤል ክብረት በጡምራ መድረኩ እንዳስነበበን፡፡
የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ ታላቅነት ከአብርሃም ዘመን በፊት ጀምሮ እንደነበረ እስራኤል በአምልኮ አመንዝራነቷ የተለየችውን እግዚአብሔርን በአብርሃም በኩል በፍጥረታት በመመራመር ስታገኝ ኢትዮጵያ ግን መልከ ፄዴቅን የመሰለ ካህን ወደ ኢየሩሳሌም ልካ ኢየሩሳልምን የመሰለች ከተማ መስርቶ የሳሌም ንጉስ ሆኖ ከአብርሃም የእጅ መንሻ ተቀብሏል፤ ኢትዮጵያም በመልከ ጼዴቅ እጅ እስራኤልን ባርካለች፡፡ ይህም የሚያሳየው በውል ከታወቀው ጊዜ  ጀምሮ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ ታላቅነት ከአራት ሺህ ዓመታት በላይ የዘለቀ መሆኑን ነው፡፡ ነገር ግን ታሪካዊ ማስረጃዎችን ባለመፈለጋችን ታሪካችንን የተቆነጻጸለ አደረግነው እንጅ አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር ከአዳም ጀምሮ ሳይቋረጥ እንደ ጅረት ውሃ የፈሰሰባት ብቸኛ ሀገር ኢትዮጵያ እንደሆነች እንገነዘባለን፡፡ ለምን ቢባል ኢትዮጵያ የኖኅ የልጅ ልጅ ኩሽ (ኢትዮጲስ) የከተመባት ሀገር በመሆኗ አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር ደግሞ እስከ ኖኅና ልጆቹ እንዲሁም እስከ ልጅ ልጆቹ ሳይቋረጥ የቀጠለ መሆኑን መፅሐፍ ቅዱሳዊ ማስረጃ በመኖሩ ነው፡፡ እንግዲህ በኩሽና በዘመነ መልከ ጼዴቅ መካከል ያለውን ዘመን በጥሞና ማጥናት ያስፈልጋል፡፡ ነገር ግን አመክኒዮዋዊ በሆነ መልኩ ከተመለከትነው በዚህ ዘመን መካከል አምልኮተ-እግዚአብሔር ቢቋርጥ ኖሮ አምልኮተ-እግዚአብሔር ከመልከ-ጼዴቅ ዘመን መድረስ የሚችለው እንደ አብርሃም እግዚአብሔርን ፈልጎ ያገኘ (የተገለጠለት) ሰው አማካኝነት ብቻ ነው፡፡ ይህንን ታሪክ ደግሞ ተፅፎ አላገኘንም፡፡ ይህም የሚያሳየው አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር በኢትዮጵያ አልተቋረጠም ወደሚል ድምዳሜ ያደርሰናል፡፡ ስለዚህ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ ታላቅነት ዘመናት ከዓለም ዕድሜ ጋር የሚተካከል ይሆናል ማለት ነው፡፡ በዚህም ያልተቋረጠና ያልተበረዘ አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር የኖረች ኢትዮጵያ በኋላ የዓለም መድኃኒትን ኢየሱስ ክርስቶስን ያስገኘች እስራኤልን ሦስት ጊዜ ባርካታለች ወይም ከውድቀት አንስታታለች ወይም ደግሞ ከውድቀት አገግማ አሕዛባዊ ጠባይዋን ትታ ተመልሳ ወደ አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር እንድትመለስ ረድታታለች፡፡ እነዚህም፡-
.  መጀመሪያ አብርሃም ለመልከ ጼዴቅ የእጅ መንሻ አቅርቦ በዘላለማዊ ክህነት በአንብሮተ ዕድ ያልተሾመ የጌታችን የመድኃኒታችን የኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ ምሳሌ በሆነው በኢትዮጵያዊው ካህን መልከ ጼዴቅ የተባረከ ጊዜ ነው፡፡
. ሁለተኛው ሙሴ ወደ ኢትዮጵያዊው ካህን ዮቶር ከግብጽ በተሰደደ ጊዜ ክህነትን፣ የህዝብ አስተዳደርንና መሪነትን፣ አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔርን ከካህኑ ዮቶር የተማረ መሆኑ በኋላም እስራኤልን እየመራ ወደ ከነአን ባህረ ኤርትራን ከፍሎ ሲያሻግራቸው የእስራኤልን አለቆች በሻለቃ፣ በመቶ አለቃ፣ በሃምሳ አለቃ፣ በአስር አለቃ ወዘተ ከፋፍሎ የመሪነት ተዋረድን እንዲሰራና እስራኤልን በአግባቡ መርቶ ከርስት አገር እንዲገቡ ታላቅ የአማካሪነት ጥበብን የሰራ ኢትዮጵያዊው ካህን ዮቶር ነው፡፡
. ሦስተኛው እስራኤል ወደ ባቢሎን ተማርከውበወረዱ ጊዜና ኢየሩሳሌም በተቃጠለች ጊዜ፣ የቀሩት አስሩ የእስራኤል ነገዶችና ከተሞቻቸውም በአሶራውያን በተማረኩና በተመዘበሩ ጊዜ እስራኤል ከሐይማኖታዊ ቅርሶች በእጆቻቸው የቀሩ ምንም አልነበራቸውም፡፡ መፅሐፍቶቻቸውና ንዋያተ ቅድሳቶቻቸው፣ እንዲሁም የሰለሞን ቤተመቅደስ ተቃጠሉ፡፡ የእስራኤል የምርኮ ዘመን ከአንድ ትውልድ የሚረዝም ስለነበር እስራኤል ተመልሰው ነጻ ሳይወጡ፣ በቃል በረበናት የተጠኑ መፃሕፍት እንኳን ተመልሰው ሳይጻፉ ብዙዎች ረበናት በማረፋቸው እስራኤል የኦሪት መፃሕፍት ከሙሴና ሔኖክ እስከ ሰለሞን ያሉት መፃሕፍት በሙሉ ጠፉባቸው፡፡ በዚህ ጊዜ የኢትዮጵያ ንጉስ መልእክተኞች ስለ ኢየሩሳሌም ጥፋት፣ ስለ ሐይማኖታዊ ቅርሶች ውድመት ሊጠይቁ፣ ሊያፅናኗቸው፣ ስለ መፅሐፍት ሁኔታ ሊጠይቋቸው ከምርኮ ቦታ ባቢሎን በመሄድ ተገናኟቸው፡፡ በምርኮ ያሉት እስራኤላውያንም የደረሰባቸውን በሙሉ ለመልእክተኞች አስረድተው መፃሕፍትም በሙሉ መውደማቸውን ነገረው መልእክት አስይዘው ወደ ኢትዮጵያ መልሰው ለከዋቸዋል፡፡ በኋላ ከባቢሎን ምርኮ አልፎ  የነጻነት ዘመን ሲተካ በንጉስ ዘሩባቤል መሪነት የሰሎንን ቤተ መቅደስ የሚመስል አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር የሚፈጸምበት ቤተ መቅደስ ሲታነፅ የኢትዮጵያ መልእክተኞች የደስታና የነፃነት ዘመንን እግዚአብሔር ስለሰጣቸው ለእስራኤል እንኳን ደስ አላችሁ ለማለትና ከሰለሞን በኋላ የተጻፉ የነቢያት መጻሕፍት እንዲልኩላቸውም ለመጠየቅ መልእክት ከንጉሱ ይዘው ወደ ኢየሩሳሌም ሲሄዱ እስራኤላውያንም ከሰለሞን በኋላ የተጻፉ መጻሕፍትን አሲዘው ከሙሴ እስከ ሰለሞን ያሉትን መጻሕፍት በምርኮ ዘመን የጠፉባቸው በመሆኑ የራሳቸውን ልዑካን በመላክ ከኢትዮጵያ ወስደዋል፡፡ በዚህም ኢትዮጵያ የእስራኤል ኦሪትን ከጥፋት ታድጋለች፡፡
ለዚህ ነው ኢትዮጵያ የታላቅ ሕዝብ ታላቅ ሀገር የምትባለው፡፡ እንግዲህ ስለዘመን አቆጣጠራችን ሰፊ በመሆኑ ብዙ ነገር ልል አልወደድኩም፡፡ እናንተም የኢትዮጵያን ዘመን አቆጣጠር በመንፈሳዊ ጥበብ መሰረትነት የተሰራ ከሰዋዊ አመክንዮ ነጻ የሆነ መሆኑን በተለያዩ አጋጣሚዎች ትረዳላችሁ የሚል ግምት አለኝ፡፡ ከአውሮፓ ዘመን አቆጣጠር የተለየና የተሻለ የሚያሰኘው ብዙ ነገሮች አሉ፡፡ ባህር ሐሳብ የሚለውን የቤተክርስቲያናችን አንድ ሰፊ ትምህርት (ስለ ሥነ-ፍጥረትና ዘመናት አቆጣጠር እንዲሁም ሥነ-ፈለክ በሚመለከት) የቤተክርስቲያን ሊቃውንት መጻሕፍትን ፅፈዋል፡፡ እነርሱን ማንበብና ስለ ዘመን አቆጣጠራችን ዕውቀታችንን ማስፋት ይቻላል፡፡
ነገር ግን አዲስ ዘመን ሲመጣ የዚች ታላቅ ሀገር ታላቅ ሕዝብ ታላቅነቱን የሚያስቀጥል ታላላቅ የሕይወት ዕቅዶችን ማቀድ ይጠበቅበታል፡፡ ያሳለፍነው ዓመት በኛ ሀገር ብዙ ክስተቶችን ያስተናገድንበት ዘመን ሆኖ አልፏል፡፡ የሁለቱ መሪዎቻችን በሥጋ ከኛ መለየት ግን ከሁሉም ዐብይ ጉዳይ ሆኖ በአእምሯችን ተቀርጾ ቀርቷል፡፡ ከእነዚህ ያለፈ ዘመን ክስተቶች መማር ያለብን ትላልቅ ነጥቦችም ይኖራሉ - መጪው ዘመንን ስናቅድ፡፡ አንድ የታክሲ ላይ ጥቅስ እዚህ ላይ ላስታውሳችሁ፡፡ እንደምትኖር ሆነህ ሥራ፤ እንደምትሞት ሆነህ ኑር፤ይላል፡፡ ለሚቀጥለው ዘመን ስናቅድ መልካምና በጎነትን የበለጠ እያዳበርናቸው ክፉነትን፣ ጨካኝነትን፣ ስግብግብነትን፣ አመንዝራነትን፣ ጥልን፣ አድመኝነትን፣ ክርክርን ወዘተ አስወግደን በአንጻሩ ደግሞ መቻቻልን፣ ፍቅርን፣ ወንድማማችነትን፣ አንድነትን፣ ሰላምን፣ መተማመንን ወዘተ ልናፈራ የምንችልባቸውን ዕቅዶችን ማቀድና መተግበር ያስፈልገናል፡፡ ከሁሉም በላይ ደግሞ ከመቼውም በላይ ከጥንት ከአዳም አባታችን ጀምሮ ሳይቋርጥ የቆየው አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር ከደርግ ዘመን ጀምሮ አደጋ የተጋረጠበት በመሆኑ ሺህ ዓመታትን አቋርጦ ከኛ ዘመን የደረሰው የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ ታላቅነት ምንጭ አምልኮተ እግዚአብሔር የምንፈፅምበት (በሐዲስ ኪዳን ክርስትናችን) እንዳይጠወልግ እምነትና መልካም ምግባራችንን የምናሳድግበት፣ ከእግዚአብሔርና ከቅዱሳን ህብረት የለየንን ኃጢያታችንን በንስሃ የምንታጠብበትና ከዚያም ለስጋወደሙ የምንበቃበት፣ ጋብቻና ሌሎችንም ማኅበራዊ ህይወታችንን ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋህዶ ክርስትና በሚፈቅደው መሰረት ለማከናወን በቁርጥ ህሊና የምንወስንበት መሆን አለበት፡፡ አሮጌውን ማንነታችንን ጥለን አዲሱን በክርስትና ያጌጠውን ማንነታችንን የምንተካበት እንዲሆን በፍጹም ቆራጥነት እስኪ እናቅድ፡፡ ለዘመናት የቆየው ታላቅነታችንም ከኛ ዘመን ወደ ልጆቻችን ይተላለፍልን፡፡
በዚህ አዲስ ዓመት መሪዎቻችንም የምትሞቱ መሆናችሁን አስቡ፡፡ መልካምም ክፉም በሰራችሁ ጊዜ አበጃችሁ! ማለፊያ ነው! እያሉ የእጃችሁን ምፅዋት የሚጠባበቁ በዙሪያችሁ ያሉ አፈ ጮሌዎች፣ ካህናተ ጣኦት የሕዝቡን እንባና እሮሮ እንዳታዳምጡ እዝናችሁን በማይረባ መዝሙር መሰል ጩኸት ያባዝናሉ፤ እንዳታስተውሉ ደራሽና ርባና በሌላቸው ጉዳዮችና ትዕይንቶች ዐይኖቻችሁን ይሸፍናሉና እባካችሁ ዝቅ ብላችሁ ሰው መሆናችሁን እስክንረዳ ከሕዝብ ጋር መስተጋብር ይኑራችሁ፡፡ እናንተን ሰላም ማለት የሰማይን መስኮት ከፍቶ ወደ ሰማየ ሰማያት የማረግ ያህል አይራቅብን፤ ስትስቁ፣ ስትከፉ፣ ስትቀልዱ፣ ስትሸወዱ፣ ስትጫወቱ፣ ሲደክማችሁ፣ ሲያንቀላፋችሁ ወዘተ እንመልከታችሁ፡፡ እናንተም ሕዝቡን በዚህ ጥልቀት ተመልከቱት፡፡ እንደ ሰማይ አይነኬ አለመሆናችሁን እስኪ አሳዩን፡፡ ያለፈው ዘመን ብዙ ሊያስተምራችሁ ሞት የማይቀር ሲሆን ታሪካዊ ሥራ መሥራት እንዳለባችሁ ልታውቁ ይገባል፤ መልካም አስተዳደር የተጠማን ሕዝብ፣ ቀልጣፋና ማመናጨቅ የሌለበት አግልግሎት የራቀውን ሕዝብ እስኪ በዚህ አዲስ ዓመት ጀምሮ እውን እንዲሆን ተግታችሁ ሰርታችሁ ችግራችንን ከስረ መሰረቱ ነቅለን እንድንጥለው ምሩን፤ እኛም እንከተላችሁ፡፡
በተለያዩ የመንግስትም ሆነ የግል የሕዝብ አገልግሎት በመስጠት ላይ ያላችሁ ሰዎች እስኪ ለውጥ ከራስ ይጀምራልና ይህን ምስኪን ነገር ግን ታላቅ በመንፈሳዊ ልዕልናው የሚበልጠንን ሕዝብ ይህንን ልዕልና እንደያዘ እንዲቀጥል መልካም አግልግሎትን በመስጠት እናበረታታው፤ ሳይማር ያስተማረ ሕዝብ አሁንም ተማርን ብለን ራሳችንን የምናስታብይ ተማርን ብለን እንዳልተማርን የሆንን እኛን በትዕግስቱ ብዛት ተሸክሞን እየመራን ነው፡፡ እባካችሁ መልካም አስተሳሰብን በተከታዮቻችን፣ በልጆቻችን፣ በታናናሾቻችንና በአጠቃላይ በዙሪያችን ላሉ ሁሉ በሥራችን እናሳያቸው፡፡ የጠቆረ ፊት፣ ማመናጨቅና ስድብ፣ ሙሰኝነትና ጉቦኝነት ለዚህ ምስኪን ነገር ግን ታላቅ ሕዝብ ይቅርለት፡፡ እስኪ ሁላችን በያለንበት በዚህ አዲስ ዓመት በአዲስ ቃል ኪዳን ከኢትዮጵያዊነታችን ጋር ቃል እንግባ፡፡
ይህ አዲስ ዓመት ለሁላችሁ የስኬት፣ የለውጥ፣ የደስታ፣ የፍቅር፣ የሰላም፣ የአንድነት ዓመት ይሁንላችሁ!!! አሜን!!!
መልካም በዓል!