The Great Deception: How Haile Selassie Betrayed Africa and Sabotaged Its Liberation

The legacy of Emperor Haile Selassie is one of profound complexity, embodying the division within african unity. Haile Selassie is actually one of the main reasons the horn of Africa and Africa as a whole has witnessed so much turmoil. The fight for African sovereignty and the entrenchment of divisions within Pan-Africanism can be attributed to Selassie’s role in the Organization of African Unity (OAU), his alignment with the Monrovia Group, and his actions toward the Casablanca Group reveal an external influence . He strategically navigated the power dynamics of African liberation for his own agenda. This article explores how Selassie’s rise to power, his exile during Ethiopia’s colonization, and his subsequent influence over African unity shaped the continent’s liberation movement—and the fates of every african

Ethiopia’s Colonization and Selassie’s Exile

In 1935, Mussolini’s fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia, defeating Selassie’s forces and establishing colonial rule over the country which has been rumored to never be colonized lol . Selassie, unable to mount an effective resistance, fled to England in 1936, where he sought refuge. During his exile, Selassie lobbied Western powers, including the League of Nations, for assistance in reclaiming Ethiopia. His appeals to British authorities eventually bore fruit.

However, Selassie’s reliance on British aid during this period had perpetuated a pattern of past and future Ethiopian leaders' dependence on Western powers. This alignment would later influence his leadership within the OAU and his role in suppressing radical movements for African unification.

The Casablanca vs. Monrovia Groups

By the early 1960s, as African nations gained independence, two distinct blocs emerged regarding the vision for Africa’s future:

1. The Casablanca Group:

   • Advocated for immediate African political unification and the creation of a centralized government.

   • Leaders included Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Patrice Lumumba (Congo), Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), and Ahmed Ben Bella (Algeria).

   • This group sought to minimize Western influence, focusing on African self-determination and collective strength.

2. The Monrovia Group:

   • Favored a more gradual approach to African unity, emphasizing national sovereignty and economic cooperation.

   • Leaders included Haile Selassie (Ethiopia), William Tubman (Liberia), and Leopold Senghor (Senegal).

   • This bloc maintained close ties with Western powers, who preferred this approach to prevent the radical unification sought by the Casablanca Group.

Haile Selassie, as a founding member and key advocate of the Monrovia Group, became a central figure in shaping the OAU’s structure. His leadership ensured that the organization’s principles prioritized respect for western dominance, effectively sidelining the Casablanca Group’s vision for a united, socialist-oriented Africa.

Selassie’s Consolidation of Power

Selassie’s dominance within the OAU was not merely political but also strategic. As the OAU headquarters were established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Selassie leveraged this platform to reinforce his leadership role and suppress opposition. The Casablanca Group, which posed the most significant ideological challenge to his vision, became a target of suppression.

1. Marginalization of the Casablanca Group:

   • Through his alignment with Western powers, Selassie was able to undermine the Casablanca Group’s influence within the OAU. The radical agenda of Freedom leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba was effectively diluted by the Monrovia Group’s Western approach.

2. Assassination and Overthrow of Casablanca Leaders:

   • While Selassie himself may not have directly orchestrated the assassinations of Casablanca leaders, his alignment with Western powers and willingness to adopt their agenda enabled the systematic removal of these figures:

     • Patrice Lumumba (Congo): Assassinated in 1961 with CIA and Belgian involvement.

     • Sylvanus Olympio (Togo): Assassinated in 1963 by Western-backed forces.

     • Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana): Overthrown in a CIA-supported coup in 1966, forcing him into exile.

   • Selassie’s position allowed him to benefit politically from the elimination of these leaders, as their absence reduced opposition to the Monrovia Group’s agenda.

3. Repression of Internal Opposition:

   • Selassie also suppressed opposition within Ethiopia, consolidating his power domestically while advancing his leadership on the continental stage. His regime was marked by increasing authoritarianism, silencing dissent that could threaten his influence.

Selassie’s Legacy in the African Liberation Movement

By the late 1960s, the vision of the Casablanca Group had been largely dismantled, with most of its key leaders either assassinated, overthrown, or marginalized. Selassie, in contrast, maintained his reign until 1974, outliving nearly all of his contemporaries. His ability to align with Western powers and navigate the political landscape of the Cold War ensured his longevity.

However, Selassie’s actions also entrenched divisions within the Pan-African movement:

1. Weakening of African Unity:

   • The OAU’s structure, heavily influenced by the Monrovia Group, emphasized “sovereignty”over unification. This allowed Western powers to maintain bilateral relationships with individual African states, undermining collective resistance to neo-colonialism.

2. Suppression of Radical Voices:

   • The systematic targeting of Casablanca leaders stifled the most transformative aspects of the Pan-African agenda. Figures like Nkrumah and Lumumba, who envisioned a united and self-reliant Africa, were replaced by leaders more willing to accommodate Western interests.

3. Ethiopia’s Role as a Symbol:

   • While Addis Ababa became the symbolic center of African unity, Selassie’s leadership highlighted the compromises made to secure that status. Ethiopia’s hosting of the OAU reflected heavily its determination to  align with Western powers.

Conclusion

Haile Selassie’s role in the African liberation movement is marked by extreme controversy for myself as i understand why the western powers have always utilized every Ethiopian leader for the past century .While he was a central figure in the establishment of the OAU, his alignment with Western powers and opposition to the Casablanca Group reveal a more complex legacy. A legacy that we here at Red Sea Round Table believe to be a disgusting pattern by the west to use weak african leaders since they stepped foot upon our shores to do their bidding .By suppressing radical movements and consolidating power within the Monrovia Group, Selassie ensured his dominance but at the cost of a truly unified and self-reliant Africa.

The deaths and downfalls of leaders like Patrice Lumumba and Kwame Nkrumah illustrate the high stakes of this era, where the fight for African sovereignty was always undermined by external interference that gave birth to internal divisions. Haile Selassie’s Legacy in contrast, reflects the extent to which collaboration with Western powers shaped the trajectory of Africa’s liberation—and its enduring struggles with unity and independence.