Addis Ababa stands as a defiant symbol of motion and progress. Unlike the stasis that has gripped cities like Durban, Luanda, Mombasa and Kinshasa, this mountainous city carves its identity as a hopeful antithesis -- a space where despair melts into the promise of something greater.

I leave you now, Addis, reluctantly and with a heavy heart; this love we share is too sweet, too obsessive, too consuming. Each time we meet, I lose my head, much like Tracy Chapman sings: lost to matters of the heart. It is very difficult to fall or restore unconditional affection for African cities these days.

But alas, O land of the yellow blossoms, duty calls. I must tear myself away from your soothing embrace, leaving behind all my alluring desires. I console myself only with the hope that this separation is not final -- that we shall meet again soon, and that the flame you have kindled will burn even brighter when we do.

Symbol of motion and progress

Addis Ababa stands as a defiant symbol of motion and progress. Unlike the stasis that has gripped cities like Durban, Luanda, Mombasa and Kinshasa, this mountainous city carves its identity as a hopeful antithesis -- a space where despair melts into the promise of something greater. In every corner, Addis negotiates between the hard truths of its political past and the dream of a brighter African future. It breaks free from the shackles of the sub-city that many old urban...