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Person of the Year – nominees

Ethiopian Review is resuming its tradition of naming “Person of the Year” at the end of every year. The man or woman chosen as person of the year is believed to have made significant contributions for the betterment of Ethiopia in the past 12 months. Readers’ opinion is heavily weighed in making the selection, so let’s hear from you. The following are the nominees:

[In alphabetical order]

Alemayehu Gebremariam
Andargachew Tsige
Berhanu Nega
Bertukan Mideksa
Chris Smith
Daud Ibsa
Donald Payne
Ephraim Isaac
Haile Gebreselassie
Issayas Afeworki
Meseret Defar
Mesfin Woldemariam
Mohamed Omer Osman
Obang Metho

The announcement will be made on December 31, 2007.

485 thoughts on “Person of the Year – nominees

  1. i vot for birtukan mideqsa as a herro politician woman and wish if she strongly fight these hodam hailus’ zbaznke,old garbeges like tye and the so coalled kahadi shaleka.by his effort to introduce the good feature of ethiopia haile gebresilase diserves too a man of the year.

  2. From consideration of the on going democratic struggle in Ethiopia and the vission he has for the future Ethiopa I nominate Dr.Berhanu Nega as the person of the year

  3. Brehanu Nega is Man of the Year, and probably man of the generation. He has given us, for the first time, a clear set of values for which we stand. Thanks to his clarity of vision, we now have something to fight for; something which trashes goes far far beyond ethnic boundaries.

    Thanks Brish: you make us proud.

  4. I go for

    1.Obang the lovely Ethiopian
    2.Dr. Berhanu the Great
    3.Birtukan the most promising
    4. Daud Ibsa the great and the magnanimous compatriot.

    You can’t distinguish between these great guys. It is all or non.

    Endalkachew

  5. Prof. AL has done a lot. But there are others like him. Eg. Prof. Mamo Muche. So Al is great but one among equals. For me the guys who distinguished themselves are

    1. Birtukan
    2. Obang
    3. Daud Ibsa
    4. Berhanu Nega
    Finished. All others are great contributors but nothing special that makes them stand above akk others.

    Abiye the great.

  6. We have already expressed our respect to our Politicians like Birtukan and others. Now it is time to say thank you to our foreigner Hero Criss Smith. He is the man of the year.

  7. I nominate the non Diaspora Ethiopian people. The Ethiopian people who endure the hardship of life day and day out. They work hard everyday going against all odds. I salute the Ethiopian People!

  8. 1.he is not only visionary but also able to portray his visions and make many of us follow his vision
    2.he is very dedicated and cable of leading the politics of our country in to new direction.Which is democratic for sure.
    3.he wrote a very nice book in a very challenging situation i.e jail.
    … I can say a lot but enough for this

    for me and hopefully many fellow Ethiopians person of the year is Dr.Birhanu Nega

  9. Maybe, you,the editors, should have given a little information about each candidates. There are some people whom I don’t know their contribution to mama Ethiopia. Therefore, I am inclined not to vote becuase those people that I don’t know their contribution to mother ETHIOPIA might have done a better job than those I know.
    SO LONG MAMA!!!!

  10. my choice will be the great ethiopian Prof. Alemayehu because he did a lot of good things the last two years without being any party member and leadership postion. i think he deserved this nomine, eventhough judge Birtikan , Dr. Birhanu, Ato.Andargachew play a good role to protect our nation from woyane and EPRP dogs ato taye, “lebawe Shalqa” and estranged chair Hailu.

  11. Mr Daud Ibsa
    He is the one who survived by eating soil, the dergue spies poisoned food when eight of seventeen first time trained OLF memebers where died in the West Oromia(Ethiopia).
    After his survival he was caught and taken to hospital but confused the dergue spies by acting as a mad and sent to Amanuel psychiatry hospital. That is where he did history one more time by escaping from the hospital being naked as a crazy for the sole reason of liberating the Oromo(Ethiopian) people from the opressors for good. That is why he quit from AAU at early age. Since then is standing for the cause of the oppressed people of Ethiopia. He is intiator and leader of AFD which is the best alternative for complex ethiopian politics. He also believes in a win win politics, not in a win and defeate politics.
    Please, all of you stopp whom you are choosing and look once again who have best endurance and determination for what he/she believes in. Mr daud is already proven to be a leader and reliable to for the purpose he stands for.
    You all know that Mr daud came up with the new idea of bringing all ethiopian opposition while the butcher in Addis,i.e.,Mr zenawi was inviting OLF alone for power sharing. Daud rejected the invitation neither to offened Meles nor to please kinijit, but he believes in the all inclusive politics which is the only way out of the of the complex Ethiopian political problem.
    So guys pause your idea and think one mor time to go for a leader who has a good vision for the region(horn of africa) and proved to lead in a difficult time.
    Merry chirstmas

  12. I assume “person of the year” status is reserved not only for those who made headlines for good deeds. It applies to those who took effective actions that would affect many (and for many years to come too) as well. If my understanding is correct, please accept my nomination of Yosef Yazew for person of the year. Yazew single handedly crippled the movement (Kinijit, that is) which the TPLF, with all its state power (military and diplomatic resources), was not able to slow.

  13. Dr. Birhanu Nega for the emmense contribution he made through his book, various public engagments and speechs in stilling the principles and cluture of democracy among the populace.

  14. How about we vote for the best and worst ethiopian opposition websites too. Because there are so called oposition websites like Ethiomedia who pretend like an oposition sites but most of their time is devoted in promoting hatred towards Eritrea,The only nation lending hand in the fight against the genocidal regime of weyane

  15. To me is Brehanu Nega and Birtukan M,

    Brehanu, a man of courage, love, passion, charisma,sacrifice,nationalist, visionary,farsighted, unting,suits for ethiopians call for democracy and freedom. modern man of 21stc. not traditional and ethnocentric,

    Birtukan, a woman of prototype for ethiopian modern politics,leadership quality, hopeful, inspiring,consistent
    pluralist,

  16. Donald Payne,
    Most of the candidates are Ethiopian, and it is their citizenship obligation to make an effort towards the betterment of Ethiopia. But what was done by Donald Payne was un expected and is totally emanate from humanity.

  17. Please take out athlet Haile Gebreselasie from the choice.people shaking for ETHIOPIA he shaking for his MONEY that he can make it anytime. He definetlly understand when he loos what he has soooooon.

    Anyways I vote for Brehanu, Obang, Alemayehu,Ibssa and Andargachew.

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