The battle - and the greater narrative of Ethiopia’s independence – is a powerful symbol of African resistance to European imperialism. “Ethiopianism” has often served as a basis for other black and African peoples’ visions of political and spiritual liberation from colonial forces, both formal and informal.

Nkrumah wanted to industrialize Ghana within a generation, and everything was on course until the Americans and their British cousins used some disgruntled and self-serving Ghanaian soldiers to stage that terrible coup on 24 February 1966. It was a major setback, not only for Ghana but the whole of Africa!

In a ‘Requiem for Amílcar Cabral’, which is full of praises and admiration for Cabral, the Sao Tomean poet Espirito Santo underlines the important position of the Guinean leader in Africa before the barbarous act of his ambush and assassination and calls him the ‘Guevara of Africa’, an allusion to the great historic leader of the Cuban guerrilla warfare that overthrew the US- supported corrupt regime of Batista in 1959.

Over the past few years, Russian authorities have been prioritizing media cooperation and the use of soft power to address the falling image of Russia among the political and business elites in Africa.