Mohamed Omer Hakito (1919 – 2011) a great Eritrean leader for independence
Born in 1919 in Assab, Akito went to an Italian school there and finished his studies – 4th Grade being the highest limit for Eritreans – in 1934. At the age of fifteen, he joined the Commissariato of Denkalia as a clerk. In 1939, he became an interpreter in the shipping offices of Societa Anonima Navigazione Eritrea at Sa...na’a, Yemen. The experience encouraged him to set up his own commercial activity in 1944, between Eritrea, Yemen and beyond. It was at the beginning of his lifelong and successful career in business that he entered Eritrean politics in the late 1940’s.
“Almost every young Muslim of your background joined the Moslem League of Eritrea (MLE), why did you join the Pro-Italy Party instead?” I asked him in one of our series of interviews. “I did not join Pro Italia. I was one of its founders. I set it up in Denkalia,” he replied, “You see, the Italians first set foot here in Assab before they moved north to conquer Massawa, Asmara, Keren and the rest. Assab was the springboard for their conquest of Eritrea and even Somalia. And what did they do? They totally neglected this area and developed the other places; they linked them by road and rail, modernized them and all. I wanted Italy back in Eritrea as a trustee in order to make it dispense with its obligation and rectify the neglect.” I could see that he still felt strongly about the injustice as he sighed and added, “It did not happen that way…”
In 1952, Akito was unopposed when he succeeded in his bid to become a member of the First Legislature of the Eritrean Assembly. It did not take him long to establish himself as a fierce fighter for Eritrea’s rights under its federal status with Ethiopia. Along with several young dissenters like himself, he became an uncompromising critic of the Unionist plans and maneuvers of both the Eritrean and Ethiopian authorities. He also had the broadness of mind to make alliances with fair-minded Unionists starting to harbour doubts about Ethiopian intentions.
In the 1956 elections for the Second Legislature, Akito was declared the hands down winner over his government sponsored rival. Before he could resume in his seat, however, CE Asfaha declared the election null and void for a purported irregularity and called for a special election to determine a “true winner” in the constituency. Akito immediately took his case to the Supreme Court of Eritrea where cases involving the Executive were adjudicated. In a landmark decision, the bench chaired by Chief Justice Sir James Shearer struck down Asfaha’s “null and void” claim and reinstated Akito as the undisputed winner. But Asfaha would not abide by the Court’s decision and, in an unconstitutional move, he found a flimsy procedural excuse to coerce the Assembly members to vote on whether Akito should be allowed to return to his seat. Seven members supported Akito. The rest voted for his dismissal.
“And you stayed out, end of story?” I asked him.
“I stayed out yes, but not end of story. I had the court order in my hand. I was the lawful representative. So I denied Asfaha the opportunity to replace me by his handpicked supporter. First, I refused to seek or accept other employment. I also let other people run my business in Assab. Second, I refused to leave Asmara. Third, every time that the Assembly was in session, I took my court decision with me and attempted to take my seat, only to be blocked at the gate on each attempt. If I had absented myself from this routine, it would have been interpreted as submission to their will and they would have gone ahead with a by-election to replace me. “
From an article by Alemseged Tesfai on Hakito in 2011“In Memoriam Mohammed Omer Akito - Our Own Firebrand”
Born in 1919 in Assab, Akito went to an Italian school there and finished his studies – 4th Grade being the highest limit for Eritreans – in 1934. At the age of fifteen, he joined the Commissariato of Denkalia as a clerk. In 1939, he became an interpreter in the shipping offices of Societa Anonima Navigazione Eritrea at Sa...na’a, Yemen. The experience encouraged him to set up his own commercial activity in 1944, between Eritrea, Yemen and beyond. It was at the beginning of his lifelong and successful career in business that he entered Eritrean politics in the late 1940’s.
“Almost every young Muslim of your background joined the Moslem League of Eritrea (MLE), why did you join the Pro-Italy Party instead?” I asked him in one of our series of interviews. “I did not join Pro Italia. I was one of its founders. I set it up in Denkalia,” he replied, “You see, the Italians first set foot here in Assab before they moved north to conquer Massawa, Asmara, Keren and the rest. Assab was the springboard for their conquest of Eritrea and even Somalia. And what did they do? They totally neglected this area and developed the other places; they linked them by road and rail, modernized them and all. I wanted Italy back in Eritrea as a trustee in order to make it dispense with its obligation and rectify the neglect.” I could see that he still felt strongly about the injustice as he sighed and added, “It did not happen that way…”
In 1952, Akito was unopposed when he succeeded in his bid to become a member of the First Legislature of the Eritrean Assembly. It did not take him long to establish himself as a fierce fighter for Eritrea’s rights under its federal status with Ethiopia. Along with several young dissenters like himself, he became an uncompromising critic of the Unionist plans and maneuvers of both the Eritrean and Ethiopian authorities. He also had the broadness of mind to make alliances with fair-minded Unionists starting to harbour doubts about Ethiopian intentions.
In the 1956 elections for the Second Legislature, Akito was declared the hands down winner over his government sponsored rival. Before he could resume in his seat, however, CE Asfaha declared the election null and void for a purported irregularity and called for a special election to determine a “true winner” in the constituency. Akito immediately took his case to the Supreme Court of Eritrea where cases involving the Executive were adjudicated. In a landmark decision, the bench chaired by Chief Justice Sir James Shearer struck down Asfaha’s “null and void” claim and reinstated Akito as the undisputed winner. But Asfaha would not abide by the Court’s decision and, in an unconstitutional move, he found a flimsy procedural excuse to coerce the Assembly members to vote on whether Akito should be allowed to return to his seat. Seven members supported Akito. The rest voted for his dismissal.
“And you stayed out, end of story?” I asked him.
“I stayed out yes, but not end of story. I had the court order in my hand. I was the lawful representative. So I denied Asfaha the opportunity to replace me by his handpicked supporter. First, I refused to seek or accept other employment. I also let other people run my business in Assab. Second, I refused to leave Asmara. Third, every time that the Assembly was in session, I took my court decision with me and attempted to take my seat, only to be blocked at the gate on each attempt. If I had absented myself from this routine, it would have been interpreted as submission to their will and they would have gone ahead with a by-election to replace me. “
From an article by Alemseged Tesfai on Hakito in 2011“In Memoriam Mohammed Omer Akito - Our Own Firebrand”
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Pincodestreet
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