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Writer's pictureChukwuebuka Ilozumba

TFE 5 – The Story of Ethiopia Through The Ethiopian Flag

Updated: Oct 22

The Ethiopian Flag is an ever-dynamic piece of Ethiopia, telling its story as the Nation navigates its course through history. The earliest flag in the 19th Century, 1881, was inspired by the rainbow and the three bright colours of Red, Yellow and Green were selected. The colours were what mattered and a cloth strip bearing each colour would be tied to a stick and flown.

Ethiopian Flag 1881
Ethiopian Flag 1881

Then comes the battle of Adwa which Emperor Menelik II led his people to a decisive victory over the Italians and the colour strips were combined on a cloth with the first letter of his name in Amharic “ም” inscribed in the middle. The war ended in March 1896 and the flag was instituted in October 1897.

Ethiopian Flag 1897
Ethiopian Flag 1897

Emperor Menelik II died in December 1913 and by the next year, 1914, the flag as due for a retouch. First the letter “ም” was removed and then the colour sequence changed from Red-Yellow-Green to Green-Yellow-Red. A colour vertical flip.

Ethiopian Flag 1914
Ethiopian Flag 1914

This only lasted till 1936 when the Italians came back for a repeat colonisation war. Emperor Haile Selassie was in power. While in occupation of the country, the Italians caught the flag bug and “Romans did like the Ethiopians while in Ethiopia”.


Ethiopian Flag 1936
Ethiopian Flag 1936

Haile Selassie would soon rally global support from exile and return home triumphantly in May 1941. This was celebrated by tweaking the flag to reflect one of his coronation titles; Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The flag had a crowned Lion and in hand (paw), a staff with a cross at the top and a flag in the colour form of the Emperor Menelik II tied at the base. A touch of the glorious past and present.

Ethiopian Flag 1941
Ethiopian Flag 1941

The Derg Junta would "strike" to power in September 1974 and once more, they couldn’t resist the allure of this flag. Their first touch was to “delete” the crown upon the Lion and change the Cross on the staff to a spear.

Ethiopian Flag 1974
Ethiopian Flag 1974

Not done, they would remove the Lion entirely the next year, 1975, opting for a plain flag. This was accompanied by a change in the shape of the flag to a more rectangular one. Not done, they would now bring their emblem which had a loaded significance. This emblem contained a wooden ploughing tool, a sling chord, a cogwheel, projecting sunrays, two olive branches, a crossed spear and the side view of a Lion. The cogwheel had 14 cogs which represented the 14 provinces of Ethiopia at the time. A beautiful piece of art. Safe to say 1975 was a very busy year for the Ethiopian flag.

Ethiopian Flag 1975
Ethiopian Flag 1975

In 1987, the Derg Regime underwent a baptism of some sort and transformed into the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (PDRE). How else to represent this internally reformed status than the flag. A new Coat of Arms was designed and this contained a yellow star on a red background and an Axum obelisk. The cogwheel, olive branch and crossed spear were maintained. The Lion side view image was now replaced by a lion head image. The flag took the rectangular 1:2 ratio shape it possesses to date.

Ethiopian Flag 1987
Ethiopian Flag 1987

The Derg/PDRE time ended in 1991 and the emblem was removed. A transition government was put in place and the flag was made to feel its presence in power. This now had an emblem indicating judicial justice and peace.

Ethiopian Flag 1992
Ethiopian Flag 1992

In 1995, a new government was in power. A new constitution was adopted the next year 1996 and on came another flag. At this point, it was clear the tricolours were here to stay. Not so for the emblems. The new Federal Government went ahead to introduce unto the flag, an emblem which has a star and streaks combined to represent diversity and unity amongst the various regional states and people of the Country.

Ethiopian Flag 1996
Ethiopian Flag 1996

In 2009, under the same leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the background of the emblem was once again changed from a light blue colour to a dark blue shade.


Ethiopian Flag 2009
Ethiopian Flag 2009

The Ethiopian flag, with its vibrant colors and profound symbolism, serves as a visual representation of the nation's enduring spirit. It weaves together the threads of Ethiopia's history, culture, and resilience, embodying the struggles and triumphs of a people united in their quest for a better tomorrow.


The Ethiopian Flag Through History
The Ethiopian Flag Through History

Embrace the spirit of Ethiopia, where the past meets the present, and the flag waves proudly as a beacon of hope and unity in a land rich with tradition and promise.


What else did this nation hold for me on this trip? Let's journey on.

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