Woldeab Woldemariam

Woldeab Woldemariam (ወልደአብ ወልደማርያም), also spelled Weldeab Weldemariam, (April 27, 1905 – May 15, 1995) was an Eritrean revolutionary and political figure of origin who was one of the original proponents of the Eritrean Independence movement and an uncompromising advocate of freedom considered by many Eritreans as fathers of Eritrea nationalism. He worked closely with Ibrahim Sultan Ali after the Federation with Ethiopia to secure Eritrean Independence.

Woldemariam (also known by his nickname as WelWel) was a teacher, journalist, radical revolutionary, a great debater and an uncompromising advocate of freedom. His commitment to individual freedom, democracy and justice was as unshakable as his commitment to the unity of Eritrea and the dignity of its people. The clarity of his thinking, which was expressed in his newspaper articles of the 19 xx1943, is now available to a new generation, compiled in a book (Mirutsat Anqetsat Ato Woldeab, 1944–1991). The book was edited by Tikabo Aresi'e and published in 1995.

He was a devout Christian of the Protestant congregation.

Teaching In 1931 he was assigned by his then employer, the Swedish Evangelical Mission (SEM) school, to teach in a village called Suzana. This was his first exposure to the Kunama people. He was a teacher in this school through 1935 until he was moved to Asmara.

In Asmara he was promoted to direct the entire SEM school system, which he continued to do until 1942. During this time he popularized the use of Tigrinya and published two textbooks which would remain standard texts for over twenty years.

Political career In 1942 he left the SEM and at the behest of the British Military Administration, became an editor for the Tigrinya language newspaper. After a trip to Addis Ababa, he became a chief opponent of unification with Ethiopia. Chief among his fears of uniting Eritrea with Ethiopia beside his love of his Eritrean people and country was the corruption and poverty that he saw when he visited Addis Ababa. In 1946 he brought together Christian and Muslim nationalists to advocate for the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia.

Between 1947 and 1953 he was subjected to seven assassination attempts. "I always said, 'I am not a Christian, I am not a highlander. I am an Eritrean.'"