Visiting the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa's biggest dam, via a chartered flight, WODE MAYA was struck by the "absolutely beautiful" and "absolutely unbelievable" scale of the project, which he believes showcases "African excellence". The host of Wode Maya channel dedicated to positive African stories felt it was "historical" and necessary to visit the site to "tell the story better". WODE MAYA raised the Ethiopian flag high at the site "because I'm so proud as an African" and expressed his conviction that the dam should inspire "each and every African country that we can start building our own continent together".
The immense structure, which measures 1.8 kilometers in length and reaches up to 170 meters in height, is remarkable for its financial independence. WODE MAYA defined the GERD as an "Ethiopian sovereign project" that was "proudly funded by the people of Ethiopia", proving the statement "Africa beyond aid". The host pointed out that the project received no funds from international organizations, the IMF, or the World Bank, making it the "real property of Ethiopians". The Ethiopian government covered the majority of expenses, but all Ethiopians, both domestically and in the diaspora, were invited to contribute through continuous fundraising and the purchase of special bonds.
This internal funding model is why WODE MAYA defines the dam as a "second Adwa," comparing it to the historic defeat of the Italians. The project is seen as having "defeated the notion of Africans always being dependent on the west to fund our project," making it a historical moment and "another independence" for the country. After witnessing the dam, which was constructed over 14 years, WODE MAYA celebrated the fact that "every penny that was contributed to build this majestic dam right behind me was contributed by Ethiopians".
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The GERD's primary purpose is to produce electricity to relieve Ethiopia's acute energy shortage, guaranteeing more than 5,000 megawatts of power and an average of 15,700 gigawatt-hours of energy per annum, making it the biggest hydropower plant in Africa. This means that "every corner of Ethiopia will experience light gradually," putting an end to the power shortage in the country.
Furthermore, WODE MAYA highlighted the dam's role in "regional integration," noting that Ethiopia is already supplying power to four neighboring countries—Kenya, Sudan, and Djibouti—and has made an agreement to supply Tanzania, which will be the fifth. The host celebrated this regional sharing, recalling that this goal was once pursued by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who supplied electricity to Ghana's neighbors with a dam in the 1960s.
The Pan-African spirit of the GERD was further underscored by WODE MAYA’s interview with a Ugandan chief surveyor, who had worked on the dam for 13 years since the site was "simply bush". The surveyor described the project as deeply "Pana African" and a "good start" for Africans to unite.
WODE MAYA acknowledged the controversy with downstream countries like Sudan and Egypt, who are "still sticking to the colonial days agreement". However, Ethiopia maintains that the construction on the Nile tributary is purely to meet energy demands from one of the cleanest sources of energy, emphasizing that "the water is for everyone in Nile Basin". WODE MAYA personally stood where the dam discharges water, noting that two of the six gates are currently open to connect the water back to the Nile before it moves to Sudan and Egypt. Ultimately, WODE MAYA celebrated the GERD as an engineering "masterpiece" and a "pillar for energy independence" that will enable economic growth, regional integration, and environmental protection for the entire region.
