One Saturday evening, we had dinner and continued our conversation over wine. Ethiopian Jazz was playing in the corner. The books he had been reading for his research had overflown from the shelf and were stacked on the couch and floor. Our conversations were often more like interviews. I had lots of questions. I often asked about history, which he found interesting and even concerning. He once told me, “it is curious that your generation has become reactionary.” Curious, I suppose, because we are chidren of a revolutionary generation.

He was more interested in peace and security in the Horn. He has lived in almost every country in the region. He has read their histories and learned their languages. He has been a civil servant, a rebel, a politician, and now an intellectual.

“Ethiopia is a large and complex country. Therefore, it needs to be administered by lots of very capable individuals.”

Source: USAID: Ethiopia Complex Emergency Fact Sheet #7 (USAID)

Perhaps I had asked one too many questions about ethnicity, language, and religion, because he concluded the night by saying, “Ethiopia is a large and complex country. Therefore, it needs to be administered by lots of very capable individuals.”

This is an idea he expanded on when he arrived in Addis. He said, “we’re here to remind people that uniform management will not work for this country.” It will take a lot of effort to convince people of this. This may not even be the conversation people want to have right now. Political discourse has sunk to the lowest level. And anyone who attempts to elevate the conversation might be considered elitst.