The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education

Mohammed Zeinu Hassen

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11

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The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education

Mohammed Zeinu Hassen^*

Published in International Journal of Secondary Education (Volume 14, Issue 1)

Received: 2 October 2025 Accepted: 13 October 2025 Published: 7 January 2026

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Abstract

This article provides an analysis of the seminal work of the 20th-century Ethiopian philosopher Eguale Gebre Yohannes, የከፍተኛ ትምህርት ዘይቤ (The Style of Higher Education). Published at a critical juncture during the establishment of Ethiopia's modern university system, the book confronts the profound cultural crisis arising from the encounter between indigenous Ethiopian civilization and modern Western thought. The article examines Eguale's central thesis, which rejects both the uncritical imitation of the West and a retreat into stagnant traditionalism. In their place, he proposes a sophisticated philosophy of "Tewahido" (synthesis), an organic and authentic integration that preserves the integrity of both traditions. We explore Eguale's diagnostic framework, particularly his use of potent archetypes, the restless, knowledge-seeking "Faustian" West versus the spiritually-grounded "Yaredic" Ethiopia, to articulate the cultural dilemma. The core of the analysis focuses on his powerful metaphor of grafting a "wild" branch of Western science and methodology onto the "cultivated" rootstock of Ethiopian heritage. This study demonstrates how Eguale argues that the root (Ethiopian tradition) is the primary, life-sustaining element, a radical reversal of the colonial educational model. Furthermore, the article delves into Eguale's humanistic educational aims, which stand in stark opposition to purely utilitarian models of education. He prioritizes the cultivation of a virtuous and self-aware "whole person" over the mere production of skilled technocrats, advocating for a curriculum that fosters self-knowledge and ethical responsibility. The study concludes that Eguale's work offers more than just a historical perspective; it provides a timeless and coherent philosophical blueprint for post-colonial education, presenting a model for authentically integrating local identity with global knowledge.

Published in	International Journal of Secondary Education (Volume 14, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11
Page(s)	1-7
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ethiopian Philosophy, Eguale Gebre Yohannes, Tewahido, Postcolonial Education, Humanism, Higher Education, Cultural Synthesis, Modernization

References

[1]	B. Zewde, A History of Modern Ethiopia, 1855-1991. Ohio University Press, 2nd ed., 2001.
[2]	T. G. Wagaw, The Development of Higher Education and Social Change: An Ethiopian Experience. Michigan State University Press, 1990.
[3]	D. N. Levine, Greater Ethiopia: The Evolution of a Multiethnic Society. University of Chicago Press, 2nd ed., 2000.
[4]	C. Sumner, Classical Ethiopian Philosophy. Commercial Printing Press, 1994.
[5]	E. Gebre Yohannes, የከፍተኛ ትምህርት ዘይቤ [The style of higher education]. Commercial Printing Press, 1963.
[6]	F. Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press, 1963.
[7]	E. W. Said, Orientalism. Pantheon Books, 1978.
[8]	P. Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Bloomsbury Academic, 50th anniversary ed., 2018.
[9]	Plato, The Republic. Cambridge University Press, 2000.
[10]	J. W. v. Goethe, Faust: A Tragedy. W. W. Norton & Company, 2001.
[11]	K. K. Shelemay, Music, Ritual, and Falasha History. Michigan State University Press, 1986.
[12]	F. Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Cambridge University Press, 2006.
[13]	E. Hobsbawm, The Age of Revolution: 17891848. Vintage, 1996.
[14]	T. Tamrat, Church and State in Ethiopia, 1270-1527. Oxford University Press, 1972.
[15]	A. Aymerou and H. Motovu, The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Oxford University Press, 2014.
[16]	The Holy Bible, New International Version. Zondervan, 2011.
[17]	C. Sumner, Ethiopian Philosophy, Vol. II: The Treatise of Zär’a Ya’qob and of Wäldä Ḥywåt. Commercial Printing Press, 1976.
[18]	W. Jaeger, Paideia: The Ideals of Greek Culture. Oxford University Press, 1945.

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APA Style

Hassen, M. Z. (2026). The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education. International Journal of Secondary Education, 14(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11

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ACS Style

Hassen, M. Z. The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education. Int. J. Second. Educ. 2026, 14(1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11

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Hassen MZ. The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education. Int J Second Educ. 2026;14(1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11,
  author = {Mohammed Zeinu Hassen},
  title = {The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education},
  journal = {International Journal of Secondary Education},
  volume = {14},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsedu.20261401.11},
  abstract = {This article provides an analysis of the seminal work of the 20th-century Ethiopian philosopher Eguale Gebre Yohannes, የከፍተኛ ትምህርት ዘይቤ (The Style of Higher Education). Published at a critical juncture during the establishment of Ethiopia's modern university system, the book confronts the profound cultural crisis arising from the encounter between indigenous Ethiopian civilization and modern Western thought. The article examines Eguale's central thesis, which rejects both the uncritical imitation of the West and a retreat into stagnant traditionalism. In their place, he proposes a sophisticated philosophy of "Tewahido" (synthesis), an organic and authentic integration that preserves the integrity of both traditions. We explore Eguale's diagnostic framework, particularly his use of potent archetypes, the restless, knowledge-seeking "Faustian" West versus the spiritually-grounded "Yaredic" Ethiopia, to articulate the cultural dilemma. The core of the analysis focuses on his powerful metaphor of grafting a "wild" branch of Western science and methodology onto the "cultivated" rootstock of Ethiopian heritage. This study demonstrates how Eguale argues that the root (Ethiopian tradition) is the primary, life-sustaining element, a radical reversal of the colonial educational model. Furthermore, the article delves into Eguale's humanistic educational aims, which stand in stark opposition to purely utilitarian models of education. He prioritizes the cultivation of a virtuous and self-aware "whole person" over the mere production of skilled technocrats, advocating for a curriculum that fosters self-knowledge and ethical responsibility. The study concludes that Eguale's work offers more than just a historical perspective; it provides a timeless and coherent philosophical blueprint for post-colonial education, presenting a model for authentically integrating local identity with global knowledge.},
 year = {2026}
}

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Author Information

Mohammed Zeinu Hassen

Department of Social Sciences, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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http://orcid.org/0009-0007-7329-2146

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APA Style

Hassen, M. Z. (2026). The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education. International Journal of Secondary Education, 14(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11

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ACS Style

Hassen, M. Z. The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education. Int. J. Second. Educ. 2026, 14(1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11

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AMA Style

Hassen MZ. The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education. Int J Second Educ. 2026;14(1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11,
  author = {Mohammed Zeinu Hassen},
  title = {The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education},
  journal = {International Journal of Secondary Education},
  volume = {14},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsedu.20261401.11},
  abstract = {This article provides an analysis of the seminal work of the 20th-century Ethiopian philosopher Eguale Gebre Yohannes, የከፍተኛ ትምህርት ዘይቤ (The Style of Higher Education). Published at a critical juncture during the establishment of Ethiopia's modern university system, the book confronts the profound cultural crisis arising from the encounter between indigenous Ethiopian civilization and modern Western thought. The article examines Eguale's central thesis, which rejects both the uncritical imitation of the West and a retreat into stagnant traditionalism. In their place, he proposes a sophisticated philosophy of "Tewahido" (synthesis), an organic and authentic integration that preserves the integrity of both traditions. We explore Eguale's diagnostic framework, particularly his use of potent archetypes, the restless, knowledge-seeking "Faustian" West versus the spiritually-grounded "Yaredic" Ethiopia, to articulate the cultural dilemma. The core of the analysis focuses on his powerful metaphor of grafting a "wild" branch of Western science and methodology onto the "cultivated" rootstock of Ethiopian heritage. This study demonstrates how Eguale argues that the root (Ethiopian tradition) is the primary, life-sustaining element, a radical reversal of the colonial educational model. Furthermore, the article delves into Eguale's humanistic educational aims, which stand in stark opposition to purely utilitarian models of education. He prioritizes the cultivation of a virtuous and self-aware "whole person" over the mere production of skilled technocrats, advocating for a curriculum that fosters self-knowledge and ethical responsibility. The study concludes that Eguale's work offers more than just a historical perspective; it provides a timeless and coherent philosophical blueprint for post-colonial education, presenting a model for authentically integrating local identity with global knowledge.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Root and the Branch: Eguale Gebre Yohannes’s Philosophy of ‘Tewahido’ in Ethiopian Higher Education
AU  - Mohammed Zeinu Hassen
Y1  - 2026/01/07
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11
T2  - International Journal of Secondary Education
JF  - International Journal of Secondary Education
JO  - International Journal of Secondary Education
SP  - 1
EP  - 7
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2376-7472
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20261401.11
AB  - This article provides an analysis of the seminal work of the 20th-century Ethiopian philosopher Eguale Gebre Yohannes, የከፍተኛ ትምህርት ዘይቤ (The Style of Higher Education). Published at a critical juncture during the establishment of Ethiopia's modern university system, the book confronts the profound cultural crisis arising from the encounter between indigenous Ethiopian civilization and modern Western thought. The article examines Eguale's central thesis, which rejects both the uncritical imitation of the West and a retreat into stagnant traditionalism. In their place, he proposes a sophisticated philosophy of "Tewahido" (synthesis), an organic and authentic integration that preserves the integrity of both traditions. We explore Eguale's diagnostic framework, particularly his use of potent archetypes, the restless, knowledge-seeking "Faustian" West versus the spiritually-grounded "Yaredic" Ethiopia, to articulate the cultural dilemma. The core of the analysis focuses on his powerful metaphor of grafting a "wild" branch of Western science and methodology onto the "cultivated" rootstock of Ethiopian heritage. This study demonstrates how Eguale argues that the root (Ethiopian tradition) is the primary, life-sustaining element, a radical reversal of the colonial educational model. Furthermore, the article delves into Eguale's humanistic educational aims, which stand in stark opposition to purely utilitarian models of education. He prioritizes the cultivation of a virtuous and self-aware "whole person" over the mere production of skilled technocrats, advocating for a curriculum that fosters self-knowledge and ethical responsibility. The study concludes that Eguale's work offers more than just a historical perspective; it provides a timeless and coherent philosophical blueprint for post-colonial education, presenting a model for authentically integrating local identity with global knowledge.
VL  - 14
IS  - 1
ER  -

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