So begins a recent episode of “Min Litazez?” (“How can I help you?”), a hit Ethiopian sitcom, in which the temporary manager schemes to extend his time in office. And, indeed, “Min Litazez?” is too clever for such clunky comparisons. “Min Litazez?” is revolutionary, in an understated way. Each regime upheld an absolutist conception of power that left little room for public dissent, least of all satire. For centuries poets and azmaris, the bards and original satirists of highland Ethiopia, celebrated the glory of feudal overlords in songs that shrewdly hid their true meaning.

Source: Ethiopian News March 21, 2019 15:33 UTC