NOMINATE AND VOTE FOR YOUR ETHIOPIAN HERO AND HEROIN                                                                                                      
The following extraordinary Ethiopians were nominated by Ethiopians from different parts of the world on this website as “People of the Millennium” in the years and months before the start of the Ethiopian New Millennium. We received votes for the title “Ethiopian of the Millennium” until 12:26:57 GMT on Sunday, August 26, 2007 and Emperor Minilik received the highest number of votes and was therefore named Ethiopian of the Millennium. He received 85,368 votes out of a total of 200,316 votes.

We thank each and everyone of you who participated in the process over the last four years and we believe it has been a learning experience for most of you about the great personalities of Ethiopia who have made unique contributions in their chosen field of expertise. We now have decided to continue accepting nominations again so that we continue to learn about the countless wonderful Ethiopians and their achievements.

We will also keep the voting process going so as to keep the process as interactive as possible. Vote results will only be updated on the first day of every month.

To nominate your Ethiopian hero or heroine, use the form at the bottom of this page and tell us the reason why you want to nominate the person and the category they should be listed under.

KING LALIBELA                                                                                 Nominated by Nebyou Israel
King Lalibela was one of the most prominent rulers of Ethiopia’s Zagwe Dynasty who reigned in the 12th century.  He is the ruler credited with the construction of the world-famous rock-hewn ancient Churches in the town of Lalibela in northern Ethiopia.  In fact the town - previously known as Roha – was named after king Lalibela himself upon his death.  According to an Ethiopian legend, God instructed king Lalibela to build the unique churches that have been a collective centre of pilgrimage over the centuries.  This legend also states that the churches of Lalibela were built with the help of angles.  The design of the churches is quite unique: they are carved below ground level; they are massive (several are in excess of 10 meters high); and they are connected to each other by a tangled maze of tunnels.  Yet they are also different - in size and style - from one another. 

One of the most famous of all the churches in Lalibella is The Church of Bete Geiorgis (pictured) which has been a symbol of Ethiopia’s tourism industry.  The Church of Bete Geiorgis in Lalibela is to Ethiopia, what the Pyramids are to Egypt.  But it is so unique and so sacred, that it can never be compared to any structure anywhere in the world.  The churches constructed in accordance with the vision of king Lalibela and with a divine instruction are sacred places of worship; they are giant and tangible symbols of Ethiopia's glorious past.  The 12th century king shingle-handedly responsible for the construction of these unique places of worship and national landmarks will live eternally through his eternal work, and Ethiopians are always grateful to him.   

ALULA ABANEGA                                                                             Nominated by Mezgebe Berhe
Alula Abanega was the commoner who joined forces with Ethiopia’s ruling elite taking extraordinary leadership roles.  He worked with Emperor Yohannes IV and Emperor Minilik to fight some of the country’s toughest battles with the Italians and Britons as well as with the then enemies in Sudan and Egypt.  Alula Abanega is largely credited with being a heroic figure tirelessly defending his country from foreign aggression, and also with being the strategist during the Battle of Adwa when Ethiopia defeated the Italians under the leadership of Emperor Minilik. 

He was also fighting an internal battle with those who wanted to take his place and he is said to have been a man of wisdom exercising tolerance with a determination not to succumb to attempts to bring him down.  Alula Abanega – a distinguished warrior who contributed to the force that has kept Ethiopia independent - died on 16 February 1897 - aged 70 - of a wound he sustained during an internal battle with his opponents.  A giant statue of Alula Abanega was erected in 1982 in Northern Ethiopia so as to thank him and to keep his wonderful Ethiopian spirit alive.  

ETHIOPIAN PATRIOTS                                                                Nominated by Misrak Demesachew
Four years before the start of the Second World War, Italy invaded Ethiopia on 3 October 1935 under the orders of the then Italian Prime Minister - Benito Mussolini. They had much more advanced weaponry than Ethiopians and attacked on ground and from air. They soon seized several Ethiopian towns across the northern part of the country despite stiff resistance by the Ethiopian army. Supported by hundreds of planes, cannons and different types of weapons, the Italian army swept across Ethiopia committing untold war crimes. The Italians took control of the capital - Addis Ababa - on 5 May 1963 and Emperor Haileselassie left Ethiopia for Switzerland to ask for international help to oust Italy from Ethiopia at the League of Nations in Geneva. He was officially in exile. In response to the Emperor's appeals, the League of Nations voted to impose economic sanctions on the aggressor. Yet the sanctions remained fruitless because of staggering indifference on the part of the Western powers.

In Rome, Mussolini proclaimed Italy 's king Victor Emmanuel III emperor of Ethiopia and appointed Badoglio to rule as viceroy. Mussolini was quoted as saying in 1936 that ‘Ethiopia is Italian'. Vigorous resistance continued and an attempt to kill the ruthless Italian general – Rodolfo Graziani – was made. In reprisal, the Fascists carried out three days of massacre in Addis Ababa in which hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians were shot dead, beheaded or disemboweled. The internationally banned mustard gas was used against civilian Ethiopians and thousands of women and children were gassed to death. Houses were set alight and all types of fascist brutality used without any restrain.

Despite the unprecedented number of death tolls suffered by Ethiopians, the massacre and its brutal nature failed to have an intimidating effect. Instead it backfired on the fascists as it served only to strengthen the resolve of the Ethiopian people. Soon, a patriotic movement was organized to reinforce the resistance all over Ethiopia. The resistance gathered momentum and the Italians couldn't succeed in conquering the whole country.

Ethiopian patriots got some help from Britain in 1940 and Italian forces were badly weakened. The British - who had a stake in East Africa - made the decision to help Ethiopia after Italy declared war against Britain. The Ethiopian patriots then librated Addis Ababa on 6 May 1941 and this victory officially ended Italian occupation. Fascist Italy's attempts to colonize Ethiopia came to an abrupt end on this day. Emperor Haileselassie returned to Addis Ababa on 5 May 1941.  This particular victory was realized as a result of the world-famous swift resistance by Ethiopian patriots.  The victory was realized on 6 April 1941 and Ethiopians have been commemorating this day ever since.    

In 1996, Italy admitted to have killed 275,000 Ethiopians during its unsuccessful attempt to colonize Ethiopia. It was Italy 's second humiliating defeat by Ethiopia . The first invasion of Ethiopia by the Italians was in 1895 and they were defeated at Adwa the following year.    

BELAY ZELEKE                                                                                      Nominated by Zinash Debella
Belay Zeleke was born in 1896 in the Wollo province of Ethiopia to a mother of Wollo Borena and to a father of Gojam Berenta origins.  At a very young age in a mysterious situation, Belay Zeleke killed his uncle which prompted him to flee his village and live as a fugitive isolated from his family and friends for the subsequent 15 years.  In his solitary life, Belay Zeleke learned to be courageous and decisive.

In 1935 Italy invaded Ethiopia.  Like the many patriotic Ethiopians, Belay Zeleke felt the need to defend his country and led an insurgency movement against the occupation in Gojam.  Soon, he became known for being remorseless among Italian generals and they fought him as hard as they could. Not only did he defeat the Italian army that was sent to destroy him, he also took into custody the army’s general and executed him by hanging.  After driving the Italian army out of Gojam and some parts of Wollo, he put himself in charge of these particular regions much to the gladness of the population.  His courageous heroism inspired thousands of Ethiopians to resist the occupation and many wanted to be like him.

The Ethiopian patriots librated Addis Ababa on 6 May 1941 and this victory officially ended Italian occupation. Fascist Italy's attempts to colonize Ethiopia came to an abrupt end on this day. Emperor Haileselassie returned to Addis Ababa on 5 May 1941 after spending the preceding 5 years in exile in Europe. This particular victory was realized as a result of the world-famous swift resistance by Ethiopian patriots. 

The contributions made by Belay Zeleke to the struggle and ultimately to the victory of Ethiopia against the colonialist aggression of Fascist Italy were enormous. Throughout Ethiopia, - particularly in Addis Ababa – signs of Italian presence in the past remain intact to date.  Yet unlike most of the different parts of Ethiopia, there are no physical signs of Italian invasion in the province of Gojjam.  It is believed that Belay Zeleke never let the Italian troops camp anywhere in Gojam let alone build construction to leave a legacy of any sort.

Upon the Emperor’s victorious return to Ethiopia in 1941, Belay Zeleke was put in charge of a small region in Gojam when he had assumed a higher rank to be able to play a much bigger role in reconstructing and administering the region.  He declined the position in protest and started living life as an outlaw.  Soon he was caught and sent to jail accused of being a threat to the monarchy.  After making unsuccessful attempts to break out of jail, the patriot Belay Zeleke was then brutally executed by hanging. 

In a heartbreaking error of judgment, an Ethiopian hero, who gave the country freedom, was given death in return.  And it will always be remembered as an act of giving a national hero a grave injustice.

BISHOP ABUNA PETROS                                                            Nominated by Henock Abera
Abune Petros was a bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in much of the central and Eastern part of Ethiopia during the late 1920s and early 1930s. When Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935, Abune Petros went to the frontline to help the wounded, consecrate the dead and preach the Gospel. During that time he witnessed firsthand how the invading army - with the help of nerve gas and technologically advanced weaponry - burned down many villages and indiscriminately killed innocent civilians.

In the midst of the invasion, Abune Petros went to the monastery church of Debre Libanos to urge the priests and monks to fast and pray for the mercy of God to the people of Ethiopia . He continued his teachings and preaching to the people to stand-up for their belief and conviction. He went on further and preached against Italy 's occupation of Ethiopia with terror and violence. He urged the people not to be afraid of the terror and violence but to resist it.

The Italians then arrested him and gave him the ultimatum to stop preaching against the occupation and accept the Italian authorities in Addis Ababa or face imminent execution. Abune Petros refused to comply with the ultimatum and through interpreter gave the following answer to the interrogating officers of the invading army: "The cry of my countrymen who died due to your nerve-gas and terror machinery will never allow my conscious to accept your ultimatum. How can I see my God if I give a blind eye to such a crime." His defiance prompted the Italians to sentence him to death. 

Then on 29 July 1936 he was taken to an execution chamber where many people and the Fascist army officers and generals were gathered. When he was told to say his last words, he said the following implausibly courageous words as written in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church newspaper Vol. 1, No. 8.9.10, 1945: "My countrymen do not believe the Fascists if they tell you that the patriots are bandits, the patriots are people who yearn for freedom from the terrors of fascism.

Bandits are the soldiers who are standing in front of me and you, who come from far away and violently occupy a weak and peaceful country: our Ethiopia . May God give the people of Ethiopia the strength to resist and never bow down to the Fascist army and its violence. May the Ethiopian earth never accept the invading army's rule." Upon delivering his final words, Abune Petros was brutally murdered. But Fascist Italy was defeated and driven out of Ethiopia in 1941.

DENEKNESH/LUCY                                                                        Nominated by Alemseged Taye
In 1974, scientists unearthed the earliest known fossil evidence of hominids from the Middle Awash region of Ethiopia that is dated from about 3.2 million years ago. Two discoveries were particularly notable. One is an individual specimen popularly called Lucy that includes nearly half of the bones of the preserved skeleton; the other is a series of fossils, popularly called the First Family that includes remains from at least 13 individuals.

The 40 percent complete skeleton – which was named Deneknesh or Lucy - gave the world of science a much clearer evidence as to where human beings come from.  And the fact that it was found in Ethiopia has reinforced the belief that the country indeed is the cradle of mankind.  Lucy has come to verify that Ethiopia is not just a country of diverse cultures and ancient civilization, but also a country where it all began, a country that holds the key to understanding human ancestry.  She is a national pride for Ethiopia and a vital treasure for the world at large. 

But after 3.2 million years in Ethiopia, the current Ethiopian regime gave Lucy to the Americans on 6 August 2007, for a six-year tour of the States. Even Ethiopians who visited the Natural History Museum in Addis Ababa had never seen the real Lucy, as the skeleton on display at the museum was a replica of Lucy on the grounds that the real Lucy was too precious to put on display at the museum. It was reported that the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas was given the skeleton after the Ethiopian regime agreed to lend the bones for scientific study until 2013.     

SAINT YARED                                                                                    Nominated by Zelalem Bereket
St. Yared was the creator of hymns, the first to introduce poetry - the songs of Degua – and the first to write musical notes and to use musical instruments to accompany his hymns.  His compositions bear witness to his being a composer of music, a writer and a poet of highest talent.

All the hymns composed by St.Yared continue to be sung in churches all over Ethiopia giving Ethiopia’s church traditions their unique charm.  Thse hymns are accompanied by various musical instruments created by Yared giving the performance more fullness. Yared was also blessed with a wonderful voice.

Born on 25 April 505 A.D., St.Yared was the author of many religious songs and hymns devoted to particular occasions of the seasons, months, days and festivals of the saints and the Holy Trinity.  He divided his hymns into four parts, each with its own melody.  He named the great book comprising these church hymns – Degua.  The great Degua is also called Mahlete Yared meaning treasury of hymns or songs of Yared.  After having written the Deguas on parchment, he created ten tones with notaions. 

His innovation was centuries old before Europeans created the present musical notation with its seven letters of the alphabet.  He wrote five books on different kinds of musical notations with their distinctive meanings.  Tsome Degua which is part of the Degua is written about fasting.  Therefore it is sung only during Lent.  Meeraf is sung on Sabbath vigils - for prayer – praising the Lord or when hymns are performed.  Zimare is sung after communion in honour of the Holy Communion.  Mewasit is for funeral services, requiems and for Easter Eve.  And Quidase is performed during communion. 

St. Yared was not only a composer of hymns but also the originator of a new system of education, revealing his discoveries to the people in Geez which they could easily understand.  Therefore, he is the father of Ethiopian education and has greatly contributed to Ethiopian culture.  As can still be seen today, ecclesiastical music and poetry comprise a major part of traditional Ethiopian education and the bases of these were laid down by St. Yared.

THE FARMER OF ETHIOPIA                                  Nominated by Yohannes Ejigu Desta
As Philip Briggs - who wrote the book: Guide to Ethiopia - puts it, 'contrary to western myth, the elevated central plateau which covers half of Ethiopia's surface area that supports the large majority population is quite possibly the most extensive contiguous area of fertile land in the eastern land of Africa.' Yet some parts of Ethiopia are prone to periodic rain failures and locust plagues. And very unfortunately - and unfairly - Ethiopia is known around the world as a 'drought-stricken' and barren country. The agricultural and land ownership policies of the different governments of Ethiopia have arguably been contributing to this problem as well. Under the present regime - for instance - land is entirely state-owned and is tenurable only by leasing from the government.

In the face of such adversities - however- the Farmer of Ethiopia always works hard to put Injera on every Mesob and to bring solace to every hungry person. Given that most of the farming in Ethiopia is done by traditional means and requires difficult manual labor, perhaps the Farmer of Ethiopia is the hardest working anywhere in the world. Faced with uncertainties on his land rights, the Farmer of Ethiopia - who is the backbone of the country's economy - always persists in working hard to provide Ethiopians with one of their basic needs. Ethiopians will always remain indebted to the Farmer, who pays dues not only to the Government of the day, but also to the landlord.

EMPEROR THEWODROS                                                              Nominated by Mezgebe Berhe
Thewodros ruled Ethiopia from 1855-1868. His original name was Kassa and he is widely known as Ethiopia 's first modern ruler. Not only did he reunify the various Ethiopian kingdoms into one empire, but he also attempted to focus loyalty around the government rather than the Church, which he sought to bring under royal control. He also worked to abolish the feudal system and create a new nobility of merit, dependent on the ruler alone. Although he failed in these aims, while alienating the church and important elements of the nobility, his example was followed by his successors.

Not of noble birth, Thewodros came to the throne through warfare against the feudal chiefs. One of his first acts as emperor was to break up the provinces into smaller districts with personally appointed governors. He also wanted to reorganize and modernize the army. To get the necessary weapons, he demanded first that European missionaries and adventurers living in Ethiopia build him a cannon – which was successfully done - and then he brought in artisans - especially arms makers - from England. He made relentless attempts mostly successfully to modernize Ethiopia 's army along European lines and hired European craftsmen to build weapons for him. Emperor Thewodros was a genius and charismatic leader with a lot of courage, ambition, and interest in technology.

Despite his cautious contact with Europeans and his attempts to establish good foreign relations - Europeans - particularly the British - were scheming his downfall. Thewodros seized on their ambitions and imprisoned several British missionaries and envoys - accusing them of plotting against him. The British sent their well-equipped army to Ethiopia to bring down the emperor. Aided by rebellious nobles along the way, the British force attacked Thewodros' forces at Magdela on April 10, 1868. The courageous emperor - who regarded capture by a foreign army as bringing shame on himself and his beloved country - committed suicide on April 13, 1868 at the top of Makdela Hill in Gonder. And his heroic story has gone down in history as the single most inspiring act of bravery for most Ethiopians to date. In doing so, Emperor Thewodros left Ethiopians with a legacy of not accepting defeat by any foreign army; and Ethiopia remains undefeated by any colonial power to date.

Soon after Theodros' suicide, the British looted and burned the city of Magdala including its churches. They took a large number of treasures that today can be seen in various museums and libraries in Europe, as well as in private collections. The widowed Empress Tiruwork and the young heir of Tewodros - Prince Alemayehu - were also to be taken to England. But Empress Tiruwork died on the journey to the coast, and Prince Alemayehu made the journey alone. The Empress was buried at Sheleqot Monastery in Tigrai among her ancestors. Prince Alemayehu grew increasingly lonely in imposed exile in England. The prince died at the age of 19 without seeing his homeland again. His body has never been allowed to be returned to Ethiopia.

EMPEROR YOHANNES IV                                                   Nominated by Mezgebe Berhe
Yohannes IV was Ethiopia 's emperor from 1872-1889. He succeeded to the Ethiopian throne on 21 January 1872 - four years after the death of Emperor Thewodros. His original name was Kassa Mercha and prior to becoming emperor, he was a dejazmatch or earl of Tigray in the northern Ethiopia . Like his predecessor - Thewodros II - Yohannes IV was a strong, progressive ruler, but he had to spend most of his time repelling military threats from Egypt , Italy , and the Mahdists of the Sudan. His main rival was Menilek II - king of Shewa - who did not recognize Yohannes as emperor. In 1882 – however - a dynastic marriage was arranged between Menilek's daughter and Yohannes' son, and it was agreed that Menilek would be Yohannes' successor as emperor. Their separate spheres of influence were carefully defined and Yohannes recognized Menilek's control of the south, while he took control of the northern half of the country.

Apart from the recurrent problem of the powerful king of Shewa, Yohannes' domestic concerns were mainly to reduce the power of the other regional nobles and to increase his hold on his subjects through enforced conversion to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. His attempt to use religion as a basis for unity aroused resistance, particularly from Muslims who were ordered to build churches, pay tithes, and eventually be baptized. In 1875, after the Egyptians had advance into Ethiopia , Emperor Yohannes drew them into battle and beat them resoundingly once at Gundat in 1875 and again at Gura in 1876. His victories not only ended any Egyptian desires on the territory, but also brought him much captured weaponry turning his army into the first well-equipped military force in Ethiopian history.

In 1869, the Suze Canal opened in eastern Egypt and it made it easier for European ships to effortlessly reach Ethiopia . Italy - the next aggressor in 1885 - occupied the Red Sea port of Massawa and began to expand inland toward the province of Tigray , only to be soundly defeated by Yohannes in 1887. Ethiopian forces – led by Emperor Yohannes – beat the Italians at the battle of Dogali in the far north of the country. In the same year, the Islamic revivalist Dervishes forces - gaining ground in the Sudan - invaded Ethiopia and devastated the old capital - Gonder. Emperor Yohannes fought the Dervishes severely and at the close of another Ethiopian victory, he was killed at the Battle of Metema in March 1889.

EMPEROR MINILIK                                  Nominated by Samson Kebede & Meseret Berhanu
Minilik was emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 – 1916 after the reign of Emperor Yohannes IV. Emperor Tewodros before him is widely known to have made relentless attempts to unify and modernize Ethiopia . And it was Emperor Minilik who successfully brought about tangible changes which would have long-lasting effects in terms of unification and modernization.

Among the greatest achievements of Emperor Minilik, the resounding victory of his mighty army over colonial Italy in Adwa in 1896 has a very special place not only in the history of Ethiopia but also in the history of the African continent for the defeat of Italy in Ethiopia came at a time when almost all of Africa was colonized by European powers. Minilik's leadership at that crucial time was one of the reasons why Ethiopia is the only country in Africa to have never been colonized. He introduced electricity, telephones and modern automobiles to Ethiopia for the first time.

He also paved the way for a railway network to be setup between Ethaiopia and Djibouti and oversaw the installation. The railway network remains to be the only railway in Ethiopia to date. The emperor also founded Addis Ababa in 1889 as the nation's capital and arranged Eucalyptus trees to go to Ethiopia from Australia in order to curb shortages of firewood and other environmental problems. In many ways Emperor Minilik was a pioneer and Ethiopians commend him.

EMPRESS TAITU BETUL                                                     Nominated by Addis Alemayehu
Taitu Betul was Empress of Ethiopia from 1889 – 1913. She was born in 1851, the third of four children in an aristocratic Ethiopian family that descended from the Solomonid dynasty. Taitu is known to have wielded considerable political power as the wife of Menelik, both before and after they were crowned Emperor and Empress in 1889. Deeply suspicious of European intentions towards Ethiopia , she was a key player in the conflict over the Treaty of Wuchale with Italy , in which the Italian version made Ethiopia an Italian protectorate, while the Amharic did not do so. The Empress held a hard line against the Italians, and when talks eventually broke down - and Italy invaded the Empire - she marched north with the Emperor and the Imperial Army, commanding a force of cannons at the historic Battle of Adwa which resulted in a humiliating defeat for Italy in March, 1894.

Not only was she the first lady of Ethiopia behind the mighty Emperor as a proud African history was being made at Adwa , she was also alongside the Ethiopian Army at the frontier of the battlefield serving her country. In 1889, she collaborated with Emperor Minilik to found Addis Ababa as the nation's capital. And it was Taitu who named Addis Ababa , Addis Ababa. When Minilik's health began to decline around 1906, Taitu started making decisions on his behalf.

Minilik died in 1913 and was succeeded by Lij Iyasu. After Minilik's death, Taitu banished to the old Palace at Entoto, next to the St. Mary's church she had founded years before, and where Minilik had been crowned Emperor. Taitu lived out the rest of her life at Entoto Maryam Church near Addis Ababa , where she died on February 11, 1918. Taitu and Menelik did not have any children. Taitu was a remarkable and powerful Ethiopian who is best remembered for her love of Ethiopia, which makes her a true credit to her country.

EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE                                                  Nominated by Fikirte Ketema
Haile Selasse, whose name was Tafari Mekonnen prior to becoming emperor, was a great-grandson of Sahle Selassie of Shewa and a son of Ras Makonnen, a chief adviser to Emperor Menilek II and he was married to Empress Menen, a great-granddaughter of Menilek II. Haile Selassie was progressive and modernist who sought to modernize his country and who steered Ethiopia into the mainstream of post-World War II African politics. He engineered Ethiopia's entry into the League of Nations in 1923, reasoning that collective security would protect Ethiopia from colonial aggression. Upon the end of World War II in 1945, Haile Selassie made Ethiopia one of the founding members of the United Nations. And most importantly, Haile Selassie presided over the establishment of the Organization of African Unity in 1963 and made Addis Ababa the major center for this organization, which gave him the name 'the father of Africa'.

From the 16th century right up to the 19th, Ethiopian slaves were sold across the world in what is known as The Ethiopian Slave Trade. And it was Haile Selassie who effectively abolished this practice in the early 1920s. He sought to modernize the many institutions of Ethiopia and made practical attempts to take the country into a market economy. In 1924 he visited Rome, Paris, and London, becoming the first Ethiopian ruler ever to go abroad. Rastafarians, mainly in Jamaica, consider Haile Selassie to have been a divine being, the Messiah, and the champion of the black race who will lead the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora to freedom. Haile Selassie was overthrown in 1974, which effectively ended Ethiopia's longstanding Solomonic Dynasty.

DR. KEBEDE MICHAEL                                                                 Nominated by Seifu
Kebede Michael was one of the giants in the field f education and literature in Ethiopia.  He wrote a total of 26 books including a wide range of translations from various languages.  From 1940 to1970, he wrote Amharic school textbooks in which he provided generations of Ethiopian students with enlightening ideas about a wide range of issues and disciplines.  His writings were in both prose and poetry and his poems follow rhyming and writing styles of his own.  He also translated - among many - Romeo and Juliet, as well as Macbeth of William Shakespeare.  Kebede Michael’s literary works reflect many shades of character and behavior of the Ethiopian society.  The contents of many of his books are on history, education, development, philosophy, religion, science and so on. 

He worked as an inspector in the Ministry of Education, as Deputy Director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1942), as Director of the National Library (1944), as Director General of the Ministry of Education, and as a Cabinet Minster in the Imperial Palace.  He was also delegated to many international conferences including at the United Nations in New York.  He received the first Prize for Literature from Emperor Haileselassie.  He also received awards from governments of France, Germany, Italy, USSR and Mexico.  And in 1990, he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Addis Ababa University for his unparalleled excellence in literature as well as for inspiring generations of Ethiopian authors and writers.   

Dr. Kebede Michael died on 12 November 1998 at the age of 82.  No other Ethiopian in the country’s history so far has been able to write as extensively on a wide variety of disciplines as did Kebede Michael.  His contributions are enormous to the development of education and literature.  And he may be deceased, yet his legacy will live on forever; and Ethiopians are greatly thankful to him.       

LAUREATE TSEGAYE GEBRE MEDHIN                            Nominated by Dawit Kebede
Tsegaye Gebre Medhin was one of Africa's leading poets, playwrights and intellectuals who wrote an extensive list of original literatures and translated some of Shakespeare's greatest works from English to Amharic. He is most known for his own distinctive style of poetry and some of his poem books have been used in high schools in Ethiopia as Amharic textbooks.

In 1959, Tsegaye was awarded a UNESCO scholarship to study theatre arts in Europe . He studied at the Royal Court Theatre in London, at the Comedie Francaise in Paris, and at the Opera Theatre in Rome. He translated Shakespeare's Othello, which was first staged in Ethiopia in 1963 and later published by Oxford University Press. Among the most popular of his translation works, which have also been staged, are Macbeth and Hamlet. He also wrote several books in English and his first English book – The Oda Oak – was published in 1965. This book was staged at universities in several African countries and was translated into French, Italian, Danish and Romanian.

Through his brilliant writings and plays, Tsegaye made Ethiopians aware of their historical past, the inspiring stories of Ethiopia 's past political and religious leaders and their actions of unparalleled heroism. He also brought to Ethiopians, the best in literature of the outside world from the works of Shakespeare to Moliere. And most of all, he gave generations of Ethiopians his own distinctive style of verse and other forms of literature that many other Ethiopian poets after him have come to adapt. Laureate Tsegaye Gebre Medhin died in February 2006 at the age of 69.

PROF. EPHRAIM ISAAC                                                      Nominated by Tigist Mekonen
PROFESSOR EPHRAIM ISAAC is the founder of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University and was the first professor when the department was created in 1969.  He is widely known in Ethiopia as the founder and mastermind of the National Literacy Campaign that made millions of Ethiopians literate in the late sixties. 

Born in Ethiopia where he got his early education, Professor Ephraim Isaac holds a B.A. degree in philosophy, chemistry and music from Concordia College, an M.Div., a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages from Harvard University, a D.H.L. honorary from John J. Colleage of CUNY, and a Litt. D. Honorary from Addis Ababa University.  He has also received many honors including the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding’s 2002 Peacemaker in Action Award. Professor Ephraim Isaac lectures widely on the subject of Religion and society and sits Boards of some twenty-five international religious, educational and cultural organizations.  And he is author of numerous articles and books on Jewish and Ancient Ethiopic literatures. 

He is currently Director of the Institute of Semitic Studies at Princeton in New Jersey; Chair of the Board of the Horn of Africa Peace & Development Committee and President of the Yemenite Jewish Federation of America.  He has taught at Princeton University, Hebrew University, University of Pennsylvania, Bard College and other institutions of higher learning.

Professor Ephraim Isaac is also famous for knowing at least seven languages.  But more importantly, he is known to wear traditional Ethiopian outfits all the time which has come to be his hallmark.  Among the many contributions he has made to Ethiopia over the years, his vigorous campaign to eradicate illiteracy from Ethiopia was by far the most far-reaching and revolutionary and it should always be remembered.      

HADDIS ALEMAYEHU        Nominated by Fekadu Teshale - PHD, Sinishaw Deresse & Zemzem Belachew
Haddis Alemayehu was a true all-rounder who contributed to Ethiopia in many number of disciplines. First and foremost, he was arguably the single most talented Ethiopian novelist who wrote some of the most loved and admired novels to date in Ethiopia. He wrote from the heart and the stories in his novels have touched the hearts of many Ethiopians. Among his great works, his 1968 novel - Love unto crypt - which is the Ethiopian equivalent of Romeo & Juliet is by far the most talked-about and admired Ethiopian novels ever. This masterpiece is now being read by English readers after its translation recently by Sisay Ayenew. The novel hit the shelves of numerous book stores worldwide in 2005. It was put at best book sections in New York Times' August 14 issue.

The other Haddis Alemayehu was a true patriot who defended his country from the invasion of fascist Italy in the 1930s. After vigorously fighting the Italians, he was held in captivity for seven years in Italy. He went back to an independent Ethiopia in 1944, three years after Italy was decisively defeated at the Battle of Adwa. The young Haddis Alemayehu - prior to his fame as a novelist and a patriot – was a passionate teacher who believed in the power of education. Mr. Haddis also served his country as a Foreign Minister from 1960 – 61 under the government of Emperor Haile Selassie.

Haddis was a dignified selfless man that contributed to his country from defending Ethiopia at the frontline to protecting the country's interests through remarkable diplomacy, and from educating Ethiopians to writing novels of highest standards. He was awarded the Special and Gold Mercury Prizes of Emperor Haile Selassie Award Trust and also an Honorary Doctoral Degree by Addis Ababa University. He died on 6th December 2003 at the age of 94 and was laid to rest on 7th December 2003 at the the Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa.

HAILE GERIMA                                                                           Nominated by Ashenafi Semu
Haile Gerima is an Ethiopian filmmaker who has been living in the United States since 1968. He went to the US from his native Ethiopia, to study acting and directing at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, Illinois. He later transferred to the Theater Department at UCLA - in Los Angeles - where he completed the Master's Program in Film.

He then relocated to Washington, DC, to teach at Howard University's Department of Radio, Television, and Film where he influenced young filmmakers for over twenty-five years. Inspired by UCLA classmate and filmmaker Charles Burnett, and by the celebrated Black poet and educator - Sterling Brown - Haile's films are noted for their exploration of the issues and history pertinent to members of the African Diaspora, from the continent itself to the Americas and Western Hemisphere. Often corrective of Hollywood versions of slave stories, his films comment on the physical, cultural, and psychological dislocation of Black peoples during and after slavery.

What distinguishes his films are that the narratives are told from the perspectives of Africans and members of the African Diaspora itself, rather than being sanitized and misinterpreted by more commercially oriented filmmakers. His unique filmmaking aesthetic is coupled with a personal mission to correct long-held misconceptions about Black peoples' varied histories throughout the world; for this reason, he is considered by colleagues and students alike to be a master teacher in the classroom and behind the camera.

He directed, produced, wrote and edited several films.  His best known film – many say – is Sankofa - which is about slavery and was produced in 1993.  His most recent film is Adwa release in 1999 which is a documentary about the Battle of Adwa - the important battle in which Ethiopians defeated the Italian colonial force. 

In March 2009, Haile Gerima’s film about Ethiopia’s former dictatorial regime won the Golden Stallion of Yennenga - Africa’s equivalent of the Oscars - at the continent’s main movie awards ceremony in Burkina Faso.

The film – titled: “Teza” – portrays the story of an Ethiopian scientist who goes back to his homeland under the regime of Mengistu Hailemarim after living in Germany. It was made to show what life was like under Mengistu, who ruled the country from 1974-91. The film discusses the issues of dictatorship, emigration, war and the position of women in the Ethiopian society during the regime of Mengistu. It premiered on the big-screen in Ethiopia on 3 January 2009 and is reported to have been a success in terms of audience numbers. At the Venice Film Festival, Teza also won best screenplay and was given a special jury award as well.

His films are more about education than entertainment, and substance than style.  He is perhaps the only Ethiopian to have reached the level that he has in the international filmmaking industry.  And many generations of Ethiopians will no doubt follow his lead to tell the many aspects of Ethiopian stories using the medium of film. 

ABABA TESFAYE SAHLU                                                 Nominated by Hassen Seid
Ababa Tesfaye is a renowned children story-teller on Ethiopian national television. Every night at the beginning of the popular children's show, he presents folk-tales to children accompanied by his hallmark conspicuous passion and enthusiasm. He is a fascinating character for generations of Ethiopian children and his unique zeal is always intact. He has been putting smiles on the faces of children while providing them with complete grounding in Ethiopian history, cultural practices and etiquette. His stories and the way they are told are among most Ethiopians' favorite childhood memories for they are unique, quite telling, and most of all, enjoyable.

He is a pioneer in his field as children's story-teller and his continued contribution to the fruitful upbringing of Ethiopian children needs to be commended. He has been and still is telling inspiring stories to create wonderful citizens for tomorrow out of the children of today, and it is with great admiration and pleasure that Ethiopians tell his wonderful story just to say ‘thank you'.

DR. ABERRA MOLLA                                                               Nominated by Seifu Abdi
Dr. Aberra Molla is the pioneer who computerized the Ethiopian alphabet - known as Ethiopic - for the fist time by giving a spot for each and every glyph. With the help of his son – Brook - it took Dr. Aberra a year to make one set of Geez screen and printer fonts in 1986. This was accomplished by systematically spreading the more than 400 Ethiopian alphabet glyphs on eight character sets. The first Ethiopic character set and word processor was released in 1987 and his Geez Microsoft DOS ModEth publisher is hailed as a classic work that moved the Ethiopian alphabet from the printing press to the computer for the first time.

Dr. Aberra Molla was introduced to computers in 1976 - during the punch card era - when he was a post–doctoral Clinical Science student at Colorado State University. He is a visionary who recognized the power of computers and its potential and was ahead of his time. Since 1982, he has been working with the Ethiopian alphabet and he succeeded in 1990 in standardizing Ethiopic and caused its inclusion in Unicode – an international standard.  Examples of his accomplishments are pending patents and recognition in 1990 by the Ethiopian Research Council for computerizing Ethiopic and revolutionizing the Geez script.  A prolific writer, an inventor, a scientist and a father of three engineers, Dr. Aberra is also deservingly credited with being the father of Ethiopic. 

His successful innovative work has meant that Ethiopians can now and will in the future communicate in their native langue using computer devices.  Dr. Aberra’s contributions and his place in the field of science and technology in Ethiopia is of major importance, especially in this so call Age of Information Technology.  And Ethiopians are grateful to him and his continuing innovative works for the country.

PROF. AKLILU LEMMA                                                 Nominated by Aynalem Kebede
Simply and concisely put, Professor Aklilu Lemma was an Ethiopian scientist who discovered a remedy for a disease called Bilharzia from the fruit of a local plant called Endod. Bilharzia is a life-threatening parasitic disease caused by a worm that lives in a host snail. Humans can become infected when they come in contact with water in ponds and rivers where the snail lives. It occurs most often in tropical regions and is among the worst killer diseases in developing countries.

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore – USA - with a doctorate science degree in Pathobiology, Professor Aklilu Lemma was the founding Dean of the Faculty of Science and Director of the Institute of Pathobiology at Addis Ababa University.

Professor Aklilu was the chief organizer and Vice Chairman of the National Committee for the establishment of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Ethiopia. He became Chief Advisor for Science and Technology to the Ethiopian government in the 1960's and led the establishment of the present Ethiopian Science and Technology Commission.

In 1976 he was offered a position at the United Nations as Senior Advisor of Technology of Health and Development. In 1988 he became Deputy Director of UNICEF's International Child Development Centre in Florence - Italy . Working in various capacities for the UN Center for Science and Technology for Development, he was responsible for the conceptualization and development of the Advanced Technology Alert System (ATAS) - an international mechanism designed to benefit developing countries by alerting them in advance to the potential positive and negative implications of new technologies.

But earlier in 1964 Professor Aklilu Lemma discovered that suds from the fruit of a common plant - Endod or soapberry - which African women have used as soap for centuries - act as a potent molluscicide. To follow up this discovery, Aklilu Lemma in 1966 established the Institute of Pathobiology in Addis Ababa University , and for the next 10 years he directed a team to carry out systematic research on Endod. He was joined in this work in 1974 by a fellow Ethiopian scientist – Dr. Legesse Wolde Yohannes. The discovery offered no less than a cheap, locally-controllable means of eradicating a disease that is the second greatest scourge - after malaria - in the African continent as well as the rest of the developing world.

Both Professor Aklilu Lemma and Dr. Legesse Wolde Yohannes founded the Endod Foundation in 1992 to serve as an umbrella for all Endod-related work. The foundation is an Ethiopian scientific research association and its headquarter is in Addis Ababa. Following collaboration with Professor Aklilu Lemma, the University of Toledo in the United States was granted a US patent on an Endod-based molluscicide intended to control the zebra mussels which have recently invaded American lakes and caused extensive damage to water supplies. This has opened a major new hope for marketing and exporting Endod as a cash crop for Ethiopia.

Professor Aklilu Lemma and his research associate Dr. Legesse Wolde Yohannis were awarded the Swedish Right Livelihood Award in November 1989 in Sweden for their research and pioneering discoveries. Other honors of Dr. Aklilu include various fellowships from the Ethiopian Government, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization and Johns Hopkins University in the United States . He was also a recipient of Emperor Haileselsassie's Gold Medal for achievements in scientific research in Ethiopia . Scientist Aklilu Lemma was once quoted as saying ‘we found a poor man's medicine for a poor man's disease.' He died on 5 April 1997 at the age of 63, but his legacy will live on forever. And his pioneering – world-first - scientific discovery could mean that millions will live longer and healthier lives.

PROF. TILAHUN YILMA                                      Nominated by Engineer Fesseha Atlaw
Professor Tilahun Yilma is a veterinary virologist at the University of California who genetically engineered a vaccine for a deadly cattle disease and is now working to develop a vaccine for AIDS. The deadly rinderpest is an acute infectious viral disease of cattle which has killed millions of cattle in Africa and Professor Tilahun Yilma spent several years to create a vaccine for it. He earned a bachelor's degree in Veterinary Science in 1968, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1970 and a Doctoral Degree in Microbiology in 1977 from UC Davis.

After earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1970 from the School of Veterinary Medicine , Professor Yilma returned to Ethiopia and spent two years as a veterinarian tracking the nomadic herders in the campaign to vaccinate Africa 's cattle and eradicate rinderpest. More than 125 million cattle were vaccinated, and for several years it appeared that rinderpest had been eradicated in Africa . But in 1980, the virus resurfaced in Nigeria and swept back across the Sahara . It killed an estimated $400 million worth of cattle and sapped more than $2 billion in related losses.

The disease was introduced to Africa in 1888 by the Italian troops who invaded Ethiopia that year. It is believed that the disease was carried by three infected cows and it spread from Ethiopia 's east coast across the Sahara Desert , killing in just one year 90 percent of the domesticated cattle. As a result, an estimated 30 to 60 percent of Ethiopia 's population starved to death that year.

In 1997 Professor Yilma's vaccine was approved for widespread use throughout Africa . It was the first genetically engineered vaccine to be released by a U.S.-funded researcher in a foreign country. He went on to develop inexpensive diagnostic kits for rinderpest and made them available to African scientists.

He also worked to secure funding for new biotechnology laboratories in developing countries. As a result of his efforts, the U.S. Agency for International Development in 1990, with the help of the Egyptian government, constructed near Cairo the Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Tropical Diseases, an offspring of Yilma's own laboratory at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Professor Tilahun Yilma was named the 2002 Faculty Research Lecturer by his colleagues at the University of California in Davis which is the highest honor UC Davis faculty members can bestow upon their peers. He has also been honored with the UC Davis Distinguished Public Service Award in 1994, the School of Veterinary Medicine 's Faculty Award for Research Excellence in 1993 and 1991 and the UC Davis Alumni Achievement Award in 1991. He served from 1980 to 1986 as a faculty member in the department of veterinary microbiology and pathology at Washington State University and from 1977 to 1979 as a research associate at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York .

He is the Director of the International Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Tropical Disease Agents and his research efforts are now focused on using similar recombinant-DNA technology to develop a vaccine for AIDS.

Professor Tilahun Yilma's revolutionary scientific research efforts have created a new vaccine which has already saved and will continue to save the lives of millions of cattle in Africa and in other developing regions of the world whose economies are dependant on Agriculture. His unparalleled scientific excellence is the pride of Ethiopia and Ethiopians praise and honor him.

ENGINEER-SCIENTIST KITAW EJIGU                                      Nominated by Ermias Tesfahun
The late engineer Kitaw Ejigu was Ethiopia 's one and only aerospace scientist. One of the world's best aerospace scientists and the only Ethiopian in the field, Engineer Kitaw worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration – NASA -, Rockwell International and for the Boeing Company which is a leading American aircraft and aerospace manufacturer. He completed a diploma in 1966 in Ethiopia and worked as an engineer for two years servicing agricultural vehicles before pursuing his ambitions in a field that no other Ethiopian has ever attempted to embark on.

In 1972 he won a scholarship from the Japanese Overseas Technical Association and traveled to Japan where he studied automotive engineering at Hiroshima University , as well as Language and Economics at Osaka University. He later moved to the United States and began his intensive research and training and earned MS/MBA in business administration in 1979. He then completed his doctorate in space vehicle systems engineering from Northrop University in California.

Upon completion of his studies and researches in the late 1970s, he started working for NASA as a system engineer and space research scientist. He collaborated with other scientists to create space shuttles and rockets that assisted in planetary science research and exploration for planet earth. Among his greatest achievements while in NASA and Boeing are his innovative creations of the Global Positioning System or GPS and a revolutionary and dynamic flight simulator for the Boeing Company.

Engineer Kitaw Ejigu died at the age of 58 on 13 January 2006 in the United States. Apart from his prestigious status as an aerospace scientist, he was also widely known for his efforts to bring about political change in Ethiopia. He publicly denounced the regime in Ethiopia and its atrocious actions and policies. Even though he was ambitious about using his knowledge, experience and high-status to help his homeland Ethiopia , he repeatedly said he was not made welcome by the regime. And in 2002, he founded the political party – The Ethiopian National United Front– to help overthrow the unpopular regime and to bring about a stable and democratic political system.

He was a passionate believer in Ethiopia who always wanted to utilize his expertise to change things for the better for the average Ethiopian. Despite his sudden and early departure, he will continue to be a remarkable role model for many generations of Ethiopians. The tales of his achievements in the field of aerospace will inspire many would-be Ethiopian scientists. And the political struggle he initiated is gaining momentum throughout Ethiopia which could one day see his dreams of a democratic and peaceful Ethiopia become a reality.

PROF. LEMMA W. SENBET                                                  Nominated by Fesseha Atlaw
Professor Lemma W. Senbet is a Chair Professor in finance at the state University of New York. Professor Senbet's widely cited publications have appeared in the Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Business, and other leading academic journals. He has received numerous honors and recognitions over the years. He has been a director of the American Finance Association and served as President of the Western Finance Association. He is an inducted Fellow of the Financial Management Association International and a member of the Financial Economists Roundtable. He was awarded an honorary doctor of Letters Honoris Causa by Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia's flagship institution of higher learning and his alma mater.

Senbet has advised the World Bank, the IMF, the UN, and other institutions on issues of financial sector reforms and capital market development. He has served as an independent director for The Fortis Funds and currently is an independent director for The Hartford Funds.  Senbet has also served on over a dozen editorial boards, including the Journal of Finance (12 years) and Financial Management (20 years), Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis (7 years), and as Executive Editor of Financial Management (6 years). He has chaired international programs and delivered keynote speeches worldwide.  He received the school’s Krowe Award for Teaching Excellence in 1994.  Professor Lemma is a visionary who was born and raised in a country publicized as one of the poorest in the world, now making invaluable contributions to the financial markets of the country promoted as one of the richest in the world.  His success story will undoubtedly inspire countless Ethiopians and many are grateful to him for the exceptional work that he has done in the United States as a native Ethiopian.

ENGINEER FESSEHA ATLAW                                            Nominated by Zerihun Gebre Medhin
Engineer Fesseha Atlaw is the pioneer who produced the first Ethiopian word-processor in DOS and who created the first Ethiopic writing software. His ground-breaking achievements have meant that Ethiopians anywhere in the world could continue to use their unique scripts beyond traditional ways and on computers and other digital gadgets.

Ethiopia is the only country in Africa to have its own written language with its own unique scripts. Given the ever growing influence of computers on every aspects of human life, it was widely accepted that a language that cannot be computerized would die out. And in the absence of any government initiative, the task of saving Ethiopia 's unique cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations was left to individuals like Engineer Fesseha Atlaw who dare to think outside the square.

Engineer Fesseha changed the course of our language forever and the way we use it to communicate when he came up with the first Ethiopian word-processor in DOS called Dashen in 1985. He was the founder and president of Dashen Engineering - the first company that offered the first commercial Ethiopic software. The company was formed in 1982 in Santa Clara - California - and the first Ethiopian software product was available commercially in 1985.

He collaborated with Joe Baker of Xerox in the United States to draft the first Ethiopic ISO standard which has now become a UNICODE standard and they began lobbying for ‘ETHIOPIC' to be included in the standard. This resulted in Amharic being used in Ethiopian websites and also more and more Ethiopians using their own language to send e-mail messages. He received a life time achievement award - pioneering Ethiopic computerization - by Ethiopian Information Technology Professionals Association at Addis Ababa University.

Ethiopia is entering the new millennium knowing that not only its unique language will have just as much place in computing as any other western language, but also assured that its rich cultural and historical records will be preserved and told digitally in Ethiopic for generations to come. And this giant leap forward has been made possible by the pioneering works of Engineer Fesseha.

DR. ZERESENAY ALEMSEGED                                                 Nominated by Ashenafi Semu
Dr. Zeresenay Alemseged is the Ethiopian scientist who discovered - in September 2006 - a 3.3-million-year-old remains of a human-like child in the Dikika region of Ethiopia. Until this discovery, the best example of this family of early human ancestors was Lucy - a 91cm-tall, 25kg adult found in Ethiopia in 1974. The newly discovered child skeleton has been nicknamed Selam and it is confirmed that she is the oldest discovered ancestor of human beings to date. Dr. Zeresenay is the first Ethiopian to lead a research team that has made such an important discovery.

Dr. Zeresenay was born in 1969 in Axum, now a provincial town in Northern Ethiopia. He is a bright young scientist who has studied in the US and Europe and is currently attached to the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. Under the direction of the renowned French anthropologist Yves Coppens and the close association of Dr. Denis Geraads he worked for his PhD dissertation on the Omo fossils that were recovered in the late sixties and early seventies. Soon after his graduation in 1998, Dr. Zeresenay went to the Afar region in search of an area of his own. He knew exactly what he was looking for when he settled for the Busidima-Dikika area. Squeezed between Hadar and the Middle Awash, the area was to be an anthropologist's safe haven. In 2000, Dr. Alemseged set off toward the north-eastern deserts of Ethiopia. Working in the blistering heat, his team discovered what he thought was the skull of a creature that was one of the first apes to have walked on two feet. And after a relentless search, he discovered the child remains thereby putting his name in the history books forever.

He is a bright young scientist who has studied in the US and Europe and is currently works at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig - Germany. His discovery didn’t just prove that Ethiopia is the cradle of mankind, but it also asserted that Ethiopia has talents of the highest quality and minds of the greatest capacity.

CAPTAIN ALEMAYEHU ABEBE                                      Nominated by Bethlehem Mekuriat
Captain Alemayehu Abebe is the first black African commercial Jet pilot and the first black African to command a commercial jetliner across the Atlantic.  He was appointed as the first Ethiopian aircraft commander in January 1957.  He is a central figure in Ethiopian aviation history as the pioneer in the field. 

He deserves praise for taking on a new technological field that no other Ethiopian did before him.  It is known that he became interested in flying airplanes at the age of 10 as he saw airplanes fly over him in his home town of Babile - Harar.  Unlike many pilots, he was not from a privileged family.  Yet through determination and self-discipline he was able to fulfill not only his dreams of becoming a captain, but also to have his name in the history books as the first African commercial Jet pilot.

DR. BERHANE ASFAW                                                                               Nominated by Hermela Kassa
In June 2003, three fossilized skulls were unearthed in Ethiopia that are among the most important discoveries ever made in the search for the origin of humans.  The crania of two adults and a child - all dated to be around 160,000 years old - were pulled out of sediments near a village called Herto in the Afar region in the east of the country.  The discovery was led by Dr. Berhane Asfaw and he had been working on the project since 1997.  Dr Brehane’s discovery once more confirmed that Ethiopia is indeed the cradle of mankind.   

Dr. Berhane Asfaw is a world-renowned paleoanthropologist (an anthropologist who studies early humans by excavating and looking at fossilized human skeletal remains) leading major expeditions in Ethiopia and elsewhere.  He is the manager of a private research centre by the name of Rift Valley Research Service in Addis Ababa and co-director of the International Middle Awash Research Project in the Afar region.

Dr. Berhane received his undergraduate degree from Addis Ababa University and went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Ph.D. in physical anthropology in 1988. He then became paleoanthroplogy coordinator of Ethiopia’s Center for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage in the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and director of the National Museum of Ethiopia. After serving as a visiting professor of anthropology at Rutgers University, he accepted an appointment to his present position in 1997. Dr. Berhane has lectured widely and is the co-author of some thirty papers published in scientific journals. He completed extensive survey work in the Awash depression and played a major role in unearthing many fossils thought to be among the earliest hominids, some now dated at more than four million years of age. He has been working on the middle Awash Valley research field since 1974. He was a student-researcher with the University of California palaeon-tological team that discovered the 3.5 million-year old remains of Lucy - unearthed in 1974 and believed to be the oldest known hominoid directly related to Homo sapiens.

Dr. Berhane has recruited and mentored many Ethiopian scholars, and now has about a dozen of Ethiopians scientists on his team.  His scientific talents and leadership in paleoanthropology have played a key role in the confirmation of the idea that the human race descended from Ethiopia.

PROF. ASRAT WOLDEYES                                                              Nominated by Zeru G.
Prof. Asrat Woldeyes was the first Ethiopian surgeon and the first Dean of the Medical Faculty at Addis Ababa University which he helped found. He worked very hard along with his few Ethiopian colleagues to create the first medical school in the country. This medical school came into being in 1965 and it has been producing hundreds of medical graduates ever since. He was also Emperor Haile Selassie's physician for many years.

Apart from his pioneering achievements as the country's first surgeon, Professor Asrat is widely known for his courageous attempts to bring about a truly democratic political system in Ethiopia in the face of systematic crackdown on the part of the current government. Soon after the current government came about in 1991, Professor Asrat founded a political party as an opposition to the government with the purpose of bringing about unity and to abolish the notion of separatism from the constitution.

Professor Asrat taught the Ethiopian people that bringing about political change was possible with unarmed and peaceful political struggle. With the peaceful and courageous struggle of this political party, the campaign for political change started gathering momentum. And the systematic crackdown continued. In order to put down the struggle, the government imprisoned Professor Asrat for five years in maximum security prison in Addis Ababa. He was dubbed ‘a prisoner of conscience' by Amnesty International, which had denounced the accusations against him as ‘baseless'.

His health deteriorated significantly during his imprisonment and when it became apparent that he wouldn't survive, he was allowed to leave the country. Professor Asrat died at Pennsylvania University Hospital - in the USA - on 10 May 1999 at the age of 71. Much of the political opposition that is gripping Ethiopia today stems from the party Professor Asrat founded more than a decade ago. What he set out to achieve for Ethiopia may not have been realized, but the process of change is well underway. And he may no longer be here, but his legacy will live on forever.

PROF. MESFIN WOLDEMARIAM                                              Nominated by Zeru G.
He is one of Ethiopia 's dynamic intellectuals. He taught geography at Addis Ababa University from 1959 to 1985. Professor Mesfin has written several books and monographs, such as ‘An Atlas of Ethiopia', ‘Introductory Geography of Ethiopia', and ‘The Background to the Ethio-Somalian Boundary Dispute'.

Professor Mesfin is the founder of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council – the very first such organization in Ethiopia. Soon after the current government took power 14 years ago, Professor Mesfin took a bold step to embark on the task of setting up Ethiopia's first independent human rights organization with the main purpose of educating Ethiopians about their basic human rights and also exposing any human rights violations in the country. This organization has been exposing countless human rights violations in Ethiopia by the current government. Politically motivated systematic killings and abductions that wouldn't otherwise be heard about have been made public in detail with the help of the organization. Through its connections with other international human rights organizations, it has also been able to bring with evidence the violations of basic rights in Ethiopia to the attention of the international community. Not only has it been exposing violations, it has also been relentlessly asking the government to abide by the principles of the international declaration of human rights. In recent months, human rights violations in Ethiopia have dramatically increased and the person who has been fighting for the basic human rights of Ethiopians – Professor Mesfin W/mariam – has become one of the latest victims of the government.

Along with some of Ethiopia 's most precious intellectuals, he was thrown into jail on 1 November 2005, facing a charge of treason. But he was released from EPRDF’s notorious jail on 20 July 2007, along with most of the leaders of the CUD following intense international pressure. The BBC reported on 20 July 2007, that “thirty Ethiopian opposition leaders have been freed from prison just days after being given life sentences over election protests.”

Whatever happens to him next, the seed he planted will never cease to grow. As a result of his pioneering bold efforts, greater number of Ethiopians have become aware of their basic human rights now than ever before; so as to be able to stand up for themselves. And as a result of his pioneering bold efforts, the rest of the world is under no illusion as to what sort of government Ethiopia is run by today.

DR. TAYE WOLDESEMAYAT                                                      Nominated by Amsalu Zaerihun
Dr. Taye Woldesemayat is the President of the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association (ETA). The ETA is an independent trade union that was set up in 1951. It is the second largest trade union in Ethiopia and is affiliated to Education International which is the umbrella organization of trade unions representing teachers. Dr. Taye has a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in the United States. In 1989, Dr. Taye took a post as Assistant Professor in Political Science and International Relations at Addis Ababa University. In 1992, the Ethiopian Teachers' Association (ETA) elected Dr. Taye as its President. Along with his newly elected trade-unionists, he set out to protect the interests of teachers throughout Ethiopia. And in 1993, the EPRDF regime in Ethiopia dismissed 42 academics from Addis Ababa University including Dr. Taye and the entire ETA Executive Leadership.

Since 1993, the Ethiopian regime has made attempts to control or frustrate the activities of the ETA, such as freezing its bank account and pension fund, shutting down offices, searching the headquarters illegally, dismissing some ETA members from their teaching positions and imprisoning others. The regime also set up a rival teachers’ organization of the same name. As leader of ETA, Dr Taye spoke critically against the government’s education policy and sought better conditions for teachers. Dr Taye was arrested on 29 May 1996 at Addis Ababa Airport on his return from a visit to Europe. He was unlawfully detained for the subsequent 3 months and in August 1996 he was charged with armed conspiracy.

According to Amnesty International, Dr. Taye endured solitary confinement for four months and being shackled in handcuffs 24 hours a day for two years. He received constant death threats and harassment from prison guards. He also spent time in a special exclusion or darkness cell where he was not allowed to mix with other prisoners and the cell was entirely devoid of natural light. In mid-1998 the conditions of Dr Taye’s detention worsened after he made complaints about the prison conditions, death threats and harassment from prison guards and he was held in hand chains.

After 22 months of delays, many adjournments and the withdrawal of some of the charges, Dr. Taye was found guilty on 3 June 1999 of conspiracy to overthrow the state in a trial adjudged unfair and politically motivated by Amnesty International and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

After relentless campaign by the people of Ethiopia, teachers' unions around the world and Amnesty International, Dr. Taye was released on 14 May 2002, having spent six years in EPRDF's notorious jails.  Ethiopia remains a country where social justice and human rights are abused at an alarming rate.  Yet, Dr Taye’s fearless and skillful campaigns to bring about social justice in Ethiopia and to stop violations of human rights are changing things for the better.  And generations of Ethiopians should always remember his courageous contributions. 

DR. BREHANU NEGA                                                                                 Nominated by Daniel
Dr. Berhanu Nega  is a founding chairman of the Rainbow Ethiopia: Movement for Democracy and Social Justice and a Deputy Chairman of Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) - for whom he served as chief election campaign strategist. Born in Debre Zeyit - Berhanu attended Addis Ababa University where he participated in the student movement against the ruling Derg government in his freshman year. When the government acted against political dissidents in 1977, Berhanu with other radical student activists fled to Mount Asimba in northern Ethiopia. After a division within the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party, he was detained for openly criticizing killings within EPRP. After a few months, he was released by his captors and crossed into the Sudan where he lived for two years until he was granted political asylum in the United States.

He did his undergraduate degree in economics at the State University of New York and got his PhD in economics from the New School for Social Research, in New York City. During that time, he became one of the organizers of an annual conference on the "Horn of Africa" that debated and analyzed the political, social and economic conditions in the sub-region. For over five years, it served as a forum for intellectual dialogue among political leaders, policy analysts and researchers interested in developments in that part of Africa.

Intending to contribute to the betterment of his homeland, Dr Berhanu returned to Ethiopia in 1994. He became an entrepreneur and founded the Ethiopian Agro-Maize, a fertilizer producing company, and Addis Village Family Home Builders. He has also served as a lecturer at the Addis Ababa University Department of Economics. From 1996 to 2000, he served as president of the Ethiopian Economic Association. He has also served as the head of the Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute - a non-profit organization that he helped to establish. He also worked as a consultant for such organizations as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Dr. Berhanu has lectured and published several articles and reviews on Ethiopian socio-political, economic and human right issues. As a result of his participation in a 2001 public forum where human rights and academic freedom issues were discussed, he was arrested and imprisoned.

Dr Berhanu is largely credited with being the man behind the unprecedented political opposition challenge that the world saw in May 2005.  His courageous efforts made Ethiopians close to realizing their dreams of seeing a democratic Ethiopia as his party won a landslide victory in the capital.  On 20 August 2005, Ethiopia’s main opposition party – CUD – electd Dr. Berhanu Nega as Mayor of Addis Ababa.  In other areas of Ethiopia, massive vote rigging and electoral fraud were confirmed to have been committed by the ruling EPRDF party.  Following a massive anti-government rally on 1 November 2005 in the capital – Addis Ababa – Dr. Brehanu was arrested by the EPRDF regime along with other prominent members of the opposition party – CUD.  He was among those who faced ‘treason’ charges.  The arrest and staggering treason charges attracted wide-spread international condemnations and on 2 May 2006, Amnesty International issued a press release calling on the Ethiopian regime to ‘release immediately and unconditionally several opposition Members of Parliament-elect, human rights defenders and journalists [as] they are ‘prisoners of conscience who have not used or advocated violence.' Amnesty’s report also added that ‘the charges against opposition parties, human rights defenders and journalists are ‘absurd' and they ‘should be free to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of arbitrary detention, lengthy and possibly unfair trials on political charges, or other human rights violations’. 

He was released from EPRDF’s notorious jail on 20 July 2007, along with most of the leaders of the CUD following intense international pressure. The BBC reported on 20 July 2007, that “thirty Ethiopian opposition leaders have been freed from prison just days after being given life sentences over election protests.” The CUD has since been disintegrated.

TILAHUN GESSESSE                                                                               Nominated by Elias Yared
Mention the word ‘music' to anyone in Ethiopia and the next possible world that could naturally follow is ‘Tilahun'. In Ethiopia and for Ethiopians, the very concept of contemporary music is indeed synonymous with the name Tilahun. He was a singer like no other with tremendously charismatic appearance, holding his rightful place in Ethiopia as the country's one and only king of pop.

From love, family and friendship to liberty, unity and justice, there wasn’t an aspect of life that Tilahun didn’t sing about. Music has a special place in the everyday lives of Ethiopians and no singer has been able to win the sentiments of the people the way Tilahun did over the years. The veteran singer was not just a renowned artist; he was also a national treasure of highest quality and standards.

A shocking attempt to kill the legendary singer by stabbing with a sharp object was made almost 16 years ago to the date, on 18 April 1993, which fell on Ethiopian Easter Sunday. He had sustained a life-threatening slash on his neck and had to be flown out to Europe for treatment. Tilahun was the only person to have known the identity of his attacker and the circumstances surrounding the attempted murder, but he consistently refused to reveal his knowledge of the matter. After battling diabetes for more than three years, Tilahun had his right leg amputated on 3 February 2005, which came as another disturbing news to the Ethiopian people.

Tilahun was born on 27 September 1940 to his mother Gete Gurmu and his father Gessesse Wolde Kidan in Addis Ababa. He was first hired by the Hager Fikir Theatre to subsequently join the Imperial Body Guard Band where he became a leading singer. He then quickly became a household name all over Ethiopia, which literally made his name synonymous with the very concept of contemporary music in the country.

Tilahun had a heart attack on 20 April 2009 in Addis Ababa and died shortly after. It was also reported that Tilahun and his wife, Roman Bezu, had arrived in Addis Ababa from the United States on 19 April to spend the Ethiopian Easter holidays with family and friends. The death of Tilahun marked the end of an era in Ethiopia and a huge sense of loss was evident in the faces of Ethiopians across the country. Tilahun was farewelled on 23 April 2009 in an unprecedented state funeral ceremony in Addis Ababa.

The state funeral ceremony was a fitting finale to the extraordinary life of Tilahun Gesesse, who served his people and country as a supreme entertainer, a patriot, a preacher of peace and love. In so many ways, Tilahun Gesesse was larger than life. But it was his passion for music and his love for his country that will ensure he is not forgotten. His funeral proved that Tilahun can be even larger in death than in life – his state funeral was the first such event witnessed in modern Ethiopia.
State funerals are automatically granted to heads of states, but no Ethiopian leader ever in the country’s modern history was given a final send-off in a such dignified manner. Tilahun was 68.

ASTER AWEKE                                                                                              Nominated by Befekir Kebede
Aster Aweke has long been dubbed the queen of contemporary Ethiopian music and rightly so. In her dazzling singing career spanning the last three decades, she revolutionized contemporary Ethiopian music and brought it to the international stage. Undoubtedly, Aster's music adds a bit of flavor to the lives of many Ethiopians.

Through her music, Aster has taught us important lessens about life, love, and about our beloved country. Time and again, she taught us how to express our love and affection to Ethioapia. We laughed and cried listening to her expressive music, swamped by reminiscences of people we had romances with, places we frequented in the past and moments of our lives we always cherish. Music soothes, it raises passions, transports and recalls memories; we know it does having listened to Aster's music for as long as we have surrendering to her ever-soulful rhythm.

MAHMOUD AHMED                                                                Nominated by Desta Alebachew
Artist Mahmoud Ahmed is among Ethiopia's most prominent entertainers. Although no one in his family sang from an early age, Mahmoud made no effort to be anything else. Leaving school unqualified, Mahmoud began work as a shoe-shine boy. A series of jobs followed until he ended up handy-man at the Arizona Club in Addis Ababa.

One evening Mahmoud persuaded the house band to let him sing and soon he was a member of Haile Selassie’s ultra-official Imperial Band.  Mahmoud recorded his first single in 1971 and quickly became a favorite across Ethiopia.  Turning 69 in 2009, Mahmoud Ahmed has been entertaining Ethiopians for decades traveling to African states, Europe, Canada, United States and Australia. In May 2007, he was announced as the winner of the year's BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music held in London.  Mahmoud is a very talented, versatile artist with a musical flair of his own.  The contributions he has made and is making to the field of music in Ethiopia is enormous and Ethiopians are grateful to him for his enduring efforts to spice-up their lives.

MULATU ASTATKE                                                  Nominated by Selamawit Assegedew
Mulatu Astatke is one of the giants in the Ethiopian Pop and Jazz music production and arrangement scene. He produced some of the finest and most prestigious Ethiopian music compositions to date. Mulatu started in the late 1950s recording several LPs - one of which - Mulatu of Ethiopia - has become a legend among DJs in recent years. On piano, organ, vibes and percussion, with his arrangements and compositions, and as an agent provocateur, he has always been a pivotal figure with ubiquitous presence in the Ethiopian pop and jazz arena. He is a club owner, music school founder, radio DJ, composer, arranger and instrumentalist. Mulatu will no doubt go down in history as an exceptional musical innovator of the Ethiopian groove. His distinct brand of Ethiopian music features some of the most soulful instrumentals ever recorded in the whole of Africa.

In 2005, Mulatu collaborated with Hollywood to create a movie with Ethiopian soundtrack; he arranged the music for the Hollywood Comedy/Drama production of Broken Flowers, bringing the soulful rhythms of Ethiopian music to the world at large. His music composition and arrangements signify gigantic artistic prestige as they are capable of bringing out the best of contemporary Ethiopian rhythms.

EMAHOY TSEGEMARIAM GEBERU                                                    Nominated by Alula Kebede
Emahoy Tsegemariam Geberu is 83 in 2007.  She plays the organ, piano and violin living in a monastery in Jerusalem.  The nun started playing different musical instruments in 1928.  She is a lyricist and visual artist who can also speak several foreign languages including Hebrew, French and German.  She has written hundreds of songs, and produced some of the most listened to and loved instrumental works of music in Ethiopia. 

Having studied music in Switzerland as a child and later in Egypt, she became a nun and lives in a convent in Jerusalem.  Emahoy has recorded six LPs and CDs; the latest was recently released as the 21st in the "Ethiopique" series by the French record company, Buda Records.  The Nun worked and lived in Switzerland, Italy, France and Egypt.  Click here to listen to a sample of her most famous instrumental music.

TAMAGNE BEYENE                                                              Nominated by Sisay Alebachew
Tamagne is a highly gifted artist and he started entertaining people at a very young age. Among his talents as a comedian, impersonations of people and different styles of music from various Ethiopian cultures and languages, as well as introducing himself and other artists in a hilarious and poetic way are his hallmarks.

He worked with the Gondar Traditional Group and subsequently with the National Theatre of Ethiopia before he was chosen to take part in an international goodwill tour of Ethiopian artists in 1987. The tour named People-to-People was conducted in North America and Europe and Tamagne contributed greatly to its successful completion.

He is a brilliant comedian with evidently sensational passion for Ethiopia. And besides his talents in the world of comedy and entertainment, he is best known for his charismatic patriotism and his outspokenness against the unpatriotic ways and the injustices of the current regime in Ethiopia. Not only is he an outspoken critique of the EPRDF regime, he is also a human rights campaigner, a role model and an inspirational figure particularly for the younger generation of Ethiopia.

He organizes public performances not only to entertain people but also to promote unity among all Ethiopians. He has always used his talents and access to the Ethiopian people to express his love for Ethiopia and to teach and inspire others to do likewise. His outspokenness has made him very popular among Ethiopians who have serious concerns about the very nature of the EPRDF regime. However, Tmagne was imprisoned by the regime in 1996 and upon his release, he left Ethiopia for the United States where is still resides.

Although Ethiopia has numerous other comedians, Tamagne is largely seen as a pioneer in the filed of comedy for he has made Ethiopians laugh time and again the way no other comedian has ever done. And his courageous and selfless efforts to promote patriotism, unity and respect among all Ethiopians - which have come to be his hallmarks – make him one in a million.

ENGDAZER NEGA                                                                                   Nominated by Maraki Sewalem Engidazer Nega is best known in Ethiopia as the mother of comedy.  There was no female comedian in Ethiopia that achieved a cult following before her and there hasn’t been any ever since she passed away. She simply was a one-off. Engidazer was a teacher for 11 years until she joined Ethiopian Television in 1979 as a journalist.  And after a while, she was presented with an opportunity to follow what her heart was telling her to be – a comedian.  She took the opportunity and went along with it and began making so many Ethiopians laugh.  She was a natural comedian who could make anyone laugh effortlessly. 

She once fell from a roof while working on one of the many comedy shows she produced and was seriously injured.  Her injuries made her unable to work and a treatment was very hard to find within the country. As a process for a trip to the west got underway in search for a better medical treatment abroad, she suddenly got sick with toothache. A painkiller she took for the toothache created complications and was written as the cause of her sudden death on 13 November 2004. She may have died prematurely at the age of 58 when she had a lot more to do and when she had a lot more of her sense of humor to put more smiles on our faces.  Yet she will always be remembered as a comedian of exceptional quality that set the standard of comedy to the highest possible level in Ethiopia particularly for women.   

ALEBACHEW TEKA                                                                 Nominated by Yonathan Lessanu
The name Albachew Teka is synonymous with hilarious comedy in Ethiopia.  Along with his fellow comedian Lemeneh Tadesse, Alebachew popularized modern Ethiopian comedy in Ethiopia on the national television.  It was his efforts and talents that set new and unprecedented standards and that paved the way for comedy to be a recognized modern-day profession in Ethiopia.  He entertained Ethiopians in Ethiopia for many years and traveled abroad to make Ethiopian expatriates in different parts of the world laugh.   

After touring the world to entertain Ethiopians, he then started the first Ethiopian talk show - The Alebeh Show - on the national television.  This too was unprecedented in Ethiopia and as such, the show caught the interests of thousands of Ethiopians.  In the pioneering show, he persuaded many of the Ethiopian affluent guests to the show to help the destitute of Ethiopia - and as a result - he was seen as a very humanitarian Ethiopian as well.

Alebachew died on January 16, 2005 in a suspicious car accident while traveling from Addis Ababa to Jimma to film an episode for his show. His car reportedly plunged into a ravine about 30km from Jimma. He was 44 years old.  News of his death was met with shock and more than 100,000 mourners attended his funeral at St. Joseph's Church in Addis Ababa. He left a wife, two daughters and a son.  Whatever the cause of his death, Albachew Teka was a true gentleman, a true comedian and a wonderful Ethiopian.  He may be dead, but his legacy will live on in the hearts of Ethiopians forever.

WEGAYEHU NEGATU                                                           Nominated by YAsrat Kefle
Wegayehu Negatu, one of the brightest stars to come out of the Ethiopian Theatrical scene, was born on June 1944 in Qebenna, Addis Ababa. Wegayehu attended the Swedish Evangelical Mission School and he went on to complete his secondary education at Teferi Makonnen. There, he was known for his humor and comic portrayal of film characters, especially during the numerous outings of the Boy Scouts. Soon after graduation, he joined the Haile Sellassie I University's Creative Arts & Theatre Program in 1963, where he studied the art of plays, stage production and make-up and costume for two years. It was there that he first displayed his talents in plays such as "Romeo and Juliet", Samuel Becket's "Waiting for God" and Menghistu Lemma's "Marriage among Unequals" and "Marirage by Abduction".

Wegayehu went to Budapest – Hungary - for two years of studies in theatre, culminating in a well-received performance of Hungarian plays at The Madaç Theatre in Budapest. Years later, the President of Hungary, on hearing the death of Wegayehu, was to remark on the merits of this Ethiopian actor who had captivated the Hungarian people in 1967 while performing ‘Pantomim’ in their own language. After a year of unsuccessful attempts back home at finding a job in the Arts, Wegayehu went back to the Creative Arts & Theatre Center, this time working as the Programs Director in Theatre until 1970.

He then served as an actor in 'Hager Fikir' Theatre for a year, thereupon joining the Radio and Television department of the Ministry of Information. Tuners to the airwaves during those years were to witness the highly creative touch of Wegayehu in the scores of advertisements and plays that were beginning to be prevalent and, with his help, popular. One also remembers his pioneering work in popularizing the art of miming on TV. It was also at the end of 1970 that Wegayehu got married to AmsaleGenet Yimer, an employee at the Press Ministry. They had three children, and were later to cooperate on several plays with AmsaleGenet as producer.

During the 1970s, Wegayehu was involved in plays such as Tsegaye GebreMedhin's 'yeKermo Sew' (Here to stay), 'Petros Yachin Saat' (Petros at that hour) and Yilma Manaye's 'Zerray Deresse'. While performing Zerray Derrese in Asmara, his portrayal was so convincing that the hero's older brother, Blata TesfaTsion Derrese, would not let Wegayehu out of his sight for two weeks, talking to him as if conversing with Zerray. This response was to be typical as Wegayehu continued to mature in his art and traveled to Lagos and Algiers representing Ethiopia on the stage.

From 1974 to the day of his untimely death in December of 1989, Wegayehu was to have yet another distinguished career as an actor and an inspiring teacher at the National Theater. A majority of the total 30 theatrical plays he performed in life were staged during these years. Among them were Berhanu Zerihun's 'Moresh', and Tsegaye GebreMedhin’s ‘Ha-hu be Sidist Wer’ (ABC in six months). Ha-hu be Sidist Wer was to be among one of Wegayehu’s best performances but, sadly, while on the set, he caught severe pneumonia, which led to his death after years of ill health.

Fellow artists remember how serious and thorough Wegayehu was while preparing for a play. He would completely immerse into his character minutes before performance and while on the stage, he would literally control the heartbeat of his audience. They jeered at the Count in ‘Wanaw Teqotatari’, suffered with the distraught farmer in ‘Enat Nesh’, cried for Jilu Moro in ‘Enat Alem Tenu’. This people’s actor was ever modest, downplaying his talent and always striving to give his best to the audience that had given him due honor. In the last 10 years of his life, he played a vital role in immortalizing the written word by single handedly reaching out to a much wider audience of Ethiopians, literate and illiterate, through his masterly narration of books like Hadis Alemayehu’s ‘Fiker eske Mekabir’ (Love to the Grave) and Berhanu Zerihun’s ‘Ma’ibel’ (Flood). Listeners, to this day, remember being glued to the radio every week at 7 in the morning just to hear the characters being brought to life by this amazing artist.

FEKADU TEKLEMARIAM                                                                    Nominated by Lulit Mahari
Fekadu Teklemariam is arguably the most talented actor Ethiopia has ever produced.  From theatrical plays on the stage to radio, television and now screen performances, Fekadu has been entertaining Ethiopians for decades with his unparalleled acting talent.  One of his best and most notable stage performances is his play in the theater – Thewodros – where he plays the renowned 19th century Ethiopian emperor – Emperor Thewodros.  The play gave Ethiopians a near-firsthand experience of the leadership of the wise and brave emperor who committed suicide on April 13, 1868 at the top of Makdela Hill in Gonder to avoid capture by the British.  Fekadu's impersonation skills were so good that a lot of Ethiopians who saw the theater think of him as the emperor. 

Besides his brilliant performances in countless weekly radio dramas, Fekadu is also known for his engaging narration of Ethiopian novels on the national radio.  And on television, he worked as the leading actor of many television plays that have become favorites of many Ethiopians.  And as the Ethiopian movie industry attempts to reinvigorate itself with the advent of the digital technology in Ethiopia, Fekadu is still at the forefront of the productions as a veteran actor of unmatched quality and talents.  His contributions to the field of acting in Ethiopia are enormous and he needs to be applauded.

ALEMTSEHAY WEDAJO                                                             Nominated by Ketema Asnake
Artist Alemtsehay Wedajo is one the best and most known Ethiopian artists who is versatile enough to be a song-writer or lyricist, an actress, a journalist and an exceptional writer. She wrote the lyrics of more than 30 of the most loved and enjoyed contemporary Ethiopian songs by veteran Ethiopian singers such as Tilahun Gesesse, Muluken Melesse, and Mohamoud Ahmed.  Alemtsehay also wrote columns for mainstream magazines and newspapers in Ethiopia for several years.  And she acted in various television and theatre dramas as well as in some Ethiopian movies. 

In the year 2000, she founded an organization by the name of Taitu Cultural Centre in Washington DC to train and work with aspiring Ethiopian artists. So far, Taitu Cultural Centre has produced and staged 17 theatres in America and Alemtsehay and her group are planning to tour Europe and other parts of the world to stage their works to Ethiopian audiences across the world.  Artist Alemtsehay’s contributions to the field of theater and acting is enormous and she indeed needs to be honored and praised.  

ALE FELEGE SELAM                                                                               Nominated by Tamirat Abebe
Ale Felege Selam was one of the pioneer visual artists in Ethiopia.  Born in 1924, he was a painter, illustrator and educator who created hundreds of artists including those who have become household names.  In 1959, he founded the School of Fine Arts in Addis Ababa, and was the director of the school from 1959-1974.  His art collections are permanently displayed at the National Museum and at the Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, as well as at the Kulubi Gabriel Church in Harar.  Ale Felege Selam has always been an important artist in the advancement of art and artists in Ethiopia who has made an unequalled contribution to the visual arts discipline in Ethiopia.

GEBRE KRISTOS DESTA                                                                   Nominated by Samrawit Kiros
Gebre kristos Desta was a leading painter of modern art who made a monumental contribution to the field of fine arts in Ethiopia.  He was a painter, educator and a poet of exceptional quality also passionately promoting fine arts in particular and arts in general in Ethiopia.  He is also credited with being the pioneer who introduced abstract painting to the country.  He was a senior arts instructor at the School of Fine Arts in Addis Ababa in 1965; and was head curator of Addis Ababa City Hall Gallery in 1977.  His art collections are permanently displayed at the National Museum, at the City Hall Gallery, and at the University of Addis Ababa. 

Gebre kristos Desta died in 1981 at the age of 50 in Oklahoma, USA.  And in 2004, an arts gallery was inaugurated in his name in the German Cultural Institute in Addis Ababa.  The passionate artist may have departed prematurely with his invaluable talents, but he will no doubt live forever through his works of art inspiring Ethiopians for generations to come. 

AFEWEREK TEKLE                                                                                Nominated by Fasika Sewenet
Ethiopia has a huge list of gifted visual artists who have made visual communication a huge part of everyday Ethiopian culture. But Afewerk Tekle is by far Ethiopia’s most talented and prominent visual artist. He is a Painter, Sculptor and Illustrator of exceptional excellence.

He started drawing as a primary school student in the late 1930s and kept nourishing his talent. In 1947, he was sent to England to become a mining engineer. However, his artistic fervour prevailed and he was accepted at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London and later went to the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Slade School of Arts. Upon completion of his studies, Afewerk returned to Addis Ababa where he held a solo exhibition at the Municipality Hall in 1954. It was the first significant art exhibition in Ethiopia. Subsequently, he travelled to Italy, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal and Greece in order to broaden his artistic horizons. He also made a special study of the Ethiopian illustrated manuscripts in the British Library, the Biblioth?que Nationale in Paris and the Vatican Library, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of his own artistic heritage.

Among his early works, the decoration of the interior of St. George’s Cathedral in central Addis Ababa is very noteworthy. At the cathedral he worked on murals and mosaics for three-and-a half-years. His reputation grew not only within the country but also internationally as his mastery over diverse media was established. His drawings, paintings, murals, mosaics, stained-glass windows and sculptures, his designs for stamps, playing cards, posters, flags and national Ethiopian costumes, all contributed to build up his position as Ethiopia’s foremost visual artist.
 
Artist Afewerk designed his own house, studio and gallery and named it Villa “Alpha”. He was architecturally inspired by his own cultural heritage, especially by ancient Aksum, the mediaeval castles of Gondar and the old walled city of Harrar. His complex of buildings was conceived as a whole in 1959, but was realized in stages over a period of fifteen years, as a third of the proceeds of every exhibition abroad was devoted to the construction of the work. His 1961 exhibition in Addis Ababa was a major landmark in the country’s artistic life. One of the paintings exhibited was the now well-known Maskal Flower which made its debut on this occasion, and has since been exhibited in the USSR, USA and at the Festival of Negro Arts in 1965 at Dakar - Senegal. During the period when much of Africa was fighting for independence and working for the unity of the continent, Afewerk saw himself as part of the struggle and contributed enormously through his art.

His well-known paintings included: “Backbones of African Civilization”, “African Movement”, “African Atmosphere”, “African Unity” and “Africa’s Heritage”. Most of these paintings are now at the permanent collection of the National Museum of Ethiopia. He is perhaps very well-known for his internationally famous stained-glass windows at the entrance of the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in the Ethiopian capital – Addis Ababa. This piece is one of his greatest achievements; it shows his mastery on a gigantic scale (150sq.m.) and it has inspired artists all over the world. His stained-glass painting embodies in its three panels Africa’s sorrowful past, present struggle, and its high aspirations for the future.

In 1964 he became the first winner of the Haile Sellassie I Prize for Fine Arts. The citation described him as a “versatile and disciplined artist”. It also says, he was awarded “for his outstanding drawings, paintings, landscapes, and portraits which eloquently express his particular world environment, and for his contribution in being among the first to introduce contemporary techniques to Ethiopian subject matter and content”.

He was also awarded the order of Merit in Ghana in 1964; Order of Merit in Senegal in 1965; National order in Senegal, 1967; Order of Arts and Letters in France in 1970; Grand Order of merit for Fine Arts in Egypt in 1975; Gold Medal in Algiers International in 1980; and several other national and international awards. Ethiopia and Ethiopians are very thankful to him for his pioneering works and achievements in the field of Fine Arts in Ethiopia.

ZERIHUN YETEMGETA                                                                       Nominated by Yonathan Lessanu
Zerihun Yetmgeta is a renowned graphic artist and painter who has public collections at the National Museum and at the Postal, Telegraph and Telephone Museums in Addis Ababa. His artistic talent was discovered at a young age. Upon completion of high school, he began painting classes at the Empress Menen Handicraft School. A year later he was admitted to the School of Fine Arts in Addis Ababa where he studied from 1963 to 1968. He has been teaching two-dimensional art and graphics at the School of Fine Arts since the early 1970s.  Zerihun has tremendous empathy for his Ethiopian heritage and his identity as an African, but also sees himself as a citizen of the world.  One can easily observe his passion for history and the cultural heritage of Ethiopia and Africa in many of his works.

His works have appeared in international exhibitions for over 25 years and has received special recognition with his participation in major exhibitions in Switzerland and Cuba. He was awarded a medal at the First Annual Ethiopian Students' Art & Craft Exhibition in 1958; was named ‘Best Fine Arts Instructor of the Year’ in Addis Ababa in 1986; and was awarded the prestigious Grand Prix de la Biennale de DAK'ART 92 in Senegal in 1992.  His contributions to the growth of the visual and fine arts industry in Ethiopia are enormous and the positive effects of his contributions are far-reaching and enduring.

YIDNEKACHEW TESSEMA                                                           Nominated by Biniyam Getachew
Yidnekachew Tessema was the founder of the Ethiopian Football Federation in 1944.   Between 1960 and 1976 he served as Director and Commissioner of the federation, Vice-Minster of the Ethiopian Sports Ministry and Secretary-General of the Ethiopian Football Federation.  He was once the coach of the national Ethiopian team as well as manager and coach of St. George Football Club.  He was also the team leader of the Ethiopian national team at the Olympics in Rome in 1960.

Yidnekachew Tessema was a founding member of the African Football Confederation when it was setup in 1957 in the Sudanese capital as the first inter-continental organization six years before the establishment of the Organization of the African Union.  From 1958 to 1972 he served as the Vice-President of the confederation before he was elected to lead the confederation as president for four consecutive terms from 1972 - 1987. As a direct result of Yidnekachew Tessema’s famous work and lobbying, Ethiopia hosted the 1962 African Cup of Nations – which was the third soccer championship of Africa (CAF). Nine countries participated in the competition and Ethiopia won the tournament for the first time after extra time in the final.  And the 1968 African Cup of Nations was the sixth African Cup of Nations, and once more it was hosted by Ethiopia. Democratic Republic of Congo won its first championship and Ethiopia finished the tournament in fourth place.  Yet again, the 1976 African Cup of Nations (the tenth African Cup of Nations) was hosted by Ethiopia. Morocco won its first championship.

Yidnekachew Tessema died in 1987 at the age of 65.  But his legacy lives on.  He was a man who dedicated his entire life to his passion – football.  Not only was he passionate about football, he was also passionate about his beloved Ethiopia and the continent of Africa.  He did things no other man was able to do before him either in Ethiopia or in the entire continent of Africa.  African in general and Ethiopia in particular are indebted to him for all his pioneering works and passion that remain unparalleled to date.  

ABEBE BIKILA                                                                                  Nominated by Selamawit Asseged
Athlete Abebe Bikila won the first ever marathon Gold medal for Africa and set an unofficial world record after running barefoot at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. He then bested his own record at the subsequent 1964 Olympics in Tokyo to become the first athlete in the world to win back-to-back Olympic marathon titles.

He was little known outside of Ethiopia when he entered the 1960 Olympics to run the marathon barefoot on the cobblestones of the Appian Way. Tied for the lead for much of the race, he broke ahead in the last 1,000 metres and crossed the finish line in 2 hours 15 minutes 15.2 seconds. Four years later, he underwent an appendectomy a month before the Tokyo Olympics. Nevertheless, he won a second gold medal running the marathon - this time wearing shoes - in 2 hours 12 minutes 11.2 seconds. He entered the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City but was forced to drop out of the marathon with a broken leg after 10 miles. Abebe Bikila died in 1973 at the age of 41 after a car accident in 1969 caused the lower part of his body to be paralysed.

HAILE GEBRESELASSIE                                                         Nominated by Biniyam Getachew
Haile Gebreselassie made us all proud time and time again braking 18 world records, winning two Olympic 10,000m gold medals and four world 10,000 m titles. The stories of most of his compelling and heroic victories have been told all around the world overshadowing the gloomy stereotypical stories that western media outlets propagate relentlessly.

Most Ethiopians find him to be a sole cause for optimism at a period in time when Ethiopia's image in the world seems to have hit rock bottom. Although athletics excellence has been one of the hallmarks of Ethiopia for a very long time, Haile is like no other athlete not only in Ethiopia but anywhere in the world. He has made all the impossible possible setting a perfect example to people of all nations and ages what we could achieve as humans if we strive hard enough.

Most notable of his recent achievements is, his record-breaking win of the Berlin Marathon in 2007. Haile Gebrselassie set a new marathon world record time of 2 hours 4 minutes and 26 seconds on 30 September 2007 in Berlin, an improvement of 21 minutes and 13 seconds since 1947. Therefore, Gebrselassie is the fastest marathon runner in the world to date. 

GEREMEW DENBOBA                                                                          Nominated by Fasika Alemu
Geremew Denboba is an ambitious athlete who represented Ethiopia in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in Australia as a cyclist and as a team leader and it was the first time ever that Ethiopia participated in the Olympics.  He carried the Ethiopian flag at the stadium in Melbourne putting his name in the history books as the first person to have done so as it was Ethiopia's debut at the Olympics.  The team he led to Melbourne had a very exhausting flight from Addis and it took them nearly 7 days to arrive. Because they spent so much time on air, they did not have enough time to practice. Yet in the end, the Ethiopian team returned home ranking 9th in the world.

Geremew Denboba is one of the first names associated with Ethiopian Cycling and in his long cycling career, he has won more than 26 cups and 32 gold and silver medals in both national and international competitions. In the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Geremew Denboba finished in 24th place and was the first finisher over his Asian and African competitors. In the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, Demboba led the Ethiopian Cycling team as head coach. In this occasion, he was able to lead his Cycling team to finish ahead of the African and Asian competitors. This is an achievement Ethiopia has not been able to repeat at any international cycling competition to date. In subsequent years, he traveled around the world coaching the Ethiopian cycling team and sharing his experience and expertise with aspiring cyclists.  He took the national cycling team to many African countries, the former Soviet Union and United Arab Emirates to take part in international competitions.

Geremew Demboba is a dedicated and pioneering athlete who has devoted his time and resources to the growth of cycling in Ethiopia.  And he will always be mentioned as the first international cycling athlete in Ethiopia and the first Ethiopian to carry the Ethiopian flag at Ethiopia’s first Olympics in 1956.  He is a man who followed his ambitions and dreams vigorously to have done what no other Ethiopian before him. 

DERARTU TULU                                                                         Nominated by Robel Yohannes
Derartu Tulu is a remarkable Ethiopian athlete who won the women's 10,000m contest at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, clocking 31:06.02 to become the first African women to win the 10,000m event.  In the 10,000m final at the 1992 Olympics, Elana Meyer of South Africa pulled away from the field after 6,100m and only Derartu was able to keep pace with her. Meyer tried to force Derartu to pass her, but Derartu refused. Finally, just before the start of the last lap, Derartu darted into the lead and went on to win by 30 meters becoming the first African woman to win an Olympic Gold medal. 

Derartu Tulu returned to the Olympics in 1996, but finished in fourth place. However, her running career was far from over. At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Derartu again entered the 10,000m. Regaining her form of eight years earlier, she took the lead at the bell signaling the final lap and sprinted ahead to a clear victory once more becoming the first woman to win two gold medals in Olympic distance races.   Besides her triumphant run at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, she also won the IAAF World Cross Country Championships title for the third time that year. In 2001, she won her world 10,000 track title in Edmonton. This was her third world and Olympic gold medal. She has a total of 6 world and Olympic gold medals.

Derartu Tulu was born in 1972 and started running at the age of 16.  In her thriving athletic career so far, she has managed to win 35 gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze medals, and still running.  Derartu has a special place in history and a very special place in the hearts of Ethiopians.  Many will recall her victory lap in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona – Spain – and her subsequent celebration wrapped with a giant Ethiopian flag.  That scene will always remain cherished in the hearts of Ethiopians as an unforgettable display of affection for Ethiopia on the world stage.       

KENENISSA BEKELE                                                                  Nominated by Solomon Araya
Kenenisa Bekele is only 25 in 2007 and he started competing on the world stage in 2001 at the age of 19.  Yet he has won five 3000m, five 5000m, three 10,000m, five Cross Country Championships (Long Race), two Cross Coauntry Championships (Junior Race), and six Cross Country Championships (Short Race) titles so far.  Haile Gebreselassie made us all proud time and time again in the last few years braking 18 world records, winning two Olympic 10,000m gold medals and four world 10,000m titles. But now we have entered another era in which Haile passed his impervious running excellence on to someone who seems to have the potential to be even greater – Kenenissa Bekele.

He represents the best of Ethiopia and sets a perfect example as to what the Ethiopian youth can achieve.  Each one of his victories inspires thousands of young Ethiopians to try and follow their dreams in the field of their choice.  He sends the message through achieving the unthinkable that anything is possible. Bekele is expected not only to win gold medals at the Beijing Olympics this year, but also to set new Olympic records.

THEODROS KASSAHUN (TEDDY AFRO)                              Nominated by Samrawit Alemu
Teddy Afro is the new voice of contemporary Ethiopian music. He achieved a cult following at a time when competition in the Ethiopian pop music industry is at its highest. His dramatic success is attributable to his skilful ability to win the hearts and minds of the youth through his youthful style of singing. Many say that his popularity is also a result of his apparent passion for Ethiopia.

His songs about Ethiopia have been able to reinvigorate Ethiopians' love and admiration towards their country and have caused an upsurge of patriotism particularly among the youth. He also sang about the outstanding achievements of Ethiopia's finest and greatest athlete - Haile Gebreselassie - and the new athletics hero - Kenenissa Bekele. In this particular song, the two national heroes have been hailed and praised for they have done the unthinkable. And everyone in Ethiopia has been singing about Haile and Kenenissa and that would have never happened if it wasn't for Teddy's creativity.

If music is about getting important messages across in a sentimental and rhythmic fashion to the delight of the intended audience, Tedy's songs are qualified examples of such distinction. And the fact that he is possibly the youngest-ever Ethiopian pop-star to have achieved such a far-reaching recognition, there remains growing anticipation among Ethiopians for even more of Teddy.

But the Government in Ethiopia – which has attracted widespread criticism among Ethiopians over its systematic crackdown on expressions of patriotic sentiments in its 19-year-rule so far – would have been very unhappy - to say the least – about the songs of Teddy Afro, which the BBC described recently as “the anthem of the anti-government protesters” of 2005. And because some of his songs are labelled “political” and critical of the Ethiopian regime, many say it was only a matter of time before Teddy – like thousands of Ethiopians before him – was put to jail. And on 18 April 2008, the Government finally did it.

Besides becoming a household name among Ethiopians almost like no other Ethiopian musician his age, through his music, Teddy Afro has also become such a powerful and patriotic public figure that the regime felt it needed to detain him, whatever the reason.

So whatever the reason, Teddy Afro was thrown into jail, charged with killing a homeless man while driving, tried in a court that is hardly known for its independence and credibility, convicted of the charges made against him, sentenced to six years in jail and ordered to pay 18,000 Ethiopian Birr. Again whatever the reason, his jail term of six years was reduced to two years and he was finally released on 13 August 2009 - 482 days after his initial arrest.

He was imprisoned at a place where the regime’s high-profile political prisoners are incarcerated and many believe that during the time of his arrest, Teddy Afro was the regime’s most famous political prisoner.

ROBEL TEKLEMARIAM                                                            Nominated by Teshome Gebre
Robel Teklemariam is a young Ethiopian skier who left his country at the age of nine for the United States.  He realized his dream of skiing for Ethiopia at the Winter Olympics 2006 in Torino – Italy - through his own tremendous efforts.   He became the first Ethiopian to compete in the Winter Olympics on 11 February 2006 carrying the Ethiopian national flag into the Olympic stadium in Torino for the opening ceremony leading an Ethiopian team of one.  Western media outlets found Robel's story very interesting and have published several stories about the fact that Ethiopia was represented at the Winter Olympics for the first time ever and by one athlete. He finished his race in the men's 15 km classical cross-country skiing in 9 minutes and 52.5 seconds behind gold medallist Andrus Veerpalu of Estonia.

Robel founded the Ethiopian National Ski Federation in 2005 to provide an opportunity for Ethiopian skiers to participate in official ski races including the Winter Olympics with the financial help of Ethiopian expatriates around the world.

Robel has been working as a ski instructor for many years and is eager to encourage Ethiopian athletes to experience the challenge and excitement of skiing. He believes that if they are given the opportunity - a number of young Ethiopians in Europe, Canada, the United States and other countries - where skiing is common - could master this sport and participate in international races including the Winter Olympics.  It is the vision of Robel and his federation to make Ethiopia a permanent member of the ski racing community.  He is an inspiration, a talented and passionate skier and a proud Ethiopian.  The lessons the Ethiopian youth can learn from his pioneering efforts are enormous.

LIYA KEBEDE                                                                         Nominated by Selamawit Assegedew
Liya Kebede is an Ethiopian who has become an international Supermodel. She was born and raised in Addis Ababa - Ethiopia. While in school at the French Lycee in Addis - a film director spotted the young beauty and introduced her to a French modeling agent. After completing her studies, she moved to France to pursue work through a local Parisian agency. Liya relocated to the city of New York in the United States where she currently resides.

She is 31 in 2009 and has appeared on the cover pages of many international magazines including, Time Magazine in the United States, Italian, Japanese, Korean & Spanish Vogue, Numero, French, Flair, South African Elle, Harper’s & Queen, Essence, and Time’s Style & Design issue.

In February of 2003, Liya became the newest face of Esteé Lauder cosmetics – the first African woman to serve as a representative of the brand’s 59-year history, joining other renowned international personalities in the industry.  In 2005, she was appointed as World Health Organization’s Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. Liya is a mother of one and responsibilities of being WHO Goodwill Ambassador will include raising global awareness of maternal and child health issues, as well as helping WHO in its campaign to improve the health of mothers and children.

Liya has also set up The Liya Kebede Foundation with the mission to reduce maternal newborn and child mortality and to improve the health and wellbeing of mother and children around the world.  Through her foundation, she is dedicated to helping mothers and children in Ethiopia and one such example is her collaboration with the Princess Tsehai Hospital in Addis Ababa which has resulted in the expansion of the hospital compound.

Liya Kebede is in a unique and powerful position not many Ethiopian women have.  She has achieved what is impossible for many and she remains close to her origins.  She is an inspiration not just to young women in Ethiopia but also to everyone who appreciates successful, diligent and humble people with commitment to give back to community.

ABEGASU KIBREWORK SHIOTA                                               Nominated by Nebiyat Aklilu
Almost every successful music album that has been released in Ethiopia by a major Ethiopian artist, at least for the last decade now, bares the name Abegasu Kibrework Shiota.  He is the country’s most talented young producer and arranger who has contributed enormously to the growth of contemporary music in Ethiopia.   

Abegasu is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music in Boston - Massachusetts. Hi's primary instrument is the piano and the music he has produced for Ethiopia’s best musicians are testimony to his talent and unique style that set him apart from others in the industry.  And the fact that he achieved unparalleled prominence as a young music producer and arranger has no doubt inspired the youth of Ethiopia today.  Ethiopia might have had countless talented producers and arrangers before Abegasu.  But he is by far the country’s most talented young professional in the field.

ABEBECH GOBENNA                                                                       Nominated by Mebrat Ambaye
Abebech Gobena is a prominent humanitarian in Ethiopia who is the founder and General Manager of one of the biggest orphanages ain the country.  She started her humanitarian work after seeing a baby sucking her dead mother’s breast during the famine in 1980 in the northern part of Ethiopia.  She took two babies from the famine affected areas to Addis Ababa and gradually increased the number to 21. But her humanitarian activities put her in conflict with her family.

Abebech abandoned her marriage and moved to a small poultry house, where she continued her humanitarian activities for six challenging years. From the very beginning, she financed her humanitarian projects herself, at times selling her jewelries and other personal possessions.

Her orphanage provides full boarding services to orphans, sponsors children of destitute from the different communities in the country; provides both curative and preventive health services to children and extends it to the community, provides vocational skills training to children, destitute women, youth and others, contributes its part in the fight against HIV/AIDS and supports community development endeavors.  The organization has so far established health centers, clinics, training institutions, schools, kindergartens, warehouses, dormitories and adminstrative offices in Addis Ababa.

There is much more that needs to be done to fight poverty in Ethiopia.  Yet Abebech Gobena is not just about fighting or reducing poverty in the country, she is also about compassion which is priceless.  She provides love and care to children who have lost parents and whose primary need is love.  It takes a heart as kind as hers to make so many orphans feel that they are loved.  Abebech Gobena - despite her remarkable achievements in the last two-and-half decades - believes that a lot has to be done on poverty reduction and is committed to expanding her present orphanage, so that it could be able to serve more orphans and the underprivileged in Ethiopia. Because of her devotion and determination to care for others, some rightfully call her “Africa’s Mother Teresa”.

CHACHI TADESSE                                                                       Nominated by Fikirte Getahun
Chachi Tadesse is best known for her musical career as one of the first Ethiopian artists to blend the sounds of reggae with Amharic producing a musical style of her own.  But there is much more to Chachi than just music.  She used her superstar status to raise awareness about street kids in Ethiopia and single-handedly changed the lives of many destitute kids for the better.  After years of collaboration with individuals and organizations for the cause, she founded her own non-profit organization in Atlanta in the year 2000, which she named Hohete Tesfa meaning Gate of Hope. This organization is dedicated to helping Ethiopian children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

But prior to setting up this organization, Chachi established her musical career in the United States, traveled extensively and got involved in acting, modeling, voice lessons and fashion design. Chachi returned to Ethiopia in 1992 with her first album selling over 90,000 copies worldwide. But her focus was on the plight of street children.  She decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from every show she performed thereafter to help street children in Ethiopia. In 1993, alongside other Ethiopians, Chachi worked with an NGO called ëForum on Street Children and staged a tour in many towns in Ethiopia including Nazareth, Debre Zeit, Awassa, Shashemene, Dire Dawa, and Harrar. Her sold-out show at the National Theatre raised 30,000 Birr and helped raise more consciousness about the plight of street children.

In 1995, she started a program for Ethiopians abroad to sponsor street children in Ethiopia and helped close to 200 families in an eight year period.  She also organized successive annual live music shows at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa involving other prominent Ethiopian artist and raised substantial funds. 

Chachi is a proud and compassionate Ethiopian who believes in making a difference.  Her humanitarian works have changed the lives of many children in Ethiopia for the better and have inspired many others to do the same.    

PAULOS GNOGNO                                                                        Nominated by Netsanet Zerihun
Paulos Gnogno was an extraordinary Ethiopian journalist, historian and author who was passionate about informing and enlightening Ethiopians about a wide range of issues. In a country where sound education is the only way out for many, not only did he manage to have a thriving life for himself, but also changed the lives of countless Ethiopians for the better only as a 4th grade dropout. It is not known why he left school at a very young age. But what is known is that he was very curious about a lot of things with unique analytical skills and his intuition was spot-on. Before he died in 1993, he wrote 11 substantial books on Ethiopian history, the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the different emperors of the country and about many more social and cultural issues. He was very curious about the outside-world, and he taught himself the English language so as to make himself able to grasp the Western world through reading books and journals written in English. As a result, he wrote translation books and journals in the official language of Ethiopia, thereby making many curious Ethiopians understand what the world outside of Ethiopia was like.

He was working on 6 more books to publish when he passed-away including a compilation of Ethiopian encyclopedia. Through the medium of books and newspapers, he made a lot of Ethiopians aware of diverse issues not only in Ethiopia but also in many different parts of the world. He was not held-up by the fact that he was a 4th grade dropout. Rather he followed his passion through reading, understanding, writing, analyzing and explaining situations and events without formal education. He taught himself and he taught others to the day he departed. His contribution to Ethiopia is enormous and many are grateful to him for what he did for Ethiopia and for the field of Journalism in the country.

BEALU GIRMA                                                                         Nominated by Kassahun Seboqa
Bealu Girma was a journalist and author who sacrificed his life for his ethics and integrity.  He is widely known in Ethiopia for his brave and skillful criticism of prominent members of Ethiopia’s former government in his famous book known as Oromai. 

The book which was circulated underground after the socialist government put a ban on it, skillfully details the widespread corruption among top-government officials and Generals of the Army.  He gained exclusive access to the government after he was appointed as the second-in-charge of the Ministry of Information with the portfolio to personally record the ‘achievements’ of a vigorous government campaign to weed-out separatist movements in the country.  During the process, he stumbled across corruption of unforgivable magnitude and started writing the book - Oromai. 

The book is a novel and doesn’t mention any government officials by name.  Yet it exposes the wrongdoings of the government quite skillfully.  It illustrates what was done in the name of ‘working for the country’.   Shortly after a ban was put on his book, Bealu Girma was abducted from his car in a street in Addis Ababa and has never been seen since.  It is assumed that he was killed shortly after his abduction.  Even though he was the Vice-Mister of the Ministry of Information, therefore part of the government, he made the decision to expose the corruption on the grounds that he felt more loyal to the people he was serving and loyal to his profession of journalism than the government.     

Before his appointment as the Vice-Mister of the Ministry of Information, he was the Editor-in-Chief of the country’s most popular mainstream newspaper – Addis Zemen.  Although Oromai is his masterpiece, he also wrote half-a-dozen more books on different subject matters which can be found in libraries not only in Ethiopia but also around the world.  Bealu was educated in the West and firmly believed in Education.  He was passionate, talented and very professional as a writer and journalist.  The vision he had for Ethiopia may not be realised just yet, but the legacy of his professionalism has been inspiring generations of Ethiopians.

DEMESSIE DAMTE                                                                                       Nominated by Hailu Desta
Demessie Damte is an accomplished sports journalist and a commentator with demonstrated passion for sport and his country. Over the last two decades - at least - Demessie reported on thousands of Ethiopian sports news stories with a style that has come to be his unique hallmark. He is a talented professional and a fanatic sports commentator who has been presenting most of the country's sports matches against other countries inside and outside Ethiopia on the National Radio.

Many say they prefer to listen to his passionately delivered commentaries on the radio than watch the same match on television. He travelled to many parts of the world along with some of the most talented Ethiopian sportspeople to report on their competitions, and he always exceeded expectations by delivering sports news stories with incredible enthusiasm and engaging reportage. The way he gave live commentaries on matches involving Ethiopian teams and the way he presented sports news stories inspired thousands of Ethiopians to get into sport and also to be patriotic Ethiopians too. He is a unique journalist many Ethiopians find to be of great inspiration.