BN Book Excerpt: A Tale of an African Executive & His African Dream Team, in Corporate America by Yibrah Tesfazghi

I was struck by the vivid description of the dimly lit church in Sere'e, Eritrea, where young students gathered to learn the sacred skills of memorization and oral recitation. The faint glow of kerosene lamps, called Lamba, cast a flickering yellow light on the rough walls, yet the smoky haze they produced was a constant discomfort. For the students, this smoke became a symbol of endurance; a reminder that even a dim light could brighten the path to knowledge.

In the year 1954, a long and gruesome drought in the Hazemo plains finally came to an end, marking a time of renewal and resistance in the Akele Guzay Region of Eritrea. It was into this climate that Yibrah Tesfazghi was born, a name that loosely translates to "let it be light" or "let it be bright" in his native Semitic Tigrigna language. Yibrah was born in the ancient Logo clan's village of Sere'e, where traditional houses, known as Hedmo, were the norm. These houses, consisting of masonry walls, wooden ceilings, and soil roofs, were the only structures available to the people of Sere'e.

Formal schooling was a distant dream in Sere'e, but education took root within the modest walls of Saint Mary's Church, an Orthodox sanctuary where learning was passed down through the oral traditions of storytelling and recitation. Night lessons, conducted in a blend of Tigrigna and Ge'ez, were led by the esteemed Qeshi Neguse Atzebaha, the head priest. The curriculum revolved around two sacred skills: Memorisation and Oral Recitation. Young students would gather in the dimly lit church, listening intently as the priest recited ancient Ge'ez religious texts. Materials like pens and paper were virtually non-existent, making every written word evidence of determination.

The smoky haze produced by the kerosene lamps, known as Lamba, became a constant reminder to the students of the challenges they faced. Despite the discomfort, the students persevered, driven by their desire to learn. The use of kerosene lamps was evidence of the resourcefulness of the people of Sere'e, who made do with limited resources to pursue their education.

Transportation in Sere'e was limited, with only a single blue bus making its way across the Hazemo plains each day. Catching the bus was always a gamble, with three factors determining the chances: whether the bus would pass that day, whether there would be room, and the mood of the driver. For most people, horses, mules, and donkeys were the primary means of transportation, a reminder of the village's reliance on traditional methods.

Radios were a rare luxury in Sere'e, with only eleven existing in the village by the early 1960s. Even those radios were often without batteries, making news travel by word of mouth the primary means of communication.

The oral traditions of storytelling and recitation played a significant role in the education of the people of Sere'e. The use of these methods allowed for the passing down of knowledge from one generation to the next, evidence of the importance of oral tradition in the village's culture.

• Yibrah Tesfazghi was born in 1954 in Sere'e, Eritrea.
• He was born in a traditional house called a Hedmo.
• Formal schooling was not available in Sere'e, but education took root within the walls of Saint Mary's Church.
• The curriculum in Saint Mary's Church revolved around memorization and oral recitation.
• Kerosene lamps, known as Lamba, were used for lighting in the church.

As a writer, I am struck by the resilience of the people of Sere'e, who made do with limited resources to pursue their education. The use of kerosene lamps, traditional transportation methods, and oral traditions of storytelling and recitation are evidence of the resourcefulness and determination of the people of Sere'e. Despite the challenges they faced, the people of Sere'e persevered, driven by their desire to learn and grow. As Yibrah Tesfazghi's story reminds us, even a dim light can brighten the path to knowledge.