Alemseged Tesfai: The Pen of a Nation, The Voice of a People

The Living Legacy of Alemseged Tesfai

In the pantheon of Eritrean heroes, Alemseged Tesfai stands not only as a freedom fighter and public intellectual but as the literary voice of an entire people. A historian, playwright, and patriot whose words have chronicled Eritrea’s trials and triumphs, Tesfai has emerged over decades as the premier guardian of Eritrean memory.

Born into a nation struggling under colonialism and later occupation, Tesfai did not merely observe history — he lived and helped make it. Whether in the trenches during the liberation war or at his desk compiling accounts of pre- and post-independence Eritrea, Tesfai has always viewed the written word as a weapon for liberation.

His latest contribution, An African People's Quest for Freedom and Justice: A Political History of Eritrea, 1941–1962, is more than a history book. It is a declaration of Eritrean agency. Written in English and published by Hurst in April 2025, the book is already being hailed as a masterpiece — not only by Eritrean readers but by international scholars who had long waited for such an uncompromising, insider perspective on a nation whose story has so often been told by outsiders.

Reclaiming the Narrative

Mainstream accounts of Eritrea’s history, especially during the critical decades between 1941 and 1962, have typically minimized Eritrean perspectives. They either romanticize Ethiopia’s imperial reach or frame Eritrea’s resistance as tribal discontent. Tesfai demolishes this narrative.

He centers the book on Eritrean voices — those of villagers, student activists, union leaders, elders, and underground organizers. With rigorous detail, he shows that Eritrea’s fight for sovereignty did not begin with the 30-year armed struggle alone, but decades earlier in meeting halls, grassroots resistance movements, and international petitions.

Tesfai reveals how Eritreans resisted not only Italian fascism and British colonial ambiguity, but also the creeping imperialism of Ethiopia’s Haile Selassie, whose regime annexed Eritrea in violation of international agreements. The book examines the betrayal of the U.N.-backed federation, the silencing of Eritrean leaders, and the erosion of political institutions — all while Eritrean identity and nationalism strengthened underground.

This is not a passive history. Tesfai makes it clear: Eritreans were never the victims of history — they were agents shaping their destiny. His message is simple yet revolutionary: Eritrea was not granted independence — it earned it, again and again.

A Historian’s Craft Rooted in Truth

What sets Alemseged Tesfai apart from other historians is not only his proximity to the events he writes about, but his refusal to detach his scholarship from truth and justice. He does not write to flatter foreign audiences, nor does he sanitize facts to please donors or diplomats. His work is rooted in honesty, sourced from Eritrean oral tradition, local archives, and the memories of elders.

In An African People's Quest, Tesfai elevates the power of storytelling with a disciplined historian’s touch. He treats Eritrean oral accounts with the same reverence that others reserve for colonial archives. As a result, his narrative breathes. It is alive with emotion, contradiction, and texture — a rare feat in academic writing.

Critics and scholars alike are praising the book’s clarity and courage. Michela Wrong calls it “a towering achievement.” Giles Foden notes its "enlightening" power. But for Eritreans, the praise is more intimate. It’s not just a book — it’s a restoration of dignity.

From the Trenches to the Stage

Before he became Eritrea’s foremost historian, Tesfai made waves as a playwright. His work The Other War, the first play published in Eritrea, broke taboos by highlighting the psychological scars of conflict — especially on women. He used theatre to raise consciousness and build cultural resilience during a time when most thought only of guns and tanks.

He later authored Two Weeks in the Trenches, a memoir blending personal memory with national history. He also translated The Nurenebi File into English, further showcasing his commitment to preserving Eritrean narratives in multiple languages.

His literary contributions are not academic exercises. They are strategic — part of a lifelong mission to decolonize the Eritrean mind and ensure future generations know who they are and where they come from. While the world glorifies foreign authors for writing about Africa, Tesfai flips the script. He writes Africa from within, unfiltered and unbought.

The Message in the Book — And Beyond

At its core, An African People’s Quest for Freedom and Justice is not just about Eritrea. It’s a handbook for all colonized peoples struggling to remember their true story. Tesfai offers lessons on how to resist historical erasure, how to reclaim identity through language, and how to build a sovereign future by understanding the past.

His message is clear: Freedom is not given — it is asserted. Justice is not granted — it is demanded. And history is not inherited — it is written by those brave enough to tell the truth.

In a time when revisionist narratives seek to rewrite Eritrea’s place in African history, Tesfai stands tall as a beacon of integrity. He reminds us that Eritrea’s sovereignty is not up for debate — it is an undeniable fact carved into the consciousness of a people who never stopped believing in themselves.

Alemseged Tesfai is not just a historian. He is a nation’s voice, a warrior of words, and a living legend who gave Eritrea back its sto