Inspired by His Farewell Words to the Late Legendary Artist Berekhet Mengsteab
When I listened to the recent BBC Tigrinya interview with the legendary artist Abrar Osman, in which he offered a heartfelt tribute to his lifelong comrade and brother-in-struggle Berekhet Mengsteab, I was deeply moved. His words were not merely a farewell to a departed friend they were an opening into the soul of a generation that carried the weight of a nation on its shoulders.
In Abrar’s trembling voice, one could hear a love that time cannot erode:
love for Eritrea, love for its people, and love for comrades whose memories are forever etched into our national story.
Above all, one could feel the sincerity of a man who lived through hardship, sacrifice, exile, and unwavering loyalty the kind of sincerity Eritreans instinctively recognise as genuine and honourable.
Abrar’s tribute was more than an expression of grief; it was a reminder of the quiet burden carried by thousands who gave their youth, strength, and dreams to the liberation of their homeland. Many — like Abrar and Berekhet spent their most formative years in the trenches and mountains, sharing the hopes and dangers of the fighters they accompanied. They endured hunger, separation, and loss, yet their love for Eritrea never faltered.
Even those who later found themselves in exile never truly left; their hearts remained anchored in Eritrea.
As I listened to Abrar, I was transported back to the early 1990s. I had just completed my university studies and was preparing, with hope and longing, to return to the land I had been forced to leave as a child a land that never left me. Fate had other plans, and that return never happened. It remains a quiet ache within me.
But this tribute is not about my journey.
It is about the truth Abrar voiced a truth that felt like a sigh released after decades of silence.
Speaking directly to Berekhet, he said:
“You won. Those of us who remained behind achieved very little or nothing.”
In those words lay humility, sorrow, and the weight of a survivor’s heart.
But Abrar did not stop there. He added two lines that pierced the hearts of all who heard them:
“Whether in happiness or in difficult times, the best place one can be is among his own people.”
And then, with greater honesty still:
“Berekhet did not return home to seek comfort for himself he went to make things better for all of us.”
In these simple yet profound sentences, Abrar captured the essence of Berekhet’s life — and the story of an entire generation.
They did not chase wealth, comfort, or personal gain. They chased dignity.
They did not seek homes for themselves. They sought a homeland for their people.
And I would like to say to Abrar:
“You too have won. You have earned the love and respect of every Eritrean — including those of younger generations who came to know you through your timeless and inspiring songs.”
For the deeper truth remains: that entire generation achieved far more than they will ever acknowledge.
A Generation of Artists Formed by the Struggle
Berekhet and Abrar belonged to a generation of Eritrean artists who did not stand at a distance from the struggle — they lived it, breathed it, marched with it, and fought within it.
Alongside their peers from the haunting voice of Yemane Barya, to the steadfast Osman Abdurahim, the soulful Hussein Mohamed Ali, and many others they became the cultural backbone of the liberation era.
They fought on many fronts: with their songs, their courage, their art, their conviction, and their unwavering belief that justice was worth every sacrifice.
Their music lifted exhausted fighters, comforted grieving mothers, strengthened exiles scattered across continents, and preserved the dignity of a nation under siege.
Their art was never mere entertainment;
it was resistance, memory, healing, and hope.
Yet among all these giants, the bond between Abrar and Berekhet stands out — a bond forged in hardship, strengthened by shared purpose, and honoured with lifelong loyalty.
A Legacy That Will Never Fade
Today, Eritrea stands upon the foundations built by these extraordinary individuals.
Their generation in the trenches, in the cultural brigades, in refugee camps, and across the diaspora shaped the identity and spirit of our nation.
They transformed suffering into poetry, struggle into song, and sacrifice into a legacy that lives on.
This tribute is therefore, above all, to Abrar Osman — for his heartfelt and deeply human words; and to Berekhet Mengsteab, whose voice, spirit, and sacrifices will forever echo in the hearts of Eritreans.
May Berekhet rest in eternal peace.
May Abrar continue to inspire us with his wisdom, humility, and devotion.
And may all the artists-freedom fighters of that unforgettable generation be remembered not for the hardships they endured, but for the nation they helped build
A nation that continues to draw strength, identity, and pride from their sacrifices.
