Quote by Emperor Menelik II: “Ethiopia has stretched out her hands to God, and He has heard her prayers.”

This quote shows Menelik II's strong belief that Ethiopia's independence and destiny were divinely guided. He was signaling to European powers that Ethiopia was under God's protection and would not easily yield.

Menelik II, facing European colonial ambitions during the Scramble for Africa, issued this proclamation. He asserted Ethiopia's sovereignty and its divine right to remain an independent nation.

Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 to 1913, who decisively defeated the Italian army at the Battle of Adwa in 1896 — the first major victory of an African nation against a European colonial power. His modernisation programme and military success preserved Ethiopian independence during the Scramble for Africa.