Its over 100 years since his death and until today there is no African leader that thinks like him. The only small example that I see doing positive for his people is Paul Kagame of Rwanda (I salute him) but nothing like Menelik.
Anyways, Menelik excelled in many areas that no African leader has been able to until today. He left a great legacy but many have failed to understand the man that kept Ethiopia not only free from the paws of the West but kept her 2000 year old civilization intact. Thus giving Sub-Sahara Africa something to be proud of as a race and as people of true Africa.
During his effort to secure parts of Africa from European scrambles, the Emperor moved his establishment to Addis Ababa in 1886 then a small village. This was no accident but a calculated move by Menelik, who understood the geopolitics of the time and 200 years ahead. He knew somehow that Addis Ababa was and would be the very epic-center of the vast Ethiopian empire not only politically and economically but most importantly geographically. Addis Ababa is exactly 500km radius at the epic-center of Ethiopia today. Only 10 percent of Ethiopia's vast land, which then included Eritrea, was outside the 500km radius that surrounded the capital.
Thus it shows the thought and thinking process behind why Atse Menelik has indeed made Addis Ababa the epic-center of Ethiopia because naturally it is and its clear its status is well deserved.
Enjoy the following diagrams and demonstrations that I have compiled together to show what I mean by this argument. This is the first time that someone has argued this case or presented such case for Addis Ababa - the center of Ethiopian empire.

Diagram shows Ethiopian capital at the very center of Ethiopian state geographically.

The area outside the 500km radius is only 125,000 sq km, which represents about 10% of Ethiopian landmass.

The longest distance from Addis Ababa to the East near the Somalia-border (about 1000km long and only 500km outside the radius)

The longest distance from Addis Ababa to the North near the Sudanese-border (about 1000km long and only 500km outside the radius, before Eritrean secession)
Menelik's ambition expansion was spear headed by Emperor Tewodros II of Gonder (Dembiya). Following the path and vision of Tewodros II, Menelik II was able to defeat warring lords, warlords and tribal warriors thus declaring himself King of Kings (Nagusa Nagast).
Enjoy the following tone (especially from 4:40, me like the way they play the maskino (Ethiopian lute)). It's a dedication to Gonder, the Fasiledes; the home of Tewodros II and those before him (Agaw rulers).
Ras Hawdian----The epic-center of my world is endless from Tis Abay to Maydh.


