Explanation: At the end of the ‘Scramble for Africa’, a period wherein European powers subjugated and colonized most of Africa, only two states in Africa retained their independence. Liberia, which was an African-American colony, and thus a foreign imposition (albeit of a different sort); and Ethiopia, which was an ancient and native polity which had successfully thrown back invaders for thousands of years.

ETHIOPIA HOURS LET’S GOOOOO

Ethiopia, it must be noted, benefited from both being a relatively stable and coherent polity - with many of Africa’s other overthrown powers in the 19th century being relatively recent formations, caused by the chaos of European demand in the slave trade and the introduction of gunpowder by Europeans over the past 200-300 years, and thus less able to resist outside pressure - and from Ethiopia’s own natural geography providing a defensible position.

Finally, a chance to talk about Michael the Deacon! I mean there’s not a lot to say but it’s really interesting that an Ethiopian deacon befriended Martin Luther and demonstrated to him there’s valid Christianity beyond the pope’s clutches.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_the_Deacon

Edit: and for extra Star Trek fun Ferengi and Negus are Ethiopian words for foreigner and king 🤓