6 thoughts on “A tribute to Commander Zeleke Bogale”
Commander was “simply the best”. He is a rare breed. Very few can match his caliber. You have to know him to understand what I say. He is beyond words. Not many have done what he has done to Ethiopia. We have witnessed his talent when he transformed the Marine Transport Authority into one of the most effective organizations run by the state. He transformed the two port cities – Massawa and Assab. He empowered his employees, paid them top notch salaries, built them houses that were envied even by the rich … and made working for MTA a big privilege. He is some one we adored. He walks his talk. He is a person who has earned our respect He is a leader that we trusted and would follow to anywhere … Books could be written about him. I am so sad that Ethiopia lost a son who loves her passionately and has poured out his soul for her. My condolences for his immediate family and for the thousands who know him personally and mourn his loss.
Rest in peace dear commander!
I personally thank you for the opportunity you gave all of us.
We love and respect you
Rest in Peace!!!
May GOD bless one of the hero of Ethiopia.Ethiopia needs man like him in our generation.so we can narrow the generational gap that has been opened to divide our people. let us fight one for all.all for one Ethiopia.
This a great history to all ethiopians and a shame to ethnocentric woyane, and a testimony to aboy sebhat who told us Ethiopians do not know each other , but they married north with south, center with west, and Aboy sebhat and his collegues should learn a great deal from the life of this person.
Meles should also learn that people are appointed to highest post not on the basis of their ethnic origin or region , G/ Aman Andom , an eritrean, did not appoint an eritrean to the post but an experienced, and a person commensurate with rank and ability.
This is a testimony that men and women of ethiopia during the past regimes worked for the better of the coming generation but not to their regions, or their immediate families, Aboy sebhat and his followers are looting the country and deposit the gold and money in their bank account.
Woyane wants to dicourage many ethiopians of military , high officials, even professors, doctors by blaming working with the derg but these people worked for their country no matter how long it takes their work will be remebered and their soul rest in peace even after they pass away.
Commander Zeleke will be remebered by ethiopians for long, while woyanas will be forgotten and they are going to live in fear and frustrations for their wrong doing.
We the former Ethiopian Navy in Minnesota heard the death of our former commander with great sorrow. Commander Zeleke was our commander, and we were also the eyewitness that he was the great hero of the country who not only developed our sea ports of Assab and Massawa but completely changed their status to Europe standard and changed the lives of the people in the area. May his soul rest in peace.
I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Commander Zeleke Bogale, a very competent, fair minded, and compassionate person I have known through work during HIM’s Navy period being his employee, and then in his civil post as a competent administrator with high integrity. He was so humble and impartial in giving judgments. We members of the Oromo nation in HIM’s Navy used to call him Abbaa Nagaa (a name we always used to call him by for more than 10 ten years during my service period in the Navy under Cmr Zeleke). Because he was so peaceful, so quiet undisturbed, and very calm minded. He was so impartial and fair in his judgments. Just to cite one example, one day while we were on duty he came to supervise and monitor our post and saw us doing something which we were not supposed to do on post. A colleague of mine who first saw Cmr Zeleke coming to visit alerted the rest of us saying in Afaan Oromo “Abbaan Nagaa nutti dhufe” ( “Abbaa Nagaa came on us.” Cmr Zeleke laughed and asked who Abbaa Nagaa is. Cmr Zeleke replaced us by the other guards at the post of duty and took us to is office. He offered us good advice on morality and commitment to one’s own duty and gave us 30 Birr each of us out of his pocket (we were four) and let us to go to the city and enjoy and come back. Cmr. Zeleke advised and warned us NOT TO BE FOUND DRUNK or never to visit unnecessary corners. He sent after us some undercover agents to attend to us unseen. One of my colleagues, Balcha went somewhere else where it was considered security-wise un-safe. The undercover agents reported wrongly by stating that Balcha went to a bar. The under-cover for the undercover themselves reported the truth that the member of the squad was not at the wrong place as reported but at another place which was advised not to visit for security reasons. Abbaa Nagaa (Cmr. Zeleke summoned us all to his office next day and asked us what happened. We gave each of us our accounts of where we went, what we did, how we spent and so on. He told us exactly where we were and punished the wrong informant to be monitored by the military police for three days for he found him giving untrue and exaggerated statement. The wrong informant was his own (Cmr. Zeleke’s) relative from his mother’s side. At the end of the investigation he called Shaanqo, now working and living back at home, to his office and asked him why we the Oromo navy crues called him Abbaa Nagaa? Shaanqo scared to tell him why we called him by that nick name, who started it and so on. Cmr Zeleke advised Shanko “Die for truth, do not fear but respect and honor yourself and others below you and above you, what ever nick name you gave me did not hurt me but what hurt me is the fact that you carry- a heavy burden in your hurt.” The Amharic speakers also used to call him Abba Qassita, and Abbiyye Zeleke interchangingly, for the same reason the Oromos called him Abbaa Nagaa, because Cmr Zeleke was always quiet and undisturbed under any circumstances, and fatherly in his advice. He was so beloved and respected by all ethnic groups in the Navy. He was one of the highly beloved military generals like the late Gen. Abebe Gemmeda (Oromo) very kind to army members;. Gen. Woldesellassie Bereka Catholic Christian (Guraagee), a very conscientious general; Gen. Jagama Kello Garo (Oromo), very kind to army members; Gen. Tsigee Dibuu, late (Amhara) excellent in judgment and administration; Gen. Taye Tilahun, a Pentecostal Christian, (Kambata/Hadiya/Amhara). a religious and God fearing general; Gen. Tadesse Birru Kenne, a very kind and fair minded, and Oromo politician; and Cmr Zeleke Bogale himself who was a special person for his self-composure and sound judgement capacity. Cmr. Zeleke was very respectful to all superiors and inferiors equally. Cmr Zeleke was the most peaceful person with high integrity in his commitment to his duty.
May Cmr Zeleke’s Life rest in Peace!!
Edao Boru, ex-Navy member at Dahlak Base under Cmr. Zeleke Bogale
6 thoughts on “A tribute to Commander Zeleke Bogale”
Commander was “simply the best”. He is a rare breed. Very few can match his caliber. You have to know him to understand what I say. He is beyond words. Not many have done what he has done to Ethiopia. We have witnessed his talent when he transformed the Marine Transport Authority into one of the most effective organizations run by the state. He transformed the two port cities – Massawa and Assab. He empowered his employees, paid them top notch salaries, built them houses that were envied even by the rich … and made working for MTA a big privilege. He is some one we adored. He walks his talk. He is a person who has earned our respect He is a leader that we trusted and would follow to anywhere … Books could be written about him. I am so sad that Ethiopia lost a son who loves her passionately and has poured out his soul for her. My condolences for his immediate family and for the thousands who know him personally and mourn his loss.
Rest in peace dear commander!
I personally thank you for the opportunity you gave all of us.
We love and respect you
Rest in Peace!!!
May GOD bless one of the hero of Ethiopia.Ethiopia needs man like him in our generation.so we can narrow the generational gap that has been opened to divide our people. let us fight one for all.all for one Ethiopia.
This a great history to all ethiopians and a shame to ethnocentric woyane, and a testimony to aboy sebhat who told us Ethiopians do not know each other , but they married north with south, center with west, and Aboy sebhat and his collegues should learn a great deal from the life of this person.
Meles should also learn that people are appointed to highest post not on the basis of their ethnic origin or region , G/ Aman Andom , an eritrean, did not appoint an eritrean to the post but an experienced, and a person commensurate with rank and ability.
This is a testimony that men and women of ethiopia during the past regimes worked for the better of the coming generation but not to their regions, or their immediate families, Aboy sebhat and his followers are looting the country and deposit the gold and money in their bank account.
Woyane wants to dicourage many ethiopians of military , high officials, even professors, doctors by blaming working with the derg but these people worked for their country no matter how long it takes their work will be remebered and their soul rest in peace even after they pass away.
Commander Zeleke will be remebered by ethiopians for long, while woyanas will be forgotten and they are going to live in fear and frustrations for their wrong doing.
May his soul rest in peace
We the former Ethiopian Navy in Minnesota heard the death of our former commander with great sorrow. Commander Zeleke was our commander, and we were also the eyewitness that he was the great hero of the country who not only developed our sea ports of Assab and Massawa but completely changed their status to Europe standard and changed the lives of the people in the area. May his soul rest in peace.
Lt. Befekadu wirtu
I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Commander Zeleke Bogale, a very competent, fair minded, and compassionate person I have known through work during HIM’s Navy period being his employee, and then in his civil post as a competent administrator with high integrity. He was so humble and impartial in giving judgments. We members of the Oromo nation in HIM’s Navy used to call him Abbaa Nagaa (a name we always used to call him by for more than 10 ten years during my service period in the Navy under Cmr Zeleke). Because he was so peaceful, so quiet undisturbed, and very calm minded. He was so impartial and fair in his judgments. Just to cite one example, one day while we were on duty he came to supervise and monitor our post and saw us doing something which we were not supposed to do on post. A colleague of mine who first saw Cmr Zeleke coming to visit alerted the rest of us saying in Afaan Oromo “Abbaan Nagaa nutti dhufe” ( “Abbaa Nagaa came on us.” Cmr Zeleke laughed and asked who Abbaa Nagaa is. Cmr Zeleke replaced us by the other guards at the post of duty and took us to is office. He offered us good advice on morality and commitment to one’s own duty and gave us 30 Birr each of us out of his pocket (we were four) and let us to go to the city and enjoy and come back. Cmr. Zeleke advised and warned us NOT TO BE FOUND DRUNK or never to visit unnecessary corners. He sent after us some undercover agents to attend to us unseen. One of my colleagues, Balcha went somewhere else where it was considered security-wise un-safe. The undercover agents reported wrongly by stating that Balcha went to a bar. The under-cover for the undercover themselves reported the truth that the member of the squad was not at the wrong place as reported but at another place which was advised not to visit for security reasons. Abbaa Nagaa (Cmr. Zeleke summoned us all to his office next day and asked us what happened. We gave each of us our accounts of where we went, what we did, how we spent and so on. He told us exactly where we were and punished the wrong informant to be monitored by the military police for three days for he found him giving untrue and exaggerated statement. The wrong informant was his own (Cmr. Zeleke’s) relative from his mother’s side. At the end of the investigation he called Shaanqo, now working and living back at home, to his office and asked him why we the Oromo navy crues called him Abbaa Nagaa? Shaanqo scared to tell him why we called him by that nick name, who started it and so on. Cmr Zeleke advised Shanko “Die for truth, do not fear but respect and honor yourself and others below you and above you, what ever nick name you gave me did not hurt me but what hurt me is the fact that you carry- a heavy burden in your hurt.” The Amharic speakers also used to call him Abba Qassita, and Abbiyye Zeleke interchangingly, for the same reason the Oromos called him Abbaa Nagaa, because Cmr Zeleke was always quiet and undisturbed under any circumstances, and fatherly in his advice. He was so beloved and respected by all ethnic groups in the Navy. He was one of the highly beloved military generals like the late Gen. Abebe Gemmeda (Oromo) very kind to army members;. Gen. Woldesellassie Bereka Catholic Christian (Guraagee), a very conscientious general; Gen. Jagama Kello Garo (Oromo), very kind to army members; Gen. Tsigee Dibuu, late (Amhara) excellent in judgment and administration; Gen. Taye Tilahun, a Pentecostal Christian, (Kambata/Hadiya/Amhara). a religious and God fearing general; Gen. Tadesse Birru Kenne, a very kind and fair minded, and Oromo politician; and Cmr Zeleke Bogale himself who was a special person for his self-composure and sound judgement capacity. Cmr. Zeleke was very respectful to all superiors and inferiors equally. Cmr Zeleke was the most peaceful person with high integrity in his commitment to his duty.
May Cmr Zeleke’s Life rest in Peace!!
Edao Boru, ex-Navy member at Dahlak Base under Cmr. Zeleke Bogale
RIP