አዎ እኔም የእብድ የቃውስ የሸርሙጣ ትርጉም ለነፃነት የሚታገሉ ኢትዮጵያዊነትን የሚሰብክ ግፈኞችን የሚታገል…ለኢትዮጵያዊነት የሚኖር ከሆነ አዎ እብድ ነኝ አዎ ቀውስ ነኝ አዎ ሸርሙጣ ነኝ እላቸዋለው፡፡
Why I am boycotting Ȼoca Ȼola
June 16, 2014
Why I am boycotting Ȼoca Ȼola
Coca Cola is NOT the real thing
Diaspora Ethiopians are expressing their outrage on social and online
media and calling for a boycott of Coca Cola Company for its unethical,
arbitrary and unfair dealings with Ethiopia’s pop music superstar
Teodros Kassahun (Teddy Afro). They say the Coca Cola Company singled
out Teddy and maliciously targeted him for discrimination. Coca Cola
commissioned 32 local versions of the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup
“anthem”. Coca Cola has officially released all versions except
Ethiopia’s version sung by Teddy Afro!
I now join the boycott of Coca Cola. I ask the millions of readers who
have followed my weekly commentaries over the past eight years to join
me in boycotting Coca Cola.
I am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the Coca Cola Company and
its representatives have done Teddy wrong. They have demeaned, degraded
and humiliated him publicly. They have dishonored, tarnished and
scandalized his good name. They have treated him unfairly, cruelly and
unscrupulously.
An official representative of Coca Cola Company was quoted in a June 7 report stating that“Teddy Afro was brought into our Coke Studio in Africa to record a version of the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup song, ‘The World is Ours’ with the goal of capturing the unique genre of Ethiopian music. The contract with Teddy Afro was executed by a 3rd party,
Mandala Limited, a production House based Nairobi and Teddy Afro was
compensated in full for his efforts.” The official further stated that
“following recording the produced track become the property of Coca-Cola
CEWA to be used at the Company’s discretion. The song has not been released and there are no plans for release at this time.”
In a June 10 press release, Teddy Afro’s official representatives decried Coca Cola’s bizarre and unprofessional behavior in
making the public statement given the fact that a confidentiality
clause in the contract precluded public disclosure of contractual terms.
The statement expressed puzzlement over Coca Cola’s “unwarranted
prevention of the release of the Ethiopian Version of the World Cup
Anthem” and lack of “any response although we have brought the issue to
their attention before we decided to publish the press release on our
website.” It accused Coca Cola of engaging in “corporate arrogance”, bad
faith dealings and a flagrant violation of its “supposed corporate
ethical principles of integrity, honesty, public trust and confidence.”
It expressed deep disappointment over the fact that Coca Cola released a
public statement that is “degrading and disrespectful of our fans and
even Coca Cola’s customers.”
Teddy Afro’s official representatives categorically rejected Coca Cola’s
assertion that “the contract with Teddy Afro was executed by a 3rd
party, Mandala Limited, a production House based Nairobi.” They said an
official Coca Cola representative, “Mr. Misikir Mulugeta [Brand Manager
for Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Manadala TV] approached us and took the
initiative to make the selection for the Coke project and further
“brought” us in touch with Coke Studio, signed the contract with Mandala
TV, the agent for Coca Cola, Central, East and West Africa Limited… Mr.
Misikir as an employee and Manadala TV as the agent who have been
contracted to carry out various musical property services and acted for
and on behalf of Coca Cola Central, East and West Africa, in the same
legal capacity and effect as the representative of Coca Cola,
headquartered in Atlanta that issued the statement.”
They also pointed out glaring inconsistencies in Coca Cola’s public
statement. If the Coca Cola Company does not have any contractual
relationship with Teddy Afro, why did it feel the need to issue a public
statement on him? Why did Coca Cola claim that Teddy has been paid “in
full for his efforts,” and that “the produced track become the property
of Coca-Cola CEWA?” if the Company did not have a contractual engagement
with Teddy to produce the world cup song?
What is so objectionable about the Ethiopian version of the world
cup anthem that compelled Coca Cola not to release it officially?
There is ABSOLUTELY nothing political or controversial about the lyrics
or melody in Teddy’s version of the world cup anthem. In fact, Teddy
used an Amharic translation of words taken directly from David Correy’s official lyrics to the world cup song “The World is Ours”. Nothing more, nothing less.
Why is Teddy Afro singled out of 32 global musical artists and targeted
for humiliation and degradation by Coca Cola? Why is Coca Cola
unwilling to privately explain to Teddy its reasons for not releasing
the Ethiopian version of the song officially? Why isn’t Coca Cola coming
clean and telling Teddy’s millions of fans its reasons for not
releasing the Ethiopian version of the anthem?
Why I am “dumping” Coca Cola
The official statement of Coca Cola refusing to release the Ethiopian
version of the world cup song has been a source of jubilation and
victorious chest-beating for Teddy Afro haters. They triumphantly
announced, “Coca Cola dumps Teddy Afro!”
I am dumping Coca Cola like they dump industrial chemicals at a toxic waste dumpsite. I am not using this metaphor lightly. “The Coca-Cola Co. has settled lawsuits over ingredients that can form cancer-causing benzene (in two of its products) Fanta Pineapple and Vault Zero”.
Coca Cola lists 114 different product lines on its website beginning with virtually every letter of the English alphabet from Aquapure to Zico.
I am dumping all 114 products. I will not buy or use Aquapure, Barq’s,
Coca-Cola, DASANI, Evian, FUZE, Glacéau Vitaminwater, Hi-C, Inca Kola,
Jericho, Kinley, Lift, Minute Maid, Northern Neck, Odwalla, POWERADE,
Red Flash, Sprite, TaB, VAULT, Worx Energy, Zico… I will not encourage
or recommend to anyone to buy or use these products. As a matter of
fact, I ask my millions of readers throughout the world not to buy or
use these products!
Let us unite and Dump Coca Cola and all of its 114 products!
For decades, the Coca-Cola Company promoted its products with all sorts
of charming and gimmicky slogans and jingles that affirmed its corporate
integrity, universal appeal and wholesome business values. Their
ubiquitous taglines proclaimed, “Coke: It’s the Real Thing.” “Things Go
Better With Coke.” “Coke is what the world wants today.” “I’d like to
buy the world a Coke.” “Coke Adds Life.” “Have a Coke and a Smile.”
“Coke is It.” Coca Cola even had a television commercial song with the
opening line, “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.”
The truth is Coke is as real as a sprite (fairy).
Things go bitter with Coke in Ethiopia.
Coca Cola has caused acrimony, not harmony in Ethiopia.
Coke has added not life but strife in Ethiopia.
Coke does not make Ethiopians smile; it makes them downright hostile.
Coke is It, if you only added the letters “sh” to it.
I will not drink Coke, the high fructose makes me choke.
I would like the world NOT to buy Coke or any of the other 113 products.
The last thing the world needs today is Coke. Coke is a joke!
Things go bitter with Coke in Ethiopia.
Coca Cola has caused acrimony, not harmony in Ethiopia.
Coke has added not life but strife in Ethiopia.
Coke does not make Ethiopians smile; it makes them downright hostile.
Coke is It, if you only added the letters “sh” to it.
I will not drink Coke, the high fructose makes me choke.
I would like the world NOT to buy Coke or any of the other 113 products.
The last thing the world needs today is Coke. Coke is a joke!
I know why they do not want the song of the proud bird of Ethiopian popular music not to be heard by the world
Teddy Afro loves his people and country and he is being punished for it.
There is no question in my mind that the despicable and petty-minded
regime in Ethiopia has pressured Coca Cola not to release Teddy’s song.
The reason is simple. That wickedly vengeful regime wants to show Teddy
Afro who the real boss is. They want to show Teddy and his supporters
how smart, cunning and smooth they can be in taking revenge. They
watched and snickered as the whole deal went down with Coca Cola from
the beginning. They let it go on. They said, “Let Teddy work his heart
out and come up with a beautiful song.” They rubbed their hands
gleefully, “We’ll teach him a lesson in revenge that he will never
forget.” Revenge and hate courses in their blood stream.
At the last minute, they pounced on Coca Cola. (Coca
Cola completed its third bottling plant in Dire Dawa in 2013.) If Coca
Cola wants to expand its market in Ethiopia, it must not release Teddy
Afro’s world cup song. Poor Coca Cola is literally caught between the Devil and Teddy Afro.
Of course, none of that nonsense matters to Teddy Afro. He will keep on
singing “Love conquers all.” His maxim is, “There is no revenge so
complete as forgiveness.” He forgives those who have done him wrong.
(Jah, Yasteseryal!)
Any casual observer of the thugtatorship in Ethiopia is familiar with
the silly psyop (psychological warfare) they are waging against Teddy to
demoralize, unnerve and discourage him from being a symbol of national
unity and pride. They have used similar dirty tricks for years against
their opponents and will continue to do so.
The fact of the matter is that for his entire artistic career Teddy Afro
has shown undying love for Ethiopia. In all of his songs and lyrics,
Teddy has glorified Ethiopia and spoken truth to mercenaries and thugs.
His music, songs and lyrics have been effective antidotes to the
diabolical efforts to undermine the spirit and morale of the Ethiopian
people. Teddy proclaimed in his lyrics, “Hold on, hold tight! Ethiopia’s
resurrection (Ye Itopia tinsae) is near, if only we forgive each other
in love.”
In his album Yasteseryal, Teddy exposed the truth about the seizure of
the “throne” by a criminal band of thugs. He used his songs to call on
Ethiopians of all ethnic backgrounds to live in harmony, peace and love
in a single Ethiopian nation. He has used his peerless musical talent to
bring Christians and Muslims to join hands in peace and friendship.
Teddy has been offered riches and rewards beyond measure to sell out his
integrity and honor. But on all occasions, he has refused to sell his
soul to thugs.
Teddy Afro is the most inspiring young artist of his generation. Teddy
has inspired millions of Ethiopia’s young people to yearn for democracy,
freedom and human rights in a single Ethiopian nation. Now they are
making him “pay” for his patriotism by silencing his musical voice. It
is impossible to silence the song of truth.
Teddy is not for sale! Teddy cannot be bought by Coca Cola, by a
billionaire or by thugs. They can try to humiliate and scandalize him.
The simple truth is that Teddy has pride and dignity in himself and in
his country as big as the Ras Dashen mountain. Thugs, bullies and
gangsters will forever remain thugs, bullies and gangsters no matter how
rich they become for all of the money they have stolen. This is no
invective. It is a fact!
Please don’t hate Teddy Afro because he has pride in himself and his
country! Don’t hate him because he is a class act. Don’t hate him
because he is a patriot. He can’t help it. He was born that way!
Teddy Afro, NOT Coke, is the real thing in Ethiopia!
The world and, most of all, the world football federation needs Teddy
Afro. Teddy is an African musical genius. His lyrical mantra is, “Love
Conquers All!” He brings Africans together in uplifting lyrics and
musical harmony.
Teddy is the most popular musical artist in Ethiopia today because his
music brings people together. He sings of love, peace, friendship and
goodwill among Ethiopians and Africans. He sings protest songs. He sings
of the need for reconciliation, understanding and forgiveness. He
sings work songs for those building a new Ethiopia. He sings about the
natural beauty of Ethiopia and its people. Teddy Afro sings about his
love of Africa.
Teddy Afro’s music makes life supremely enjoyable. I’d like to see the
world listen to Teddy Afro sing in perfect harmony. Teddy Afro’s music
adds life and joy to a country that has been rendered lifeless and
joyless by a vicious dictatorship.
Teddy Afro is the real thing! Teddy Afro is the real Ethiopian!
Teddy’s latest album, Tikur Sew (Black Man), is a celebration of
Ethiopia’s victory over Italy in 1896. That stunning victory is a
milestone in African and world history. Less than two years after the
Berlin Conference in which the European colonial powers agreed to carve
up Africa and began their subjugation of African peoples, Emperor
Menelik II of Ethiopia routed the Italian Army at the Battle of Adwa in
the First Italo-Ethiopian War. The Battle of Adwa marked the first time
a European power was brought to its knees by an African army. Fascist
Italy tried to colonize Ethiopia again in 1935 in the Second
Italo-Ethiopian War. They got a rear-end kicking they would never
forget. Ethiopia remained the only country in Africa (other than
Liberia) to remain free from colonialism. Teddy Afro sings of Ethiopia,
its fearless leaders and the ordinary people who fought to keep their
independence and sovereignty not only with bows, arrows and outdated
muskets, but also pride.
I am proud of Teddy and his extraordinary artistic accomplishments. I am
proud of his enormous contributions to Ethiopian popular culture. I am
proud of his untiring efforts to bring about harmony, unity and
reconciliation among the people of Ethiopia through his music. He is a
man of extraordinary integrity and disarming humility. When they attack
his reputation viciously, he does not respond. He just says, “Love
conquers all.” Haters just can’t fight a man who uses love to conquer
all.
When the late Meles Zenawi jailed Teddy on trumped up charges of hit and run resulting in a fatality in 2008,
I defended Teddy in the court of world public opinion. I also listed
the ten real “crimes” Teddy committed for which Meles Zenawi ordered his
arrest and conviction. Meles was pierced by the truth and aspirations
expressed in Teddy’s lyrics.
When Teddy came to Los Angeles in 2010, I attended his concert. It was phenomenal.Teddy
reminded me of the great Bob Marely I saw as a young man during his
Kaya and Survival tours in the late 1970s standing in the front row. Like
Marley whose passion was African liberation and Pan-Africanism, Teddy’s
passion is the freedom, unity, reconciliation and harmony of the
Ethiopian people. Like Marley, Teddy’s music is stirring, thrilling and
even heart-wrenching. Like Marley, Teddy sings songs of love, peace,
hope, faith, charity, justice, reconciliation, understanding and
forgiveness. These are the sources of Teddy’s rhythmic power which
enable him to reach deep into the Ethiopian soul and psyche and suture
the festering wounds of despair, soothe the unendurable pain of
oppression and prophesy the resurrection of Ethiopia from the graveyard
of dictatorship. Nothing can stop Teddy from preaching love, peace and
justice in Ethiopia.
I consider Teddy a heroic Ethiopian artist and my personal hero!
The world is ours, NOT Coke’s. We must dump Coca Cola one person, one Coke bottle/can at a time
I am calling on the millions of readers who have followed my weekly
commentaries over the years to join me and “Dump Coke!” Let’s rescue our
world from the clutches of Coke.
Coca Cola does not care if we hold candle light vigils in protest. Coca
Cola does not care about our moral outrage. It cares only about its
bottom line. Coca-Cola has global sales of over 30 billion cases in over
200 countries. They spend billions of dollars in global marketing
campaigns every year. The only language Coca Cola understands is the
language of the bottom line.
If we act one person at a time and stop buying and using the 114 Coca
Cola products, we can take back our world from the clutches of Coca Cola
in 114 days.
I ask my readers in Ethiopia to conduct their own boycott. I ask them
to have their own individual “Coke Out Day”. No Coke, every day!!!
This boycott is not about Coca Cola. It is about Ethiopian national
pride. It is about taking back our country from soda peddlers and thugs.
I say fight back one Coca Cola bottle, one Coca Cola can at a time!
Coca Cola brags, “The World is Ours!” We need to show Coca Cola Ethiopia is OURS!
Ultimately, my personal boycott of Coca Cola is not about challenging
Coca Cola to come clean on Teddy Afro. It is not even about speaking
truth to the tone deaf regime that is twisting Coca Cola’s hands behind
the scenes. It is about my pride in being an Ethiopian. When
Coca Cola commissions 32 local versions of the world cup song,
releases 31 of them and “dumps” the Ethiopian version, I say to Coca
Cola, “GO TO HELL!!!”
Just say NO to Coke!
Professor
Alemayehu G. Mariam teaches political science at California State
University, San Bernardino and is a practicing defense lawyer.
Previous commentaries by the author are available at:
Amharic translations of recent commentaries by the author may be found at:
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