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The century old traditional house of Dejazmach
Ayalew Emiru is to be handed over to Liya Kebede, a
super model residing in New York. Feleke Yimer,
deputy general manager of the city, has, on June 2,
2008, instructed the city Housing Development
Project Office to furnish condominium housing to 24
head of households who are currently occupying the
building.
The decision to grant the historical house to Liya
was made by Berhane Deressa, former mayor of the
city, during his last days in office. The house is
located in Kirkos District, Kebele 02/03, behind the
Cameroon Embassy off Africa Avenue (Bole Road).
“The one-storey building is not in a good form now,”
says Worku Ambaye, who has been staying in the house
since 1974. “Rain leaks into the house. It is
because I have no better option that I am living
here with four of my children.”
Every household has a single or two rooms. Although
the house was initially put up with lumber, the
residents have been overhauling it with corrugated
iron sheets.
What are considered as historical relics in the city
master plan are 33 churches, two mosques, 73 houses
of former chiefs, 2 institutions, and 17 monuments,
trenches and bridges.
The city has plans to outsource such houses to
private investors that would like to use them as
galleries, hotels or exhibition and bazaar spots.
Thus, Dejazmach Ayalew’s was granted to the famous
Ethiopian model. Dejazmach is a military title
meaning commander of the central body of traditional
Ethiopian armed forces. Dejazmach, who died forty
years ago, was the leader in the fight against
Italy.
Liya’s plan is to revamp the houses a bid to make it
a hub for tourists, according to those who were
exposed to her proposal.
Liya was born and raised in Addis Abeba. While she
was attending Lycee Guebremariam, she was introduced
to a French modeling agent. After completing her
studies, she moved to France to pursue work through
a Parisian agency. She later relocated to New York
City. For her 2.5 million dollars earning in July
2007, Forbes named her the eleventh in the list of
the world’s 15 top earning models.
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