The statue is the second to be erected inside the continental body's offices in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, after one of Ghana's first leader, Kwame Nkrumah, who championed pan-Africanism. Several African leaders at the current African Union summit and relatives of the emperor attended the statue unveiling ceremony. Emperor Haileselassie is among the key African leaders who founded the Organization of African Unity, which became the African Union. He oversaw the maiden meeting of the continental body in 1963. Ethiopia was never colonized and Haileselassie is credited for helping a number of African countries to gain independence.

Source: Ethiopian News February 10, 2019 11:37 UTC