Yebegaw Mebrek (The Summer Thunder)

Biography of Jegama Kelo

By: Peter B Schulze

Narrated by: Andualem Tsefaye

Yabegaw Mebrek (The Summer Thunder) is the biography of one of the most famous military generals of Ethiopia, General Jagama Kelo.

Kelo was born in Ethiopia by the Awash River Basin in 1921. Being surrounded by Ethiopian patriots of the time, Kelo’s dreams and wishes were to serve in the military started at a very young age. By age 15, Kelo became the commanding officer of some 3,500 Ethiopian patriots to fight against the Fascist Italian invaders of his country. Kelo, along with the other patriots, fully participated in the struggle against the Italians. His contribution in the war was tremendous and symbolic which ultimately led to the failure of Italy’s attempt to colonize Ethiopia. It shows the courage and sacrifices made by the Ethiopian people for the freedom of the country.

Later in his life he secured proper and modern military training and served the Ethiopian Army during Emperor Haile Silasse’s time. Kelo and the famous Ethiopian Awash River emanate from the same area. In his early childhood years, Kelowas the head of his elder brothers and in his young adult life was the head of 3,500 patriot fighters. The self-reliant, serious young man that he was, he was looked up to by those who traveled to study higher modern military warfare and by those who at the time led a modern lifestyle. Kelo was expected by most to take the leadership role of his grandfather, Godana Nemon. While young Kelo was ascending the ranks in fame, he exhibited an unexpected courageous character which foretold his future. As he was dreaming to be like his grandfather, the Italian invaders were preparing once again to invade Ethiopia to avenge their previous defeat at the Battle of Adwa. These invaders came to Jagema’s area and were killing elders and young children, appointing and dismissing people, looting and burning the wealth and houses of his compatriots, uprooting the trees which they did not cultivate and riding the horses which they never bred.

©2011 Peter B Schulze (P)2011 Peter B Schulze