Did you know that Serenade King is anagram for Eskinder Nega?
By Dilwenberu Nega
April. 09 2011
Members of Ethiopian ‘online jury’!
Allow me to broach a subject on the very day when thousands of Ethiopians in 12 cities of the United States make their way to meeting halls to participate in Ethiopia’s much vaunted GTP (Growth and Transformation Plan) consultation. Such a move which is designed to keep the Ethiopian Diaspora in the loop on events and developments at home is unprecedented and must be welcomed as the right overture on the part of the Government. As I write, millions of our countrymen from all parts of Ethiopians at home are so propelled by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s moving speech at the laying of the foundation stone for the Grand Millennium Hydro-electric Dam on the Nile thousands are rushing to purchase bonds, the proceeds of which will go for the construction of a 5000 kwt dam. This is by no means spin-doctoring. All I am doing is putting into writing the incontrovertible truth of the reality on the ground in Ethiopia for the benefit of the Ethiopian expat community.
Let me now zoom in to the crux of the rubric of my article.
It is said that anagrams seldom lie. At least in the case of the Doyen of the vociferous Diaspora, Professor Al Mariam, whose anagram is Mama Liar and in the case of the purveyor of fictions to the toxic Diaspora, Eskinder Nega, whose anagram is Serenade King; the saying couldn’t be more accurate. For now, however, I want to focus on the Serenade King who – unlike Mama Liar – reports from peaceful Addis Ababa where he obviously enjoys unbridled freedom to serenade his concoction of naked lies and fabrications mainly to Ethiopia’s extremist Diaspora. Young, ambitious and an Award-Winner Journalist he may be; but he certainly is not a visionary. A day dreamer would be a true reflection of his current crop of utterly whimsical dribbles.
Seldom, if at all, has a single commentary come out from the Serenade King’s stable acknowledging Ethiopia’s undisputed gains in democratization and economic development over the past two decades. To the Serenade King everyone else – the IMF, the World Bank and the European Union – is lying when vouching for the strides Ethiopia made. He wants us to believe that he and he only is the paladin of virtue and credibility. This is egomania gone hay-wire and the sooner it stops the better for everyone. The Indians have a good saying which can shed light to what I am getting at. “He, who knows not that he knows not, he is a fool, avoid him, but he who knows that he knows not, he is wise follow him.”
The Serenade King’s visceral hatred for Prime Minister Meles Zenawi knows no metes and bounds, but I don’t care a brass farthing about that because it is his alienable and democratic right to adore or loathe the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Where he becomes repugnant is when he abuses his right and either advertently or inadvertently plays into the hands of Shabea. Most recently he churned out an article glorifying Eritrean air superiority at the expense of the Ethiopian Air Force capability to defend our air space. In the first place if I were you I would take his claim with a dollop of salt. Secondly, even if his claim is true does he not have a scintilla of patriotism to side with his own people? Secondly, how come this Award Winning Serenade King fails to realise that air superiority by itself is no sure-fire formula for winning wars. Did the Derg not possess superiority of both air and ground power than the forces of the EPDRF? A fine blend of unshakable belief in one’s mission and troop morale are the indispensible ingredients for success in any war – ingredients which are in ample supply in today’s Ethiopia, but in meagre supply in today’s Eritrea. As the leader of an anti-Isaias Afewerki opposition group opined to me recently “If war breaks out today between Ethiopia and Eritrea, Ethiopia would go down in Guinness Book of World Records for capturing the largest POWs in living memory.
Every effort the EPDRF Government makes be it in the area of economic development or in urging the international community to rein in on Asmara’s terrorist attacks in Ethiopia, is to the Serenade King, a “ploy by the Government to divert the public’ attention from the cataclysmic events in North Africa.” This is not wrong, it is mistaken. Mind you forget about the freely available satellite channels in Ethiopia, even state-owned ETV continues to air the Libyan and Syrian uprisings. As the Prime Minister recently noted while his government does not envisage a replica of Tahir Square uprising in Addis, he does not rule out the possibility of certain opposition parties making a futile attempt to beguile the public with their clever ploys to mug the constitutional order. In light of such a development the Prime Minister is right to forewarn would-be conspirators of the dire consequences that await them should they choose to subvert the will of the majority. However, the Serenade King is yet again seen harping on the same old and monotonous tune in a frantic attempt to breathe life to the extremist Diaspora shell-shocked by GTP’s blitzkrieg into 12 American cities.
In nearly all his writings, the Serenade King refers to “the people of Ethiopia.” You, Ladies and Gentlemen of the ‘on-line jury,’ cannot afford to take this claim for granted. Who does Eskinder Nega represent? At this point, may I be allowed to share you a true story? In feudalist Ethiopia, there once lived a Fitawrari who loved to throw lavish parties on St Gabriel’s Day in December. At one such occasion, after all his friends departed, the Fitawrari instructs his guard to go and call the “Yenay bitay” so that they can treat themselves to the left-over. Well, the guard who understood “Yenay bitay’s” literal meaning rushed away to call back the very people who left the luncheon minutes ago. When the bemused friends of the Fitawrari showed up an even more bewildered looking Fitawrari enquired what brought them back. When his friends told him that it was his guard who called them back, the Fitawrari asked the guard why he did that. The guard said “But Sir you asked me to call Yene bitay?” “So where are the Yenay bitay?” replied the Fitawrari. The guard said “These are your Yenay bitay, if you wanted me to round-up the paupers you should have instructed me to call Yante bitay.” Likewise, when the Serenade King refers in his writings to the people of Ethiopia we must not lose sight of the fact as to who he is referring to: Yesu bite - the constellation of rumour- and- anarchy-mongers whose day dream it is to snatch the seat of power if and when Addis Ababa sees a binge of street violence. Members of the ‘online-jury’
I have so far made a convincing argument to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to prove that the Serenade King is hell bent on driving a wedge between the Diaspora and Government of Ethiopia by churning out tailor-made stories which portrays conditions in Ethiopia as tinder dry. You who claim to love Ethiopia must resist any attempt to hoodwink you into parting with your hard earnings for a forlorn cause. You know what happened with all the money which you thought was ear-marked for a good cause in the 2005 National Elections. The ultimate choice as who to believe rests with you, but whatever decision you arrive at it is worth remembering not to violate your conscience. Sober-minded Ethiopians in the Diaspora have said ABEKA to the lies being disseminated about Ethiopia and have resolved to play an active part in the growth and transformation of Ethiopia. You have before you a unique opportunity to translate into deeds your love for Ethiopia. Stand up, stand up for ETHIOPIA!