“Just seventy years ago, Ethiopian armies formed almost as if by magic and hurled themselves upon a grasping invader to gain the immortal triumph of Adowa.
The victory of Adowa has long been hailed as one of the major events of the nineteenth century in Africa. Its effects upon Ethiopia and her relations with the colonial powers were far-reaching. Certainly it preserved the nation’s age-old independence from the greedy incursions then being made elsewhere against our brethren on this continent. Thus, although denied her rightful access to the sea and isolated from the influences of modern technological learning, Ethiopia nonetheless maintained her independence and stood as a source of inspiration and hope to her fellow Africans.”
H.I.M. Haile Selassie I, 5th of May 1966