ON THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE MAKONNEN
May
the Almighty God reward you – all our people, young and old and the thousands
of students who have so profoundly shared our grief in the heavy blow we have
sustained on the passing of our son, Prince Makonnen. Itegue and I are most thankful for
your expression of sympathy.
The
share that all our people has taken in our sorrow has helped to comfort us. The
students whom, with God's help we have provided with education, have with their
faithful hearts expressed their grief with tears while we followed the last
remains of our son in his funeral. Though he (the deceased Prince) is our son
in flesh and blood – those are our children in education. The school boys and
girls shed their tears as if for a devoted brother or sister.
Moreover,
the telegrams of sympathy which we have received from dignitaries, officials,
from foreign lands and from all over the Empire have greatly comforted us. As
he is our son and your son, our grief has become your grief.
We
loved our son Makonnen in two ways: In the first, because he is our son. Thus
our sorrow under the shadow of his death is that of the heavy-laden heart of a
parent at the loss of a child. Secondly, since he was a child he was
always beside us offering us
essential aid and service. Besides, at the age of 12, during the war, reluctant
to separate from us, he marched with us to Dessie helping us to protect ourselves
from the raining bombs.
When
we were in exile he was Our source of comfort. During his youth he determined
to set a good mental and decorous example to those whom we prepared to
participate in the progress of our country, thus exemplifying his will, his efforts
and his farsightedness.
In
his humane reminders to us concerning the poor and indigent, he sought and
obtained relief for them. These acts we leave to those who received his
benevolence, to recall. Though young he brought constantly to our attention the
conditions of all those who deserved help, doing so even very late at night,
foregoing all youthful diversion. Young as he was he was so mentally mature
that he advised us like an elderly person.
We
brought him up by feeding him with a nursing bottle, while his mother gave him
her breast. We had hoped that we might precede him, but unexpectedly this
tragic loss has deprived us of him. Even if we comply fully with God's commands
and take care of his wife and children, can this to us be a substitute for
Makonnen? However, Makonnen cannot be to us more than the whole Ethiopian
people who are our sons and daughters.
Mortality
is man’s inevitable course. We must patiently accept God's resolution in giving
us Makonnen the one whom He gave us to be the ornament of our life and
recalling him. Today is the third day since we have laid him to rest, and we
must go to him since he cannot come to us.
Let
us all return to the services for which we have been chosen. We must save
ourselves so that we may be of service to others. May God accept the tears that
were shed and use the hearts of those who have shed them to the progress of our
country. So let us return to our duties.
May 18, 1957.
Selected Speeches of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie
– page 603 –
Prince
Makonnen Haile Selassie, second son and second youngest child of Emperor Haile
Selassie I, as a boy. His baptismal name was Araya Yohannes and he was born on
16 October 1923. He was made Mesfin (or Duke) of Harar upon the coronation of
his parents in 1930. The Duke of Harrar was married to Sara Gizaw and was the
father of five sons,
HIH Prince Wossen Seged
HIH Prince Mikael
HIH Prince Dawit (known as Makonnen Makonnen)
HIH Prince Taffari
HIH Prince Beede Mariam
Prince Makonnen is was killed in an automobile "accident" on May 15, 1957 while
traveling to the resort town of Nazareth from Debre Zeit and was buried at Holy
Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa. He is currently survived by his widow
Princess Sara, Dowager Duchess of Harrar and four of his five sons. His
son Prince Dawit died in exile in 1989.
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