Abstract: This article examines the seminal work of the 20th-century Ethiopian philosopher Eguale Gebre Yohannes, የትምህርት አሠራር ዘዴ (The Style of Higher Education). Published at the dawn of Ethiopia's modern university system, the book addresses the cultural crisis stemming from the encounter between indigenous Ethiopian civilization and modern Western thought. The article analyzes Eguale's central thesis: a rejection of both uncritical imitation of the West and stagnant traditionalism in favor of a philosophy of “Tewahido” (synthesis). We explore his use of archetypes, the “Faustian" West versus the “Yaredic" Ethiopia, to frame the cultural dilemma. The core of the analysis focuses on his metaphor of grafting a "wild” branch of Western knowledge onto the "cultivated" rootstock of Ethiopian heritage. Furthermore, the article looks into Eguale's humanistic educational aims, which prioritize the cultivation of a virtuous and self-aware “whole person” over purely utilitarian outcomes. The study concludes that Eguale's work provides a timeless philosophical blueprint for post-colonial education, offering a model for authentically integrating local identity with global knowledge.

Keywords: Ethiopian Philosophy, Eguale Gebre Yohannes, Tewahido, Post-colonial Education, Humanism, Higher Education, Cultural Synthesis, Modernization.

Introduction

In the mid-20th century, Ethiopia stood at a historical and cultural crossroads. The era, defined by Emperor Haile Selassie I's ambitious modernization projects, was one of immense national aspiration and deep-seated anxiety. The capstone of this modernizing endeavor was the establishment of Ethiopia's first national university in 1950, chartered as Haile Selassie I University in 1961. This was far more than an educational milestone; it was an existential project aimed at forging the very soul of the modern Ethiopian. The nation faced a monumental challenge: how to embrace the undeniable power of Western science, technology, and pedagogy without sacrificing the ancient, deep-rooted civilization that had defined its identity for millennia. This tension created a palpable cultural crisis, a moment of decision that would shape the country's intellectual and spiritual trajectory for generations to come.

It was into this charged intellectual environment that Eguale Gebre Yohannes (1909-1976) emerged as a pivotal philosophical voice. A distinguished intellectual and philosopher, Eguale was uniquely positioned to mediate this critical cultural dialogue. Educated in both the rich traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the secular philosophical academies of Europe, he possessed the rare ability to think and articulate the national dilemma from within both worlds. His seminal work, የትምህርት አሠራር ዘዴ (The Style of Higher Education), was not a detached academic treatise but a direct, passionate intervention into this national debate. Born from a series of radio addresses, the book is a masterclass in public philosophy, a deliberate attempt to guide the nation through its complex transition by grounding its future in a coherent and authentic philosophical framework.

The Philosophical Conflict: "Faustian” West vs. “Yaredic” Ethiopia

Before offering a prescription, Eguale undertakes a deep philosophical diagnosis of the two civilizations at Ethiopia's gates. He understood the encounter with the West was a collision of two distinct Weltanschauungen, or worldviews. To articulate their essence, he employs potent archetypes. For the West, he chooses Faust, the insatiable scholar of German legend. For Ethiopia, he elevates Saint Yared, the divinely inspired father of its sacred intellectual tradition.

The "Faustian” Spirit: An Insatiable Quest for Human Mastery

In the chapter “የአውሮፓ መንፈስ” (“The European Spirit"), Eguale characterizes modern Western civilization as “Faustian” (ፋውስቲያዊ). Dr. Faustus, who sells his soul for infinite power and experience, becomes a metaphor for the West's post-Renaissance intellectual orientation. This spirit is defined by a relentless, unquenchable thirst for knowledge that recognizes no sacred boundaries and an ambition that seeks to place humanity at the center of its own universe. The Faustian journey begins with a dissatisfaction, which Eguale captures by paraphrasing Goethe's famous monologue:

እዬ ፍልስፍና ሕግ ወይም ሕክምና ፤ ያሳዝናል ከቴ ደግሞ ታኦሎጊም... ተማርኩ በሚያቃጥል ድካም ፤ እንዲህ ሆኜ ቀረሁ አንድ ምስኪን ደንቆሮ... ጥልቅ ዕውቀት ለማግኘት ሲሳነኝ ማየቴ ምንም አልተረፈ ተቃጠለ አንጀቴ።
(Alas, I have studied philosophy, law, medicine, and sadly, theology... with arduous toil; and here I am, a poor fool... Seeing my failure to attain deep knowledge, nothing remains for me but a burning gut.)

This burning dissatisfaction is the engine of the Faustian spirit. Its drive is inherently anthropocentric. Knowledge is not sought to understand a divine plan, but to empower humanity, to make man the master of his own destiny. The ultimate aim of this spirit was “ካለው የሰው አእምሮ ወሰን አልፎ ለመሔድ” (“to go beyond the existing border of the human mind"). It is a spirit of conquest over nature, of ceaseless innovation, and of a Promethean ambition that, while yielding immense material progress, carries the inherent risk of spiritual emptiness.

The "Yaredic" Spirit: Knowledge as Divine Revelation

As a counterpoint, Eguale presents the "Yaredic” (ያሬዳዊ) spirit of Ethiopian civilization, embodied in Saint Yared. This worldview is fundamentally theocentric. Saint Yared, the 6th-century composer, traditionally received his wisdom not through human struggle but as a divine gift. This origin story is key to understanding the Ethiopian intellectual tradition. Yaredic knowledge is received through humility and faith, a sacred inheritance to be preserved and contemplated rather than radically overthrown. In the chapter “ያሬድ ወይም ስለኢዮጵያ ሥልጣኔ” (“Yared or On the Civilization of Ethiopia"), he establishes this difference:

በአውሮፓ ሥልጣኔ መካከል ላይ የሚገኘው ሰው ነው ። ... በዚህ አንጻር የሀገራችንን ሥልጣኔ theocentric ብሎ ለመጥራት ይቻላል ። የማናቸውም ነገር ማዕከል... እግዚአብሔር ነው።
(At the center of European civilization is man... In contrast, it is possible to call our country's civilization theocentric. The center of everything... is God.)

The Yaredic spirit values continuity over disruption, wisdom over information, and spiritual harmony over material mastery. While it produced a civilization of profound artistic, theological, and literary depth, Eguale recognizes that its inward focus and resistance to radical change made it vulnerable in an age of aggressive global competition.

The Proposed Solution: The Philosophy of “Tewahido” (Synthesis)

Having framed the central conflict, Eguale moves from diagnosis to prescription. He rejects both the path of uncritical imitation (becoming a poor copy of the West) and the path of stagnant isolationism (retreating into a romanticized past). He proposes a sophisticated "third way," a philosophy of creative and organic synthesis encapsulated in the term “Tewahido” (ተዋሕዶ).

By invoking “Tewahido,” Eguale is deliberately tapping into one of the deepest and most sophisticated concepts in Ethiopian thought. The theological doctrine of Tewahido, which defines the union of Christ's two natures, was forged through centuries of intense philosophical and theological debate. It posits a union that is perfect and inseparable, yet which preserves the distinct integrity of each nature "without confusion, without change, without division, without separation." This is the key to Eguale's cultural philosophy. He is not advocating for a syncretic “mishmash” where both Ethiopian and Western traditions are watered down into a bland, indistinct hybrid. Rather, he is calling for a synthesis where both retain their essential character within a new, unified whole.

To illustrate this, Eguale employs the Pauline analogy of grafting from the Epistle to the Romans. The cultivated olive tree is Ethiopian civilization, its roots deep in millennia of history and faith. The wild olive branch represents modern Western knowledge—powerful and vigorous, but lacking its own deep, cultivated root. The act of grafting becomes the central task of the new Ethiopian university. This relationship is made explicit:

ወለእመ ፡ ተሰብሩ አዕጹቂሃ ኪያከ አውልዓ ገዳም ተከሉ መካኖሙ | ወኀበርከ ሥርወ ምስሌሆሙ፤ ወኮንከ ዘይተ ከማሆሙ ፤ ፍሩሐከ ንበር ፤ ወኢትዜኀር ላዕለ አዕፁቅ ፤ እስመ አኮ አንተ ዘትፀውሮ ለሥርው አላ ሥርው ይፀውረከ።
(And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place... remain in reverence; and do not be haughty... for it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you.)

This assertion, that the root supports the branch, is the cornerstone of Eguale's educational philosophy. It is a powerful rebuke to those who believed that Ethiopia's past was a liability to be discarded. For Eguale, this heritage was the very source of life, the ethical and cultural rootstock upon which any sustainable modernity could be built.

The True Aim of Education: Humanism over Utilitarianism

Having established the “Tewahido" principle, Eguale asks the most fundamental question: What is the ultimate purpose of this educational system? In “የትምህርት ዓላማ” (“The Aim of Education”), he articulates a humanistic vision, rooted in classical Socratic and Platonic traditions, which stands in stark opposition to a purely utilitarian approach. The primary aim is not to produce skilled technocrats, but to cultivate a “whole person” (ፍጹም ሰው). He critiques this utilitarian view with a powerful analogy:

ዕውቀት ለአንዱ ሁልጊዜ የሚያከብራት ወደላይ ወደ አርያም የምትመራው ሰማያዊት ነቢይት ናት ። ለሌላው ግን በወተትና በቅቤ የምታገለግለው አንድ ወፍራም ላም ናት ።
(For one, knowledge is a heavenly prophetess who always ennobles and leads one upward... For the other, however, she is a fat cow that serves with milk and butter.)

For Eguale, the long-term dangers of a purely utilitarian education, the “fat cow” model, extend far beyond the individual to threaten the very fabric of the nation. An educational system that exclusively prioritizes technical skills and economic productivity risks creating a class of elites who are, in a sense, culturally and ethically unmoored. Without the grounding of a humanistic education, the "Faustian” drive for efficiency and power, unguided by a moral compass, can easily become a destructive force. In place of this utilitarian model, Eguale proposes a holistic framework built on three interconnected aims:

1. The Humanistic Aim (ሰብአዊነት): The Foundation of Self-Knowledge. At the heart of his philosophy, this aim echoes the Socratic imperative “Know thyself." Eguale argues that the primary subject of study must be humanity itself, beginning with the Ethiopian human experience. Students must first ground themselves in their own heritage—from the Kebra Nagast to the philosophy of Zera Yacob—before engaging with the world's great works as critical interlocutors, not passive recipients.
2. The Professional Aim (ሙያዊነት): Cultivating Innate Talents. Derived from the Ge'ez word for an innate gift (“መክሊት”), this aim rejects a one-size-fits-all approach. The educational system must help each student discover and cultivate their unique talents, not just for personal gain, but as a duty to society. It is about aligning one's natural abilities with a purposeful vocation that contributes to the national good.
3. The Scientific Aim (ሳይንሳዊነት): The Creative Pursuit of New Knowledge. This aim ensures his vision is not static but dynamic. A university must be a vibrant engine for the creation of new knowledge, incorporating the positive, ambitious aspects of the "Faustian" spirit. He insists education must develop a spirit driven “ከአለፈው የዕውቀት ወሰን አልፎ ለመሄድ” (“to push beyond the existing border of knowledge”). Crucially, this drive is tempered and guided by the other two aims, providing an ethical compass for scientific inquiry.

The Ideal Educator and Institution: The Teacher as Lover of Wisdom

A philosophy remains abstract without the right agents and environment. In “ትምህርትና ፍቅር” (“Education and Love”) and “የፕላቶን አካዳሚ” (“The Platonic Academy”), Eguale argues that the ideal educator is a true philosopher, a "lover of wisdom", and the ideal university is a sacred community.

The Teacher as Zarathustra: The Overflowing Soul

Eguale rejects any model that reduces the teacher to a mere functionary or a simple transmitter of information. The true teacher is a transformative figure. He draws a powerful analogy to Nietzsche's Zarathustra, the prophet-philosopher who retreats to a mountain before descending to share his wisdom. This descent is not motivated by duty or contract, but by an inner abundance that must be shared. This act of sharing is synonymous with love (ፍቅር). He states:

እውነተኛው መምህር በፍቅር ስሜት የተጥለቀለቀ በመንፈሱዋም የሰከረ ነው
(The true teacher is one who is inundated with the feeling of love and intoxicated by its spirit.)

This "intoxication" with wisdom and love for the student is what separates a true educator from a mere technician. It is this passion that inspires students not just to learn facts, but to embark on their own journey of self-cultivation.

The University as the Academy: A Sacred Community

If the ideal teacher is a philosopher, the ideal institution must be where this love for wisdom can be collectively pursued. For this, Eguale turns to Plato's Academy. He argues that the modern university has a sacred duty to live up to the spirit of its namesake. It cannot be merely a factory for degrees or a collection of disconnected departments. He describes this ideal institution as a sacred space for building the human spirit:

በውስጥዋ ረቂቅ ሕሊና ወይም ዕውቀት ፤ ንጹሕ ልቡና ወይም ሠናይት ፤ ... ትክክለኛ የሰው መንፈስ የሚታነጽበት የተከበረ ቦታ ስለሆነ...
(Because it is a revered place where the subtle mind or knowledge, the pure heart or virtue... the authentic human spirit is built...)

This vision of the university as a “revered place” stands in stark contrast to the modern concept of the “multiversity”—a large, bureaucratic, fragmented institution lacking a unified soul or purpose. Eguale's Platonic ideal is a direct rebuke to this model. He argues for a university with a clear telos: the cultivation of the human spirit in a true community of scholars.

Conclusion

የትምህርት አሠራር ዘዴ stands as a comprehensive philosophical blueprint for an authentic Ethiopian modernity. Eguale's work is a masterful act of intellectual mediation, a “third way” that seeks to build a future that is neither a replica of the West nor a museum of the past. The philosophy of “Tewahido” is a bold call for a modernity that is chosen, shaped, and owned—one where the branch of new knowledge draws life-giving sustenance from the ancient root of heritage.

The enduring power of Eguale's work lies in its prescient diagnosis of a challenge that has only intensified for Ethiopia and the wider post-colonial world. In an age dominated by a globalized, technocratic model of education, his defense of a humanistic ideal is a vital corrective. His analogy of knowledge as a “heavenly prophetess” versus a “fat cow” is more poignant than ever. An education that neglects the soul in its haste to train the hand is, in his view, a catastrophic failure. Ultimately, Eguale leaves us with a vision where the Faustian drive for achievement is harmonized with the Yaredic quest for wisdom, creating a future that is not only prosperous, but also just, humane, and whole.

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