Something of a divine touch is sweeping across the nation. Something extraordinary is happening. Ethiopians are more united in his death than when he was walking here on earth amongst us. Meles had to die so that his people would understand him. Meles had to die so that his people would internalize the noble principles he devoted his life for. As tears are flooding the nation, we all woke to the crude and cruel reality that, we all took him for granted as he pressed on to transform Ethiopia into a power to reckon with; into a prospective middle income nation and into a self-sufficient nation as well.
As we struggle to make sense of the horrifying and untimely news, we find consolation on the fact that, Ethiopians are determined to sanctify his visions and aspirations where the new generation upholds the spirit of the Constitution to vanguard the nation from destructive forces. If it is to state the obvious however, it is the legacy of Meles where the nation for the first time in her history is priding herself on the strong institutions where the power transfer is needless to say remains to be seamless.
Twentieth century Africa may have belonged to Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah to mention but a few, Twenty First century Africa however belongs to the man who stood tall amongst dwarfs; to the man who is a champion of Developmental State; to the man who fought poverty tooth and nail; to the man who elevated Ethiopia amongst house of nations; to the man who is the champ of peasants, to the man who is the icon of the under-privilaged and most of all the man who is a hero of my own private generation, His Excellency Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
Sure enough, the pundits and armchair analysts in the days ahead will be preoccupied as their untidy and cluttered imagination flies all over as they are absolutely out of touch with the zeitgeist of present day Ethiopia where there is no such a thing called "Post-Meles-Ethiopia" simply because, Meles the private citizen, Meles the being confined in a flesh-and-blood may have passed away, but Meles the principle, Meles the overriding spirit guiding the nation through a providence is eternal.
As I write, I am listening to the new song of Nway Debebe and other artists where the lyrics define the essence of Meles' death, that is, Ethiopia is united as ever in the mean time, as Meles joins the pantheon of leaders on the other side of the wormhole, he says to himself, "A life well-spent; a calling well executed" with a sparkle in his otherwise intelligent eyes.
Paulos Yrgaw. August 26, 2012
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