Addis Ababa University (AAU) received 12 million birr grant support from late Dr. Kebede Taddese, former AAU scholar and minister for the Ministry of Health of the FDRE through his spouse Mrs. Emebet Dejenie on the 22^nd of August 2023.

According to Dr. Kebede’s promises, the money was granted to some specifically focused departments and museums under two colleges of AAU: College of Natural and Computational Sciences (CNCS) and College of Health Sciences (CHS), such as Department of (Zoology, Plant and Biodiversity, Geology, and Pathology).

Professor Mitike Molla, Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer of AAU, said during the event that Dr. Kebede’s gift is a big lesson to all concerned.

“Most of the time, people require help instead of providing support from what they have.  It is very common to recognize people who have much money or wealth in general  bequeathing to their children, grand-children and even to grand-grand- children at the eve of their pass away; it is rare in our context to will one’s property to an institution like Dr. Kebede did to AAU,” she reiterated.

“Such types of gifts are gifts to be provided by highly respected and very thoughtful citizens of a rare time,” Prof. Mitike added.

Prof. Mitike mentioning that she knew Dr. Kebede since she was very young and his start of the CDP health development program, he taught her and others a lot when he was working at the medical faculty of the University.

His relation with plants was very amazing, Prof. Mitike reminded; he gave proper names to all trees found in the University’s campuses through his own initiative and without requiring any support from the University society which is really a good lesson to all according to her.

Pointing out evidence from the College, she stated that Dr. Kebede was very supportive and cooperative throughout his life with non-vanishing love to the University, especially to the College of Natural and Computational Sciences.

Prof. Mitike highly appreciated Mrs. Emebet Dejenie, Dr. Kebede’s wife, for her being trustful and lucky to bring his highly valued gift to AAU. “You have to be very proud of being the spouse of and led a long marriage life with such a great person. I want to say thank you on behalf of the University and the Colleges in particular,” she added.

Prof. Mitike finally hoped that the Colleges will use the money on spots where they could make Dr. Kebede’s name everlasting in the University’s history. “I think we all of us will give due focus to this issue.  As we know, CNCS is a house of sciences where any scientific phenomena are validated, and Dr. Kebede’s works could be more promoted at,” she stressed.

Professor Tiliye Feyissa, Dean for CNCS, on his part said that Dr. Kebede’s promising this amount of wealth to AAU before his pass away is really amazing in our country context even though it is common in other countries. It is really great exemplary to all of us beyond its huge amount, he added.

Prof. Tiliye confirmed that Dr. Kebede was very closely working with CNCS even covering various expenses in a number of rehabilitation and innovative works of the College up to the end of his life supporting with open hearts. “Promising this amount of money to be provided to the University after his death is also another amazing thing to all of us,” he intensified.

Heads of the mentioned departments collectively said that they will try their level best to do something which can print Dr. Kebede’s name at AAU in any meaningful way (s) forever for what he rendered to the University in his entire life long path.

Mrs. Emebet Dejenie, on her part said that her husband Dr. Kebede had a vision to modernize the Pathology museum considering what he had seen some museum in London, but he couldn’t for some sort of reason unknown.

“Transferring wealth to knowledge is very promising. As university is a source of knowledge, providing what you have to it means supporting knowledge. Our aim was to do this while he was alive but we couldn’t do it as we wished,” Mrs. Emebet said.

“As now we are all responsible for fulfilling his dream, we have to invest the money at things which could be valued through generations. Therefore, as you have the vast knowledge that you shared with him, accomplishing his vision may not be that much challenging to you,” she finally shared responsibilities to the participants.

AAU awarded certificate to recognize Dr. Kebede Taddese’s endeavour through Professor Mitike Molla, Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer of the University.

Editor: Abraham Girmay