Teddy Afro: The voice of Ethiopia's conscience
12 October, 2009 | (AFP)
ADDIS ABABA — When Teddy Afro leaps onto the stage the crowd
goes wild, clapping in the air and singing along with the man seen by
many as the voice of Ethiopia's conscience.
freedom for us the Ethiopian people. We love him," shouted
Alorachew, a student attending the show at the capital's sports stadium.
"Last time we saw him it was two years ago. He's a great artist,
different from the others. He comes always with new things,"
enthused Sammy, a computer engineer who came along with a bunch
of friends.
"He's talking about topical issues. Most people say there is a political
message in his lyrics. I think his message is not always political, but
when there is a political message, it is obviously against the
government."
Next to him and slightly the worse for wear, Fredo, a young Ethiopian
living in the United States, confided: "I missed Teddy a lot. He's the
best in Ethiopia".
The singer, whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun and who is seen
as close to Ethiopia's opposition, was sentenced to six years in prison
and a heavy fine for manslaughter after a 2006 traffic accident left a
homeless man dead.
The Supreme court reduced his sentence on appeal in February and he
was freed in August. He has always protested his innocence, saying he
was not even in the country at the time of the accident.
For his return to the stage Teddy Afro decided to take up the cause of
street children and beggars, who throng the streets of Ethiopia's cities
in their thousands.
All proceeds from the concert will go to an Ethiopian NGO, El Shady,
which looks after several thousand street children.
"There are a lot of people. It is even more successful than we had
hoped," Addis Legesse, Teddy Afro's manager and one of the
organisers of the concert, said at the event.
Asked about his protege's political dimension, Addis said: "Whenever
you do something for the good of the people, people talk ... but we
have no political agenda, we just want to help that's all".
Teddy Afro's goal is to ease the hardship of tens of thousands of the
country's poor children, he said.
"200.000 people are begging in the street in Ethiopia, people able to
work, so we have to organise them and take them out of the street.
We don't want to be seen as a begging nation," said Legesse.
12 October, 2009 | (AFP)
ADDIS ABABA — When Teddy Afro leaps onto the stage the crowd
goes wild, clapping in the air and singing along with the man seen by
many as the voice of Ethiopia's conscience.
- Fresh from his prison
cell, the singer
known as Ethiopia's
Michael Jackson
delighted tens of
thousands of fans
with his benefit
concert for street
children on Sunday.
"He was in jail for
freedom for us the Ethiopian people. We love him," shouted
Alorachew, a student attending the show at the capital's sports stadium.
"Last time we saw him it was two years ago. He's a great artist,
different from the others. He comes always with new things,"
enthused Sammy, a computer engineer who came along with a bunch
of friends.
"He's talking about topical issues. Most people say there is a political
message in his lyrics. I think his message is not always political, but
when there is a political message, it is obviously against the
government."
Next to him and slightly the worse for wear, Fredo, a young Ethiopian
living in the United States, confided: "I missed Teddy a lot. He's the
best in Ethiopia".
The singer, whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun and who is seen
as close to Ethiopia's opposition, was sentenced to six years in prison
and a heavy fine for manslaughter after a 2006 traffic accident left a
homeless man dead.
The Supreme court reduced his sentence on appeal in February and he
was freed in August. He has always protested his innocence, saying he
was not even in the country at the time of the accident.
For his return to the stage Teddy Afro decided to take up the cause of
street children and beggars, who throng the streets of Ethiopia's cities
in their thousands.
All proceeds from the concert will go to an Ethiopian NGO, El Shady,
which looks after several thousand street children.
"There are a lot of people. It is even more successful than we had
hoped," Addis Legesse, Teddy Afro's manager and one of the
organisers of the concert, said at the event.
Asked about his protege's political dimension, Addis said: "Whenever
you do something for the good of the people, people talk ... but we
have no political agenda, we just want to help that's all".
Teddy Afro's goal is to ease the hardship of tens of thousands of the
country's poor children, he said.
"200.000 people are begging in the street in Ethiopia, people able to
work, so we have to organise them and take them out of the street.
We don't want to be seen as a begging nation," said Legesse.
| The Unintended Consequences of the Ordeals of Teddy Afro By Selam Beyene, PhD Zenawi and his kangaroo court comedians By Abebe Gelaw |
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The Artist as Hero:
The Ballad of Teddy Afro
by Alemayehu G. Mariam
"...Teddy is in jail
because he pissed
off Zenawi and his
henchmen by
gettingin their
faces and telling
them like it is!More
The Ballad of Teddy Afro
by Alemayehu G. Mariam
"...Teddy is in jail
because he pissed
off Zenawi and his
henchmen by
gettingin their
faces and telling
them like it is!More
| Ethiopia pop star freed from jail 14 August, 2009 (BBC) - "After his release eight months early for good behaviour, he told state TV that he had had "a nice time" in jail and met many good people. " I would like to express my respect and gratitude to all the people of our country," he said."I was able to meet many good people in prison, from the lowest More |
| Dissent and Democracy: The disappearance of Political Icons By Tewodros Kiros (PhD) " ...It is not an accident that, Tewodros Afro, the Icon of contemporary Ethiopian Music is rotting in prison" More Teddy Afro, Our symbol of unity and tolerance By Tedla Asfaw |
| Teddy Afro The invincible messenger By Abebe Gellaw "...Teddy’s latest single, which was released just a few weeks after he walked out of jail, is another testimony to the fact that he is an artiste with a cause to resonate the heart beats and pulses of millions of voiceless Ethiopians." More |
