Yoseph
I am Yoseph, 34 years. I’m from Addis Ababa. Currently we’re residing in Rome, Italy. I’ll be here for the next two and a half years.
The first time I came to Rome, I did ask immediately: “Where was the obelisk of Axum, show me!” And I went there with other Ethiopians, and they showed me.
You are asking about the obelisk. Here is what I know…
This monument, the obelisk, was a tradition of the rulers of the Axumite kingdom. It was built before Christianity came to Ethiopia. So it is from before the fourth century AC.
The whole area can be considered a tomb area. Traditionally they were carving the tomb from the natural stone. And over the tombs, they would erect this type of thing as a symbol to show the king’s power. If I’m not mistaken, it is eight or six obelisks in the same place.
So after King Ezana, after he became Christian, they stopped building those kind of obelisks.
What do I feel when I see the spot in Rome now? Hmm. I can say many things in fact...
Firstly, I don’t know the reason why they brought it here.
In fact, in the 1930ies, that building was the Ministry of the Colonies. They erected it in front of there. What does that mean? What are the implications of this gesture? That is one of my questions...
I think it shouldn’t have been here. In any case this is a historic monument and they shouldn’t have looted it.
But to show to the Italian people that they had conquered Ethiopia, they brought this thing here. And it meant nothing for the Italians, for Mussolini. But he was happy when he saw it.
So I was not happy about the obelisk of Axum being in front of that office of the FAO, next to Circus Maximus.
And when you go there nowaday, there is no single information about the obelisk that has been standing there for 65 years!
At least there should be a plate: “During this time, the obelisk of Axum looted from this country X, repatriated to there, this place was once... etc.” They [the Italians, S.R.] can write it.
Just to pass the information to the historians and journalists.
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