BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
ADDIS ABABA– Numerous looted artifacts including Emperor MenelikII’s swords, which he fought at the Battle of Adwa, and wood cross have been returned to Ethiopia from the United States due to the tremendous effort of Ethiopian Diasporas living in that country.
Also, several Ethiopian Diasporas handed over historic letters of Emperor Haile-Selassie I, postcards, photographs and other written manuscripts to Ethiopia’s National Heritage Restitution Committee at the office of Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) yesterday.
On the occasion, an Ethiopian Diaspora living in Colorado, U.S., Bemelekot Tewahade told The that the sword, which was used by MenelikII in the Battle of Adwa in 1896, was sold by businessman for 120 Ethiopian Birr to an American navy ship sailor named Johnny Corbin in 1970 in Asmara, Kagnew Station. “Corbin was taking the sword throughout the world but he kept it because he wanted to give it back to Ethiopia.”
In 1999, Corbin gave the sword to Pastor Tegga Lendado, a person with Ethiopian origin and in 2016, Tegga passed the ownership of the sword to Bemelekot.
Clarifying why he kept the sword so long in his home, Pastor Tegga stressed that he was waiting for the coming of a reliable and faithful government that acknowledges both the good and bad aspects of Ethiopian history. “This sword is very important to the Ethiopian Museum, Ethiopian history and to the whole black race because Emperor Menelik has a special place in our past.”
The sword represents Ethiopia’s proud history and is an inspiration for the young generation and taught a lesson for the need to engage in activities that will contribute towards nation building, Tegga added.
ARCCH Deputy Director Abebaw Ayalew said for his part that the heritages show Ethiopia’s leading place in history and the current generation have a duty to pass it to posterity. “We received these historic heritages with a responsibility to protect them.” The deputy director also appreciated what Bemelekot and Pastor Tegga have done and called other Ethiopians in home and abroad to follow their suit.
The January 23/2022
