By Habtamu Nini Abino
In recent remarks given to Roha Media, Fantahun Wake—an Orthodox Church religious teacher and a key ideological voice within the Amhara Fano movement—declared that the driving political doctrine behind the Fano armed struggle is “Mo’a Thewahido”, meaning “Orthodox is the winner.” According to Wake, the objective of the Fano movement is not merely to advocate for Amhara rights or freedom, but to establish a government in Ethiopia guided by Orthodox Christian doctrine, akin to religious regimes in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran. This ideology marks a dangerous fusion of militant nationalism and theocratic ambition, threatening both Ethiopia’s constitutional order and its multi-religious, multi-ethnic federal framework.
1. Understanding Mo’a Thewahido: From Faith to Political Ideology
The term Mo’a Thewahido historically refers to a deeply spiritual and theological principle within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, emphasising the unity of Christ’s divine and human natures. However, Fantahun Wake and his ideological allies have politicised this concept, converting it into a militant nationalist creed. Under this reinterpretation, the Orthodox Church is no longer just a spiritual institution but becomes the central authority for political legitimacy and governance. This marks a dangerous departure from Ethiopia’s secular constitutional order, moving toward the model of a religious state where dissenting beliefs and identities could be delegitimised or suppressed.
2. Religious Theocracy vs. Secular Constitutionalism
Ethiopia’s federal constitution, adopted in 1994, recognises the equality of all nations, nationalities, and peoples, and affirms the state's secular character. It guarantees freedom of religion and protects cultural and linguistic diversity. By design, a government based on Orthodox theology would contradict this pluralistic framework.
Religious theocracies, like those seen in Iran or Saudi Arabia, have historically resulted in the institutional oppression of minorities, suppression of dissent, and marginalisation of women and non-adherents. Implementing a similar model in Ethiopia would not only violate the constitutional rights of Muslims, Protestants, Waaqeffannaa followers, Catholics, and non-believers, but it would also unravel the already fragile social fabric of the Ethiopian state.
3. Amhara Nationalism and the Weaponisation of Religion
The Fano movement emerged in response to perceived marginalisation and security threats facing the Amhara people. While the defence of communal rights is legitimate within a federal system, the transformation of this movement into a vehicle for religious domination reveals a darker agenda. By wrapping Amhara nationalism in Orthodox theology, leaders like Fantahun Wake attempt to reassert a historical dominance reminiscent of the imperial era when state and church operated hand-in-hand to maintain centralist hegemony.
This is a nostalgic return to the past and an attempt to revive a feudal-imperial identity cloaked in religious absolutism. It seeks to undermine the hard-won recognition of ethno-linguistic rights and erase the diversity of belief and identity that defines modern Ethiopia.
4. Implications for National Unity and Regional Stability
Ethiopia is beset by ethnic conflict, economic instability, and authoritarian governance. The rise of a religious-political ideology such as Mo’a Thewahido risks further polarisation. Oromos, Sidamas, Afars, Somalis, and many others will not accept a system that enshrines one religion and one ethnic group as superior. It will almost certainly trigger resistance, deepen national disintegration, and provoke further international condemnation.
Moreover, Ethiopia’s neighbours and international partners would view a theocratic shift as a step toward regional destabilisation. Theocratic radicalism masquerading as nationalist liberation would imperil Ethiopia’s diplomatic, peacekeeping, and trade partner roles.
5. Conclusion: The Path Forward
Fantahun Wake’s advocacy for a theocratic Orthodox-Amhara regime under the Mo’a Thewahido ideology is a direct challenge to Ethiopia’s secular, federal, and democratic aspirations. It is a call for religious supremacy, not national salvation. The international community, domestic civil society, and pro-democracy actors must take this threat seriously.
Ethiopia needs not a religious dictatorship but a renewed social contract, grounded in equality, the rule of law, and mutual respect among its diverse peoples. The path to peace and stability lies in inclusive governance, not in a theocratic vision that isolates and excludes the majority.
Religious nationalism, no matter how sacred its symbols, must be resisted wherever it threatens to become the engine of tyranny.
Habtamu Nini Abino is the author of "The Second Republic and the Politics of Article 39 in Ethiopia" and "Liberal Democracy and the Constitution of 1994: The User’s Handbook."
