Emperor Haile Selassie I
The coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen in 1930
Emperor Haile Selassie I, Elect of God, Defender of the Faith, King of Kings of Ethiopia
On July 23, 1892, Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael of Harrar, a grandson of King Sahle Selassie of Shoa, and his wife Woizero Yeshimebet Ali Aba Jifar welcomed the only child born to their marriage who would survive to adulthood. Lij Tafari Makonnen, as he was known then, would grow up to be a transformative leader of his country, continuing the legacy of modernization and development begun by his first cousin (once removed) Emperor Menelik II.
Ethiopia at the turn of the 20th Century
When Emperor Haile Selassie was born over a century ago, Ethiopia was a medieval empire. Emperor Menelik II, presided over provinces ruled by powerful feudal kings and nobles who exercised their traditional authority to appoint and remove local officials, tax their subjects, and raise their own armies. The country was landlocked, surrounded by colonial powers who cast a covetous eye on her territories. There were few paved roads, modern schools, hospitals, banks, telephone, and telegraph lines. The railroad to Djibouti was still under construction and would not be completed until Lij Tafari was an adult. There were no modern schools or universities, government ministries were embryonic, and taxation and tariffs were mostly in-kind. The majority of the Empire’s subjects were farmers or herders with no formal education other than what was provided by traditional religious teachings.
A drawing of an Ethiopian settlement in the 19th century
Emperor Haile Selassie I at his desk following the liberation of Ethiopia from Italian occupation in 1940
Building a modern state
By the time Emperor Haile Selassie relinquished power in 1974, Ethiopia was well on its way to becoming a modern state. An administrative structure and a modern bureaucracy had been created. New civil and commercial codes, based on European models, were in place. And, while the traditional nobility continued to exercise some power and influence, young and well-educated officials, often of humble origins, occupied key positions in government. Most of the central government and provincial administrative offices were also filled by professional civil servants. A modern system of taxation had been set up and the government’s coffers were audited and maintained professionally. To maintain law and order and defend its sovereignty, Ethiopia created a fully professional and well-equipped police force and military.
Creating the foundations of a modern economy
Significant progress had also been made in establishing the foundations of a modern economy. The Imperial Highway Authority was created to build trunk roads to connect cities and towns. Ethiopia developed one of the most successful airlines in Africa as well as a successful shipping line. The foundations for a modern banking, insurance, and financial infrastructure were laid. A modern postal service was created. With the active encouragement of the government, modern factories and farms had begun to be established. All this was accomplished with the limited resources Ethiopia could mobilize domestically, aided with modest foreign assistance.
The headquarters of the National Bank and Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in the 1960s
Emperor Haile Selassie I with African Heads of State at the founding of the OAU in 1963
A towering African and international leader
Emperor Haile Selassie was regarded as one of the foremost international leaders of his time and acclaimed as such by the international community both at home and during his many foreign visits. Beginning in 1935, when he warned the League of Nations that its failure to denounce Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia was a betrayal of its principles and would lead to the League’s demise, he became a tireless champion of “collective security” and an icon of the anti-Fascist movement. Following the liberation of Ethiopia from fascist occupation and the creation of a strong defense force, the Emperor authorized the participation of Ethiopian troops in United Nations operations such as those in Korea and the Congo. The Emperor was also an ardent supporter of African liberation movements and their leaders, including Presidents Mandela of South Africa, Kenyatta of Kenya, Nyerere of Tanzania and Kaunda of Zambia. Although he was personally involved in many other international and African peace keeping efforts, his crowning achievement was his universally acclaimed leadership and unparalleled diplomacy in bringing African leaders together in Addis Ababa in 1963 to create the Organization of African Unity, the precursor of today’s African Union. For his untiring efforts, Africa leaders called him the “Father of Africa”.
A dedicated focus on education
While Emperor Haile Selassie will be remembered for his many domestic and international achievements, generations of Ethiopians who received the opportunity to obtain a modern education in Ethiopia are particularly indebted to him. Recognizing that building a modern Ethiopia depended, above all, on furthering the education of his people, the Emperor had an unwavering focus on the education of Ethiopians. In the early part of his reign, when appointing ministers to his cabinet, he kept the portfolio of the Ministry of Education for himself, emphasizing the importance he attached to education. After creating Ethiopia’s first modern elementary and secondary school, the Teferi Mekonnen School, in 1924, he gave priority to establishing primary and secondary schools in towns and villages. Often, reluctant families had to be persuaded to send their children to these schools. The Emperor would frequently visit these schools, inspect the facilities and ensure that the students were well fed and properly clothed.
As the need for higher education became evident, Ethiopia established numerous colleges, including the University College of Addis Ababa, the Gondar Medical College, the Alemaya Agricultural College, the Holy Trinity Theological College and the Building College in Addis Ababa. Furthermore, the Emperor took a keen interest in arts education, regularly visiting the newly established St. Yared Arts School and establishing the country’s first National Theater for music and drama. A number of these institutions became the building blocks for Ethiopia’s first University, the Haile Selassie I University (today, Addis Ababa University) which was established in 1962. Once again highlighting the importance the Emperor placed on education, the university was housed in the Emperor’s Genete Leul Palace, which he donated to the university.
The Emperor at the graduation ceremony of Haile Selassie I University in 1966
A transformative legacy
From the time the Emperor took state power in 1916 as Crown Prince and Regent until 1974 when he was removed from the throne by a group of military officers, he led one of the most far reaching transformations in Ethiopia’s history. The Emperor presided over a long and mostly peaceful reign that laid the foundations for the emergence and development of a modern state and economy. His impact on modern secular education remains second to none. Despite the many challenges the country faced, he worked exceedingly hard to bring Ethiopia into the modern age, and ultimately accepted his removal from power without causing bloodshed. During his reign, Ethiopia was an inspiration to many around Africa and the world. His tireless effort and diplomacy to establish the OAU in 1963 remains a landmark achievement. For all that he has done for Ethiopia and Africa, the Emperor is owed a great debt. Our best way to repay this debt is by helping further his vision of a prosperous and educated Ethiopia.