By Simba Jama

THIS week we shall focus on Ras Tafari, the last king of Ethiopia.
He was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie in the early 1930s when the rest of Africa was under European colonisation.
Having such a powerful black monarchy in Africa at a time black people all over the world had just emerged from centuries of slavery and were going through Western colonisation in Africa was a big boost for Pan-Africanism and the black people’s self esteem.
Marcus Garvey had spoken to the black people of his generation and preached a return of blacks to their homeland in Africa.
He had conscientised the black man of his roots and origins and the Negroes of America began to compare themselves with the lost tribes of Israel in the Bible.
The Book of Isaiah taught that a saviour from the tribe of Judah and from the house of Solomon would be crowned king in Ethiopia and that would be the sign of the redemption of the lost tribes of Israel, who would have gone in captivity to the West.
Marcus Garvey reminded the Negro to look to Africa for the crowning of a king and when Ras Tafari Makkonen, who claimed direct descent to King Solomon and the Makeda the queen of Sheba, was crowned Negus (King) in Ethiopia, a fulfillment of the biblical prophecy.
Haile Selassie was the 225th Emperor of Ethiopia with Menyelek, the son of Solomon, being the first.
Haile Sellassie was given a majestic image by his supporters and was referred to as the ‘Lion of Judah’. He kept both his hair and his beard uncut.
This was the way of Israel as Moses had often reminded his people not to shave their heads or beard.
Priests and Nazarenes were particularly obliged.
Ethiopia, unlike most other African kingdoms, had preserved their ancient ornaments and traditions and thus they were still in possession of crowns and rods made from precious metals and passed down generations of kings.
Phrases only found in the Bible like: ‘Negus Nagast’ (king of kings); ‘Lion of Judah’ were in common use in Ethiopia.
The emperor of Ethiopia played a great psychological role not only in his country, but also in Africa and among black people around the world.
The simple emergence of an African king in the 20th century was an empowering event whose impact is still evident in the 21st century.
The emperor was behind the translation of the Bible from the ancient Ge’ez language to modern Amharic. He was the commander of the forces that twice successfully defended the country against Mussolini’s colonial forces.
As a result, Ethiopia became the only African country never to be colonised.
Today the African Union (AU) is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and this was because of Ras Tafari’s great role in its founding.
Driven by pan-Africanism, he worked closely with Kwame Nkrumah and other African founding fathers to establish the then Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU), the precursor to the African Union (AU).
The red, gold and green colours that can be found on many African national flags (Zimbabwe included) and other Pan-African symbols are known as the Ethiopian colours because they were adopted from Ethiopia.
The red stands for the blood of the people and the liberation fighters, the gold stands for the wealth of the land, the minerals and the green for the forests and vegetation
At the United Nations, in 1968, the emperor of Ethiopia made a historic speech: “Until the philosophy which holds one man superior and another inferior, is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere it’s war!
“Until there are no longer first class and second class citizens of any nation, it’s a war!
“Until the colour of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes, it’s a war!
“Until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, it’s a war!
“Until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship and rule of international morality, will remain, but a fleeting illusion to be assumed but never attained.”
This speech was later turned into a song and sung by the legendary Rastafarian, Bob Marley.
Ras Tafari, after facing military pressure from the West became the first African leader to appeal to blacks from all around the world to unite for one cause, as one force and fight imperialism.
Because he was from the house of Israel, the blacks in the West, who had been awakened to their identity as Israelites saw this as a sign of confirmation of prophecy and thus became followers of the King of Ethiopia.
This was the birth of the people ,who are referred to as Rastafarians.
The movement began in Jamaica because that is where Marcus Garvey was from and was centred on the return to the motherland and then to Israel (Palestine).
When the emperor of Ethiopia finally visited Jamaica in 1966, thousands took to the streets and were excited to see him.
The blacks who had been told that they were nothing, but descendants of savages and slaves were seeing a black African king from the lineage of Solomon with their own eyes.
It was a lesson and a reminder that God’s chosen people were indeed blacks.
Thus they began to follow the Law of Moses knowing their place in the scriptures.
Ras Tafari also became the first African leader to repatriate the blacks from America as he set apart some land for the Jamaicans in Ethiopia.
Many returned to Africa and are there to this day.
However, most of the true Rastafarians are still in the West and awaiting the same fate of returning to Africa.
Even if Ras Tafari is no more, his followers believe Jah lives.
And that when He chooses He shall come again with a new name and, because it is now known to them through the life of Ras Tafari that there is indeed a kingdom of Judah in Africa as was prophesied, they now know where to expect the next coming of their Lord, and that is in Africa.