“I just love you” artist Desalegn Hailu

As a resident of a nation that frequently takes pride in many aspects of its culture and where the idea of “country love” is so much valued by its people, this is a question that frequently crosses my mind. Of course, I’m not claiming that Ethiopians are the only people who love their country; I’m confident that everyone in the globe feels this way. But I frequently get the impression that in Ethiopian society, the idea of “love of the country” is exaggerated. The idea is receiving far too much publicity, which makes me doubt its veracity. It’s true that Ethiopia has a variety of distinctive characteristics. Along with other distinctive characteristics, its uncolonized status and its ancient Christianity contribute significantly to the sense of pride and nationality that its people feel. But is that sufficient to declare one’s love for the nation? I frequently think that there is no other nation in the world where patriotic songs are so well-liked that you start to wonder if anyone else loves their country as much as Ethiopians do! But is it actually the case? Are Ethiopians truly as in love with their nation as they claim to be? It is not the land or its soil in my opinion. It is made up of the individuals who reside there. A country is made up of a group of individuals who have a common language, culture, and physical location. These people make up the group of individuals that we refer to as “a country.” I firmly believe that Ethiopia would not still be one of the world’s poorest nations if Ethiopians actually loved their nation as much as they claim to! Because there is where love grows the most, I think that love for the nation is comparable to love for our children.