| s | r | a |
(PDF) Taytu is a daughter of great nobility. She is of the Amhara and Oromo nations, a sister of valiant brothers with strong aggressive character, who doesn’t like men who don’t take her order. She is divorced four times followed only her own star to highest power. She is the founder of the city of Addis Ababa, the first owner of a Hotel of which she was the first manager and the first cooking trainer. She maintained Ethiopia’s position in Jerusalem to remind the world that the ancient Ethiopians were living there. Above all, she is a warrior whose contribution led to the victory of Adwa. Two days from now on the nation will celebrate the 123rd victory of Adwa.
On October 1896, Empress Taytu marched to the battle of Adwa with five thousands armed men and 25 thousands women as nurses who look after the solders. Perhaps she is the first female who marched 895km, to face the enemy and return triumphantly. Unlike the nature of most women, hers was to solve a problem in a battlefield with the only language the colonizer understood. While Ethiopians called her ‘The Sunshine of Ethiopia’, the Italian diplomat called her “La dona Che Rifiuta”(The lady says no).
To recount the Battle of Adwa and its victory without the name of Empress Taytu is like describing a his-tory of a great painting without the name of the painter.
As a war strategist for the battle of Mekele, 185 km away from the final battle of Adwa, she prearranged to seize the only water supply of the area. Ten days later, the dehydrated Italy army retreated from its stronghold and headed back to Adwa. The victory of Mekele is the victor of Taytu. On the eve of the battle of Adwa, she won the mind and heart of Bashai Awalom, a double agent. According to the book entitled, ምርኮኛዊቷ መለኩሴ በ እማሆይ ደስታ(Merkogawitow Melkosia, by Emahoy Desta), a special assistant to Empress Taytu: “….over a lunch, she told him, ‘the injera you eat and the tej you drank is like the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.’ The information she gathered in the meetings with this spy were of crucial importance to the victory of Adwa. She used Awalom to be against Italian and gave him an offer he could not refuse.
During the battle, she was active overseeing women who helped wounded and thirsty solders. As the same time she scolded those who declared victory before the battle was over. She commanded they stay at the front line until the Emperor returned. Those who brought captives and wanted to brag be-fore her, she told to leave the captives with her guards and go back to get more.
Taytu, like her name means, was the sunshine over the cloud of Adwa and a heavy rain to her enemy. Before she returned to her capital in victory, she left her mark over what to do with Eritreans who served Italians. As it has been said it is easier to forgive an enemy than a friend, thus forgiveness did not apply to Eritreans who fought against their own brothers. Except Ras Makonnen, all the Rases in-cluding the patriarch voted “yes” to have amputated a leg or hand. One unpublished book by unknown author given to Ras Imeru, wrote: “Empress Taytu Betul wanted all the captives Eritreans to go to As-mara (Eritrean capital) with one hand or one leg so they would teach a lesson to others.” The punish-ment was barbaric by today’s standards, but the lesson of Taytu reverberated throughout the coastline and Red sea. It took another 40 years for Italy to recruit Eritreans to invade Ethiopia.
In 1903 at the time health of her husband, Emperor Menelik, deteriorated and he became bedridden,Empress Taytu began making decisions concerning the nation without consulting the officials. Upon thedeath of Menelik, her power pendulum shifted to Lij Iyasu, a grandson of Menelik.
The next time Taytu’s address changed from palace to monastery, the royal custody in where shespent the remaining eight years of her life. When she chose Gondar for retirement, the officials, fearing her retaliation, kept her nearby.
In 1916, Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis, minster of war, famously known by his nick name, Aba Mela (a man with a wise plan), went to get advice from Taytu. He told her that his army was defeated by King Mika-el, a father of the recently overthrown leader, Lij Iyasu. Taytu did not disappoint the Fitawrari, he re-turned with her war script which changed the course of Ethiopia. At the battle of Segale, King Mikael defeated and his deposed son, Lij Iyasu was on the run.
Recently, there was an effort to lay a foundation stone for Taytu’s statue in Addis Ababa. However, the uncivilized Ethiopian politics prevented a plan to be proceeded.
123 years ago Taytu while she was surrounded by traditionalist men, she achieved numerous accom-plishments that were unthinkable. What will these female ministers do while they are surrounded by only themselves in keeping her legacies? It is to be noted that today in Ethiopia, female ministers con-sisting ten out of twenty, including a position of ministry of defense. At least Taytu gave Ethiopia the capital city which is now the political capital of Africa, what will the nation gives her in a return?
Taytu Betul, a war general, a first who said big “No” to colonizer, a progressive as female leader, she remained tough in her desire to remain separate from the norm of the social order.
On the 123rd anniversary of the victory of Adwa, the legacies of Taytu are challenging the nation’s po-litical spirit to be on the right side of history.
Happy 123rd anniversary!!!
Feb 28 2019
Mulugeta Haile