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Author Mammo Wudneh passed away

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

Mamo WudnehOne of Ethiopia’s most prominent authors, Mamo Wudneh, has passed away today at the age of 81. He has been ill and hospitalized for the past few days.

(Wikipedia) — Mammo Wudneh is a playwright, journalist and Former President of the Ethiopian Writers’ Association.

Mammo Wudneh was orphaned during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War when the Italians bombed his village, Bashagia in what was then Wollo Province. By chance he later met one of the pilots who took part in the raid that killed his family. In a moving encounter the playwright forgave the pilot.

Some of his well known published works include: Degree yasabedew; Khartoum hedo qere; Hirut abatwa manew?; Gilen-yekifle zemenu selay; Miseate Israel; Yegna sew bedemasko

17 thoughts on “Author Mammo Wudneh passed away”

  1. I am one of his ardent Eritrean fans. I grew up enjoying his works early. As a child growing up close to the endless barages and battles not far from Asmara and the Cold War in the 1980s, his translated spy thrillers were a magnificent gifts to escape from all the horrors and terrors coming from all sides.
    It is very sad to hear about his death, however, his was a life worth living. His impact on many Eritreans and Ethiopians is so deep. The only two things, later I heard, the Ethiopian Revolutionary armed forces (Dergue) and the Eritrean Liberation People’s Army (shabia)shared were books of Mamo Wudneh and Bealu Girma, and of course the food and water, after endless and senseless wars. Whoever wins or pushes rushed for books and water.
    One of ato Mamo Wudneh’s first jobs was a full time job with the weekly Amharic paper published in Asmara “GazeTa Ethiopia” in the late 1960s. It was then I believe he wrote his book “ye Eritra tarik”. His work was supposed to be propoganda work but he travelled and wrote all sorts of serious journalism covering all walks of life.
    May we share all our lives and resources as brothers and sisters, the way we shared books.

    selam wo senay

    Jujuye replies:
    March 2nd, 2012 at 10:51 PM

    Dear,

    You are one of the very few remaining breeds who are still with their senses. You are full of love. May God Bless you more.

    Keep Positive.

    Anonymous replies:
    March 9th, 2012 at 8:30 PM

    I’m Eritrean too & since my childhood years growing up in Asmara, when the war became too dangerous, to get out of the house all schools closed.
    But few neighborhood kids use to get together & buy USED BOOKS for few-cents from “HARAJ”.
    Each of the KIDS have to buy different books, so we could exchange & recycle the books among each other or others, after each finishes reading one.
    And one day, I got a chance to read a life-time jewel, “ALWELEDM” by an author named Mamo Wudneh.

    Ever since & to this day, I STILL REMEMBER THE BOOK & LOVED THE AUTHOR, Mamo Wudneh.

    While the Author’s personal life-story reads very tormenting painful, it’s just gratifying to know, an ORPHAN victim of war like the Author lived to ENRICH, INSPIRE & TOUCH MILLIONS OF LIVES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

    GROWING UP IN WAR,,, I seen DEATH, pain, war & destruction but, this is a very sad day & sad news for millions of us.

    WE ALL, Eritreans & Ethiopians, JUST LOST IRREPLACEABLE JEWEL & LIFE-TIME-HERO, a glowing star who kept uplifting our souls, spirits & hopes for decades, when there was nothing to hope for.

    I can ONLY say,
    Dear Sir,
    Mr. Mamo Wudneh, Thank you for making my life a lot better than yours.

    CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY & ALL ERITREANS & ETHIOPIANS!!!

  5. ኤልያስ የማሞ ውድነህን ዕድሜ አንተ አውቀሃል። ብዙዎች ወይ 75 ወይም 77 እያሉ ነው። እዚህ ድረገጽ ላይ የተጻፈ አግኝቼ ምናልባት ለአንባቢዎችህ ቢሆን አስቤ አያይዤአለሁ
    http://ethiopianchurch.org/

  7. R.I.P Mammo Wudneh !
    I am Eritrean and fan of this great artist. His works has shaped, informed and taught many Eritrean youth.
    No matter his political views and intensions, he has gained a lot of respect from his Eritrean fans.
    He will be remembered for his considerate works.
    I send my deepest condolences to his family and fans.

    ghirmai sium replies:
    March 3rd, 2012 at 1:30 PM

    I am Eritrean,I know ato momo from the time they arrived in asmara,I can say we are like familly members,we used to read ato mamo´s books at that time,i remember that i read yegna sew bedemasko and there were other books that I got as gifts from them.they were a good,honest and caring father,ato mamo have served their country,in all their life,and left a great heritage,for the next generation.Ato mamo have lived a rich live,and contributed about 77 books to their people,now that they are passed away, history will remember them forever.
    May God bless his soul!
    I send my deepest condolence to his familly.
    weizero almaz,yewaginesh mamo and all other familly memberes.

  8. My prayers and thoughts go to Author Mammo Wudneh’s family and friends. Knowing the history of Woyanes, when some prominent Ethiopian dies, I cannot help it to wonder, if our well educated, talented, intelligent and astute Ethiopians being killed one by one at the hands of TPLF.
    Thank you, Author Mammo for the contributions you had made to your fellow Ethiopians and your mother land Ethiopia. May your soul rest in peace!

  9. I have just read the sad news that the prominent playwright, his Excellency Mamo Wudneh, has passed away. The many suffering Ethiopia has lost time and again one of the few individuals who did a great deal for the development of Amharic literature for the last five decades now. The irreplaceable author no longer exist but his name live with Ethiopians forever.

    I recall Mamo Wudneh’s works like that of “Yesedestu ken torenet, Yekayerow goro tebe, Yegna sew bedemasko etc. during my grade school days while my aunt compelled me to read for her loudly as she has a sight problem to read for herself. I, indeed, enjoyed his books with a full sense in my high school days. As a matter of fact to this person my respect is great and my sorrow is deep.

    I express my deep condolences to his family and close friends. Let GOD rest his sole in peace.

  10. When I was a primary school kid, Mamo Wudneh used to come to our small town, Amdework to visit his grandmother and his aunt. Our school was close to his grandmothers home and he used to come and speak to us. He encouraged both our parents and us, kids, not to give up on schooling. He has had a positive influence on a lot of people in that small town. When I went to Addis and saw one of his books, Selayoo Ressa, I was thrilled to know that wonderful man’s contribution to the Ethiopian liturature. Mamo Wodneh was a stable and fair minded man. RIP my hero.

  13. Only if art and literature had their appropriate place in the ethiopian culture, ato Mamo would be treated and well respected beyond what is now, I hope that will be in the near future. As it is customary, after his death he will be read and remembered and his popularity will increase. Let’s fight the real enemy, ignorance I’d threatening our existence. We have great people like ato Mamo who have set the standards, let’s read and learn and we will be kind to each other.

  14. Our little poor house had a sack full of books containing most of his books. I was the book worm kid in the house and I have read all of them. I don’t know what to say for such a loss. He was such a great writer.
    Rest in peace Gash Mamo.

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