Temesgen Gebre

Temesgen Gebre was born on Ginbot 15, 1901 EC in Eastern Gojam in Menkorer city (now Debre Markos) from his mother Mrs. Fantaye Goshu and his father, Bilata Gebre Asegahegn He started his church education at four years, four months and four days of age. When he was eight, he ran away from his home to a distant location called Yejube where he continued his church education.

At fifteen, Temesgen was well versed in calligraphy (classic handwriting) When his father Bilala Gebre passed away, he returned to his home and became a farmer, but also served as a secretary at the office of Ras Hailu, the Governor of Gojjam. At eighteen, he came to Addis Ababa where he spent some time in the trading business, after which he went on to pursue modern education in a mission school.

After finishing his schooling, he wrote a book entitled Baletsegaw Bedehaw Tila which was not published due to lack of funds. With his friend Hailegebriel. Temesgen also made great efforts to re-establish the Ethiopian Youth Association, which was established in 1918 E.C. and was interrupted by the Fascist Italian invasion of Ethiopia During the time of the invasion, Temesgen preached in churches and made public speeches on national unity and peace, encouraging the people to not submit to the invading Fascist army On Yekatit 12, 1929 E.C., he was rounded up with thousands of Ethiopians and very narrowly survived a brutal massacre by the Italian forces after the assassination attempt on General Graziani.

Temesgen then traveled to Khartoum, Sudan where he lived in exile and established a school for Ethiopian refugees together with Priest Hamilton, supporting and counseling the refugees. He also wrote a song entitled Belew! Belew! Atelewem Wey? Ye Tequr Anbesse Aydelehem Wey?” (Attack! Attack! Won’t you attack? Are you not the Black Lion?). which they sang during Mesqel celebration and around the Demera. For this act of resistance, he was jailed in Sudan During his years in Sudan, Temesgen also wrote details of the atrocities that the Fascist Italian army committed against the Ethiopian people, and sent the scnpts to the Emperor Haile Selassie! He also fought the Italian army on the war front together with the British.

Temesgen provided significant service to Ethiopia as a journalist through his many articles He was also a pioneer in the field of literature, composing innovative pieces, including a short story entitled Yegullelew Sekaram. He is considered the first modern short story writer in Ethiopia Temesgen Gebre married Tehe’a G/Michael after the war in 1935 EC, and they had two daughters and a son. He had written a biography entitled my life which was published by his children in 2001 EC Temesgen became ill in 1939 E.C. and died on December 24, 1948.

Kegnegeta Yoftahe Nigussie Weldeyesus

Yoftahe Nigussie Weldeyesus was born on April 13. 1887 EC in Eastern Gojjam. Machakel Woreda in Debre-Elias from his mother, Mazengia Woldeher and his father Nigussie Weldyesus, who was a church administrator. As a child, he received traditional church education where he learnt to chant and recite ‘gene’ and ‘zema”, Ge’ez songs and hymns from the church, including the melodies of St. Yared Because he excelled at church education, he was given the status of “Kegnegeta’.

Yafahe came to Addis Ababa at the age of 14, where he was ordained at Abo Church From 1916 EC., he served as an Amharic and Music teacher at Menelik ll and Teferi Mekonnen School, respectively. His job as a. teacher gave him the opportunity to write several songs, theatrical pieces and poems for use in and beyond the schools.

Yoftahe Nigussie wrote many dramas from 1923-1926 EC including Teqem Yalebel Chewata, Meseker, Yehod Amilaku Qetat, Yamare Melash, Musherit Mushera, Yehezb Tsetset and many others. In 1927 EC he also wrote Meshe Bekentu, Terefu Yetebeq, Yedenqorowoch Teyater and Afajeshegn in 1928 EC, a piece he wrote Elqeetu or Gobez Ayn told the story of love of country and bravery Many felt this writing foreshadowed the horrors of the invasion of Ethiopia by the Italians. Also during the time of the Italian invasion, many writers had stopped wit ng and literature in Ethiop a took a downturn, but Yoftohe produced several pieces while he was in exile in Sudan.

Most of Yoltahe’s poems and songs were written during and after the Fascist Italian invasion. After the Italian invasion in 1934 E.C., he wrote a piece entitled ‘Eyayu Mazen’ as well as ‘Welad Itiyopiya’ and ‘Atentun Lelkemew’ While in Sudan, he also composed songs of freedom and courage to encourage the troops battling in Ethiopia for our dignity and liberty. He was the author of the first Ethiopian national anthem, and recently Addis Ababa University has named its Theatre Department in his Honor.

Although Yoftahe did not pursue modern education, he is considered a vanguard and a pioneer who paved the way for Ethiopian literature, with the deep knowledge he gained from his church education Ezra Hailemariam, who presented a paper on Yoftahe’s life writes, ‘Kegnegeta Yoftahe’s compositions base life beauty and truth at their core. His poems and songs glitter with beautiful words and descriptions that move the audience and create a pleasant feeling.” Yoftahe served as Deputy President of the Judiciary Council of the Ethiopian Parliament from 1935. 1939 E.C. Yoftahe Nigussie died on Sene 1, 1939 E.C. and was buried a Bealewo d Church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Negadras Afework Gebereyesus

Afework Gebereyesus was born into a family of church scholars in 1868 EC in Zegie located in Goliam around Lake Tana in his childhood he excelled in church and art education, and in 1873 EC at the age of fifteen, he was sent to reside in the palace of Emperor Menelik around Entoto in Addis Ababa where he provided art services for the Emperor In 1887 EC by the order of the Emperor he was sent to Italy to study While studying in Italy in Tourin. Afework met the delegation lead by Ras Mekonnen that was sent for a senior diplomatic mission. During this time. Afework read articles on Italian newspapers stating that ‘Ethiopia had recognized the superiority of Italy”. He anxiously noted and explained this case to Ras Mekonnen who was not aware of the articles, and this lead to a great diplomatic rift between Ethiopia and Italy and to the subsequent battle between the two nations. Afework then returned to his country with the delegation and resumed his art services at Emperor Menelik’s palace. Unfortunately, due to artistic disagreements and tensions with Empress Taitu, Afework again left the country to pursue more education in Switzerland and again in Italy.

In Tourin, he Married Eugenia Rossi, with whom he had two sons and two daughters. Then he travelled to Naples where he was hired as an assistant to a Prof Gallini in an institution where he taught Amharic and wrote several books in Amhario. Ge’ez, Italian and French Among the books he authored are Leb Weled Tang (later entitled Tobia) which was the first Amharic prose fiction ever written, Dagmawi Menelik Neguse Negest Ze-Itiyopiya, Ye-Itiyopia Mengest Alga Werash Leul Ras Teferi Mekonnen Wede Djibouti Wede Eden Sihedu Simelesu Yemengedachew Akwahuan, Minas, Zendo Sinags. Cleopatrana Markantwan in Amharic, Dawit in Ge’ez Gramatica della lingua amarica, Metodo practico per Insegnamento. Il verbo amanico and Manuale di Conversazione Italiano Amarico con la Pronuncia Figurata in Italian and Guide du Voyageur en Abus ane in French.

In 1912 EC, he reportedly traveled and stayed in Eritrea which was caverned by Italy at the time. He came back to Ethiopia in 1922 EC al this time he received the tale of ‘Negadras the great merchant) and was appointed as Head of Customs in Dre Dawa He was also given an overlapping duty of Judge in the courts in the city In 1932 EC Afework was sent to Rome to act as a liaison between Ethiopia and Italy. During this time, he made great efforts in trying to reconcile the two countries after the Ethio-Italian conflict of Walwal. After the war of Maichew when Italy invaded Ethiopia, Afework was appointed as the Mouth of Caesar’ and as result, after the Ethio-Italian war ended, he was brought before the Ethiopian courts and was sentenced to death However, according to the judgment rendered by his Majesty HaileSelassie , his sentence was changed to the imprisonment and so Afework was imprisoned in a place called Jiren in the city of Jimma In 1947 EC Afework Gebreyesus died while in prison at the age of 79. Source: Sahleselasse Berhanemariam ‘Fenote Hiwot’ – Encyclopedia Aethiopica, Vol1 2003. Pg

Blaten-Geta Heruy Weldeselassie

Heruy Weldeselassie was born in 1871 EC in North Shoa in Tach-Bet Woreda at Remeshet Kebele in a placed called Den Abo Monastery. He began his education at Den-Abo Monastery and completed his studies in songs and hymns of the church in Ge’ez including St Yared’s melodies al Selale Sire Medheanealem church. He then went to Entoto Raquel in Addis Ababa where he completed his education in traditional Ge’ez poetry and grammar or qene with great distinction.

At the age of twenty five Heruy married Mrs. Hamere Eshete with whom he had two sons and four daughters. In 1903 E.C he traveled to England accompanying Dejazmach Kassa Hailu to attend the coronation of King George V Beyond England, he also had the chance to travel to the US Paris, Rome, Cairo, Alexandria, Jerusalem and Japan. These visits inspired him to think more about modern philosophies, education art and ideas.

Up on his return to Ethiopia, Heruy completed the task that he had started with Aleka Taye Gebramaniam, to translate and publish the Holy Bible into Amharic He has also written over 20 books and booklets that have inspired his generation and many generations. These include Wedaje Libe, Ethiopia ena Metema, Yeatse Yohannes Tarik Bacheru, Ye-Itiyopiya Tarik Kengest Saba eske Talaqu Ye Adwa Del a book of classic poetry, Dersetoch, Metsehaf Qene Zegedemt, Le-lej Meker Le-abat Matasebiya. When Heruy was appointed as Director of Addis Ababa City Administration, he went on to name the municipalities, designing Urban land map duty and taxation for the first time. In 1914 EC, he was appointed as a judge for the Judiciary Affairs Court. He also served as a Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1919-1922 E.C. Moreover, he was Master of Foreign Affairs as 01 1922 EC until his death He was also given honorary membership by the German Oriental Society in 1929 and, while in exile in England during the Italian invasion, he taught Amharic and Ge’ez at the School of Oriental Studies, now School of Oriental and African Studies

Beside his contribution in literature, Heruy was also a praiseworthy and ambitious public servant in his administrative, social, diplomatic and judiciary duties. For instance, based on a visit to Japan, he realized the great benefit and advantage for Ethiopia if it had a Red Cross Society. To that end, he worked diligently to organize the Ethiopian Red Cross Society in order that it may provide critical services during the time of the war in Maichew.

Heruy Weldeselassie died at the age of 60 on September 19, 1938.

Source: Encyclopedia Aethiopica, Vol1. 2007, Pg.

Source: Ethiopian Writers Association