Mengistu Lemma

Who was Mengistu Lemma?

Mengistu Lemma was an Ethiopian playwright and poet.

Mengistu was born in Harar, to Aleqa Lemma Hailu and Wro Abebech Yilma. After undertaking traditional religious studies at the Tiqo Mekane Selassie church where his father was Aleqa, he moved to the capital Addis Ababa due to the transfer of his father to the Qatchane Medhane'alem Church. There he was admitted to Kotebe Qedamawi Haile Selassie school.

In 1948, Mengistu studied in London at the Regent Street Polytechnic before attendending the London School of Economics. In the six years he spent in London, he was able to meet and then establish friendship with the famous British playwright George Bernard Shaw.

In 1954, Mengistu returned to Ethiopia and then was sent to the embassy of Ethiopia to India as an official. There he completed his play "Telfo Be Kissie", which he had created for a marriage ceremony while he was in Ethiopia. This play was the first modern comedy play in the history of Ethiopian theatre. He also wrote "Yalacha Gabicha", "Tsere Colonialist" and "Bale Kaba Ena Bale Daba". In addition Mengistu translated Anton Chekhov's "The Bear" as "Dandiew Chabude" and J.B. Priestley's "An Inspector Calls" as "Tayaqi".