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8 Governor ofBahr-Dar Bahr-Dar means "by the edge of the sea" and is a small town on the southern tip of Lake Tana, the capital of the district which has taken its name. It is one of the seven districts in Gojam province bordering Begemdir 611 kilometers northwest of Addis Ababa. Bahr-Dar's importance stems from its history, the lake, and the Blue Nile waterfall, Tiss Isat, 35 kilometers outside of the town. The varied bird life includes silvery checked hombills, herons, hoopoes, ospreys, and weavers. The lake, besides being home to many kinds of fish, is the habitat of crocodiles and hippos. The islands of the lake are famous for their churches and monasteries, some of which date back to the twelfth century . Bahr-Dar lies at an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level. Therefore its climate is suitable for all types of tropical fruits, vegetables and other crops, and for raising livestock. I was no stranger to Bahr-Dar, having visited there a number of times and having started development activities related to lake transportation when I was with the Department of Marine. The only buildings with electricity and piped water were the port manager's office and residence which the department had built. The chief administrator of the town council, Meriggeta Mezegabe Tibebe, knew me well, as did Ato Kebede, the manager of the Ras Hotel and Manbegroh the port manager who was one of the eight Addis Ababa technical school graduates recruited as tugboat mechanics. When I arrived in Bahr-Dar in November 1961 as governor of the district, I was welcomed with great enthusiasm by a large crowd of local officials and townspeople. The appointment had created the suspicion among some people that I had been the emperor's informant all along because it was announced before my release. Even the governor of Kefa, Dejazmatch Kifle, was pleasantly surprised because when he took me to the palace that morning he had no idea I 125 The Emperor's Clothes was to be released. He told me he had interceded with the emperor on my behalf and my best strategy would be to fall on my knees before the emperor and beg his forgiveness. I thanked him sincerely for all his trouble, kindness, and advice, but told him that since I had done nothing wrong I would never ask for a pardon. He spent an hour trying to persuade me, but seeing his good efforts were about to be wasted, he told me to go to see my in-laws and get back to him in the morning. He took me in his chauffeur-driven car to the Genete Leul Palace, where he told me to wait under the shade of a tree while he passed into the second enclosure. Half an hour later I was told by a palace attendant to join a line of people standing in front of the same building I had entered when I had been appointed an assistant minister. The three people I found standing in the middle of the room to confer appointments were all different. I was told by the prime minister, Tsehafi-Tezaz Aklilu Habte-Wold, that His Majesty graciously appointed me as governor of Bahr-Dar. From there we were led to the lefthand wing of the main palace where the emperor was to be found. I bowed and left the room to be confronted by Dejazmatch Kifle who was with some ministers . He bounded forward with a great smile on his face, hugging me and kissing me on both cheeks, congratulating and praising the emperor for his graciousness. The others, who had passed me by without a greeting while I was waiting outside, now came to kiss my cheeks and congratulate me. It was at that time rumors began that I had been the emperor's man all along. Araya Equba-Igzi told my friend Goytom Petros, who had been detained with me that I must have been a planted informant. Goytom defended me and replied that the unprecedented appointment must be a ploy on the part of the emperor to create suspicion of me among the reformers and isolate me from them. I felt he was right but the emperor went even further than that in his deviousness. The emperor thought I would be reluctant to leave Addis Ababa for an appointment in such a remote province and would instead loiter around the capital trying to lobby for a more...

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