Photographer’s images inspire wildlife preservation
At the tender age of 18, photographer and film maker Aziz Ahmed found his passion for photography. He was a tour guide at Abijatta Shalla National Park, and saw a foreign lady taking pictures of birds. This inspired him to dedicate his first creative project to birds. The artist sold his car to buy a camera and set foot in the photography world.
He later focused on photos and films of the Ethiopian wilderness. The artist showcased his work at the Best Western Hotel. The exhibition lasted for five consecutive days; August 19-23, 2019, and used the Ethiopian Black Maine Lion as a theme. Local and international media and photo enthusiasts attended the event. The artist took mind blowing shots of the Ethiopian lion and many other pictures inspired by Ethiopian Wildlife. One picture of an adult lion is a masterpiece that he took in the dense forest of Bale Mountains. His wildlife photography is featured in a book that depicts the hidden resources of Ethiopia, for sale at 1,000 birr. This book will encourage local and foreign tourists to visit these magical places.
Capital had a chance to interview the artist’s wife who is also a photographer. She and her husband had to take shots in life threatening situations. She also talked about a heart breaking story Aziz went through as a child; the death of his father caused by a lion attack. Despite that the artist adores lions he always says; “All you have to do is put yourself in their shoes only then you will understand them and be able to communicate with them”. She mentioned they had to take pictures at night because this was the ideal time to capture the lions roaming around.
The exhibition carried more messages other than attracting tourists. The Black Maine Lion is being killed every day. Now lions are on the verge of extinction and some are leaving their homeland because it is not safe anymore. So by creating awareness the artist is striving to end the brutal death of the lions. Aziz’s wants the public’s help to, “save wildlife together”.
Never outshine your master
This is the first rule anyone is expected to respect if s/he needs to stay in power, according to Robert Greene. This author who is nicknamed the contemporary Machiavelli, wrote in his famous book, the 48 Laws of Power that “always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are, and you will attain the heights of power”.
Similarly, if you outshine your bosses or if your boss feels that you are better than s/he is, it is really dangerous for you. Outshining the master is the worst mistake of all. If you go to many governmental or non-governmental offices, you witness that things are like what Robert Greene says. Most of the individuals assigned as bosses at government offices can be taken as interpretation of this law of Robert Greene. As these bosses take the position not through academic achievements, but for the mere reasons of their party loyalty, they are not comfortable with subordinates who are educated and always with best ideas. The fate of these educated individuals who always confront the party-assigned bosses is not good. They may be sacked or assigned in other places which is well below their academic capacity.
Outshining the master is the worst mistakes, says Robert Greene. “Everyone has insecurities. When you show yourself in the world and display your talents, you naturally stir up all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity. This is to be expected. You cannot spend your life worrying about the petty feelings of others. With those above you, however, you must take a different approach: when it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.”
Some 45 university lecturers who were feared by the government of our country once sacked from their respective faculties and departments. These intellectuals were hated by the then premier for their political outlook which could be accepted by the majority of the people. They disparaged the ruling party by their better political stand and there was a fear that the entire nation would follow them. This was their mistake. No one wants to be defeated. Particularly those who are suffering from inferior complexity regard the ones who are better than them as threats. Thus, the big boss was not comfortable with those university scholars who might cause protest against his dictatorial leadership. As Baltasar Gracian said, “being defeated is hateful, and besting one’s boss is either foolish or fatal”. The then premier was defeated by the ideas of the university professors whom were taken as threat. So, he had to take a ‘fatal’ measure of riding himself of these scholars.
Most of our bosses in this country got their higher positions through nepotism or cronyism. If a big man from the ruling party asks or shows desire for a senior position of an organization to be taken by his kith and kin, the responsible individual from that organization will not hesitate to give the position. Though the newly appointed individuals have not any experience of management skills, there is no problem. They can have the places without any proper professional know-how or expertise. The moment they seize the seat, they start stirring up the employees. These people think that the educated employees are the threats for their positions. If they feel their capacity is being mocked or rather if they happen to notice they are being exposed by these individuals, they never think twice before pulling the trigger against the educated ones. That’s why Greene says, “when it comes to power, outshining the master, is perhaps the worst mistake of all”.
These people (the weakest in power) like to amass around them the ones who are unassertive or those who lack confidence. This way of collecting the submissive subordinates will strengthen their position or den of power. “Most people do not mid being surpassed in good fortune, character, or temperament, but no one, especially not a sovereign, likes to be surpassed in intelligence,” said Baltasar Gracian.
Never outshine your master. Let’s read an example taken from the book, the 48 Laws of Power. It is a story happened in the 16oo’s about Nicolas Fouquet, finance minister for Louis XIV of France. Fouquet wanted to take the position of premiership which was unfortunately abolished by the king following the death of the prime minister. This made Fouquet suspect that he was falling out of favor with the king. So, he decided to throw a lavish party, the best the world had never seen to commemorate the completion of his Chateau Vaux Le Vicomte and pay tribute to the king who was the guest of honor.
The most brilliant nobility of Europe and some of the greatest minds of the time like La Fontaine attended the party. Moliere wrote a play for the occasion, in which he himself was to perform at the evening’s conclusion. The next day Fouquet was arrested by the King’s head musketeer and three months later he went on trial for stealing the country’s treasury. Eventually he was sent to solitary confinement for 20 years.
What Fouquet did not realize was that the king was a proud and arrogant man who wanted to be the center of attention of all times. He did not want to be outdone by anyone, and certainly not his finance minister. The lavish party was regarded by the king as outshining or threat or disrespect. Louis XIV was heavily outshined by his finance minister. That’s why he was forced to take fatal measure against him.
Fouquet presented spectacle on spectacle to Louis, each more magnificent than the one before, he imagined the affair as demonstrating his loyalty and devotion to the king. Not only did he think the part would put him back in the king’s favor, he thought it would show his good taste, his connections, and his popularity, making him indispensable to the king and demonstrating that he would make an excellent prime minister. Instead, however, each new spectacle, each appreciative smile bestowed by the guests on Fouquet, made it seem to Louis that his own friends and subjects were more charmed by the finance minister than by the king himself, and that Fouquet was actually flaunting his wealth and power. Rather than flattering Louis XIV, Fouquet’s elaborate party offended the king’s vanity. Louis would not admit this to anyone, of course – instead, he found a convenient excuse to rid himself of a man who had inadvertently made him feel insecure.
Robert Greene says in his book that such is the fate, in some form or other, of all those who unbalance the master’s sense of self, poke holes in his vanity, or make him doubt his preeminence.
At last a few words about Robert Greene. He is an America; born in 1959 to Jewish parents. Greene grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of California, Berkeley before finishing his degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.A. in classical studies. Before becoming the author, Greene estimates that he worked 80 jobs, including as a construction worker, translator, magazine editor, and Hollywood movie writer.
Robert Greene is known for his books on strategy, power and seduction. He has written six international best sellers: The 48 laws of Power, the Art of Seduction, the 33 Strategies of War, the 50th Law (with rapper 50 Cent), Mastery, and the Laws of Human Nature. By the way, I would like to remind my readers that many of Green’s books are available locally.
Greene’s first book, the 48 Laws of Power, was first published in 1998. It is a practical guide for anyone who wants power, observes power, or wants to arm themselves against power. The laws are distillation of 3,000 years in the history of power, drawing on the lives of strategists and historical figures like Nicolo Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Haile-Selassie I, Carl Von Clausewitz, Queen Elizabeth I, Henry Kissinger, P.T. Barnum.
Over 1.2 million copies of the 48 Laws of Power have reportedly been sold. This book is popular with well-known rappers, entrepreneurs, celebrities, athletes and actors including 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, DJ Premier, Drake, Dov Charney, Brian Grazer, Andrew Bynum, Chris Bosh, Michael Jackson, Courtney Love and Will Smith.
The writer of this piece can be reached at gizaw.haile@yahoo.com
Just the tip
Extreme climate conditions have been attributed to the exploitation of earth’s resources which brought about a shift from moderate weather to extreme. Researchers calculated that under the current climate conditions, earth’s land could support 4.4 billion hectares of continuous tree cover. That would be 1.6 billion hectares more than the currently existing 2.8 billion hectares. Once these forests reach maturity, they could store 205 billion tons of carbon.
The Ethiopian government currently is engaged in massive tree planting activities. Tefera Mengistu Woldie (PhD), Forestry Program Specialist at UNDP said that Ethiopian’s attitudes about trees are changing. Capital’s Reporter talked with Tefera to learn more about tree plantation in Ethiopia and its current challenges and achievements. Excerpts;
Capital: What do you think of the push to plant more trees?
Tefera: Considering the present challenge of climate change and environmental degradation, tree planting is an indispensable initiative that can’t be replaced. Nature has endowed us with such a wonderful opportunity to balance our activity. While we may disturb natural environments to survive, we should also responsibly act to replenish them. One way to do this is through planting trees. Doing this signals the nature of a responsible society.
Capital: Do you think Ethiopian’s attitudes about trees are changing?
Tefera: Yes, especially in the rural parts of Ethiopia. They are increasingly more enthusiastic about planting trees and are encouraging planting trees on private lands. Beyond mass mobilization, you can witness farmers converting their prime lands into tree orchards. You will be surprised at the economic, health, educational stories related to these changes.
Capital: Do you think more varieties of trees should be planted?
Tefera: Sure, tree planting requires year-round preparation. This time tree planting was initiated in the last three months of the year so it had to be conducted with what we already had in the nursery stock. However, I can say that the species diversity was nothing special this year. 
Capital: GFC classifies any vegetative growth higher than five meters as a tree and therefore counts tree plantations as forests. How do you plan on differentiating between vegetation higher than 5 meters such as plantation forestry and natural forests?
Tefera: If this is about forest definition; there are criteria globally used to define forests. Ethiopia hasn’t defined its forests any differently. One global classification can’t be applicable for all countries. That is why the global forest classification provides ranges of opportunities for countries to define their forests to fit their realities. The definition of a forest in the Brazilian Amazon can’t be the same as the one on tropical dry lands. Countries should contextualize their forest definition to provide their resources more legal protection and benefit from its sustainable management. Our forest definition uses height, canopy cover and area as criteria. The criteria used is not beyond the global range. On the issue of differentiating plantations against natural forests, there are ground-based and remote sensing-based technologies to differentiate plantations from natural forests.
Capital: Goal 15 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”. As an expert in forestry, how do you see Ethiopia’s work fitting in the UN framework to make a sustainable future for all?
Tefera: Ethiopia has a long way to go in this regard. Some of the required initiatives to achieve this goal are strategic others are operational. The policies and strategies are fine. For example, we have developed the CRGE which is a ten-year national forest development program that encompasses strategic and operational interventions in urban and rural settings. These plans require economy-wide coordinated engagement of all stakeholders. The strategic interventions outlined in this program need to be guided by strong leadership, coordination and institutional set-up.
Capital: What is one urgent task that we need to undertake in the name of sustainable soil management?
Tefera: Reduce soil erosion to the extent possible and improve the soil biology.
Capital: How does providing enhanced rights for communities actually protect the forests themselves?
Tefera: Defining ownership is a critical factor for resources. A resource owned by all is a resource owned by none. Defining the user group for any resources is a requirement. It avoids the ‘tragedy of the commons’. Unlike other physical resources, forests are biological in nature; they require continuous nurturing and then the issue of ownership becomes critical. Certifying land; including forest land; will therefore bring transformation in the sector. Ethiopian landscapes are meant to serve generations of Ethiopians anyway; and I don’t see the advantage of being shy from certifying land ownership for individuals.
Capital: What issues do you see with the management of primary forests in Ethiopia?
Tefera: Our primary forests are highly encroached. We are losing resources before even we properly know them. This has implications for generations to come. The primary driver of forest loss in Ethiopia is agricultural expansion. Of course; fuelwood consumption is the second highest. To bring about sustainability in this country, we must bring transformational change to both of these behaviours. Agriculture; through intensification. We also must promote biomass fuel through rural electrification. I think the government is trying its level best. But prioritizing and sequencing is very important. The food security narrative of Ethiopia should be changed. Humans need food on a daily basis, but not only by farming crops. It can also be by growing trees. Growing trees is more environmentally friendly than farming crops.
Capital: What is your advice to the government, educational institutions, researchers, teachers and other stakeholders involved in forestry education in Ethiopia?
Tefera: Let’s touch base. I feel we all are a bit far from what is happening and what has happened on the ground in Ethiopian landscapes (rural and urban). In addition to observing and narrating we need to feel and act differently.
