The vanity of life and its concomitant emptiness often remind us every day that we are but passengers in the train of life and, one day, we must get off the ride when we have reached our destination upon the expiration of our time. All those who believe in the existence of the supreme divine being whom we Christians call God and Moslems call Allah, subscribe to, by way of our faith that getting off the ride is not by our choice but that of the Almighty. I say this because given the gluttonous nature of man and her insatiability to desirable things, if the time, when and how we will demise were left for us to decide, most of us will like the ride to be longer.
For Meles Zenawi though, our affection and affinity for him have provoked in us, especially me, a feeling that the ride has been however shorter than expected. Here again, I run into an intellectual cul de sac with Long Fellow, one of the greatest philosophers of our time, who eloquently admonished us to make our lives sublime, so that when we depart, we leave behind an indelible mark on the sand of time, because it’s not how long we live but how well.
On August 20, 2012, a short but subdued broadcast on state television, told Ethiopians, all Africans and indeed the world that this visionary leader of the past 21 years has died. Zenawi passed on in a hospital in Brussels at the age of 57.
When the end comes, we will be remembered for our deeds and actions while on earth. After we depart from this world, it will be what contributions, what impact we have made, and what legacies we are leaving behind. For me, Zenawi was a towering figure in the political scene of Africa.
Family members, friends, well-wishers, both in his country and beyond, have shown great outpouring of grief and sadness on the passing to glory of this great African leader.
We remember him for many things that he stood for and represented both at home and within the continent of Africa. He distinguished himself amongst his peers as he tried to make his country better than he met it. This is also true of few other African leaders who feel challenged and highly committed to doing well for their countries.
My writing is for the purpose of reflection on the life and selfless service of a brother, colleague and a friend and to celebrate success, achievement, performance and great leadership at a time that Africa is suffering from leadership deficit. My writing is for others and indeed all of us to learn the right lessons and face squarely the challenges which stare us in the face. Meles did not live for his death to be mourned; he lived for his life to be celebrated. We celebrate him for his committed services and outstanding leadership to his family, his community, his country, his region, his continent and indeed his world. He impacted on every facet as a family man, a freedom fighter, a consummate visionary leader, a pan-Africanist, a great thinker and an acclaimed world leader in his own right.
He was thorough in everything he undertook, clear-minded and far-sighted, remaining focused, open and ready to dialogue on any issue. Zenawi had a gift of analytical and emotional intelligence. A rarity in leadership qualities as combined gift. At home, he passionately believed in unity of his country based on democracy, even development, justice, equity and human security. He anchored his socio-economic programme on agriculture and rural development, education and youth employment, power and infrastructure. For almost a decade, his leadership led to an economic growth rate of double digit annually and thereby turned a country mired in poverty, despair and unrest to a nation politically united in fulfillment and full of hope. Ethiopia became one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
Although he was from one of the minority groups north of the country, by his even-handed and fair-minded political and socio-economic policies and programmes, he endeared himself to all tribes. That was sagacity and creativity in leadership style and one that is imperative in the 21st century Africa – satisfactory management of diversity for common interest and development.
At the regional level, he believed in and worked for good neighbourliness, regional peace, security, development and cooperation. Although not a rich country by any standard, Meles made his country to contribute to peace in Sudan, and assistance to Rwanda during the gloomy days of genocide. He sent troops to fractionalized Somalia. He was a great pillar of support, hope and confidence in his region of IGAD and East Africa. What he had, he shared. In the words of a Western journalist, “where others wasted development aid, Ethiopia, under Zenawi, put it to work”. Consequent upon which, as I earlier stated, over a ten year period, GDP grew by 10.6% a year, according to World Bank figures.
Meles Zenawi was to me a brother, a colleague, a comrade, a friend and a confidant whose views I cherished and respected. He exhibited maturity and moderation on almost all issues under discussion. I was particularly enthused and impressed by this leader because I still recall with reverence and venerating nostalgia of a young medical student in the 1970s when I was a military Head of State of Nigeria who underwent the metamorphosis of revolutionary fighter to emerge as a true democrat when his country needed a broad-minded, all-inclusive national leader.
He took over the leadership of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) from me in the African Union (AU) and kept its flag flying. He made specific and significant contributions to the growth and progress of our continental organization, AU, for which he will be remembered for a long time to come.
He represented AU at the Group of 8 and Group of 20 because of his outstanding leadership rather than for the strength or means of his country. He endeared himself to some Western super powers who thought of him as a credible African leader they could do business with. He negotiated, on behalf of Africa, at the Climate Change Conference. He was a consummate and impressive negotiator. He was a straight shooter. He was humble and unpretentious. You knew where he was going, said what he meant and meant what he said. He was always firm and strong.
In the past, Ethiopia gave to Africa history, civilization and resilience against colonialism. Today, Ethiopia has given Africa a leadership model worthy of emulation. If Africa will make the 21st century its own, then Africa needs more of leaders like Ato Meles Zenawi.
I pray that Zenawi’s legacy may continue to be sustained in Ethiopia, his region and indeed in Africa. I pray that God may grant his family, friends and well-wishers the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Meles will be missed in the different roles he had played.
May Meles Zenawi’s gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
Let me add that……..
Meles is worthy and deserving of any honour we can bestow on him posthumously. This Foundation is an honour to immortalise his name, his work and what he believed and lived for and his life. The government, the family, the civil society and the friends of Meles cannot do better than this immortalisation.
Let us not do this only by words but also by action of contribution and donation to worthy causes and programmes that this Foundation will embark on. Let this Foundation seek to cooperate and collaborate with Foundations of similar objectives to spread and reach-out far and wide the ideals of Meles as enshrined in the objectives of this Foundation.
Tana Forum, which Meles established only last year, and the Chairman of which I am, will hold its 2nd annual meeting in Bahir Dar on 20th – 21st of this month and it will substantially be dedicated to paying tribute to Meles Zenawi, in addition to turning the searchlight on organised crime. You are all cordially invited.
Olusegun Obasanjo
Former President of Nigeria
Founder and President of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation
