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  • More than 100 people who attended Thursday’s premiere at the Wes Watkins Center. Many Oklahoma State University faculty and alums who traveled to Ethiopia in the mid-1950s through late 1960s. Joe Lanane

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  • Mel Tewahade, director and producer of “Point Four,” thanked guests who attended Thursday’s premiere at Oklahoma State University. Joe Lanane

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  • Adam Tewahade, interviewer for the documentary “Point Four,” introduces his father before the film’s premiere on Thursday. Joe Lanane

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  • Mel Tewahade, director and producer of “Point Four,” introduces his film Thursday at the Wes Watkins Center. Joe Lanane

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February 3, 2012

'Point Four' documentary premieres on Oklahoma State University campus

By Joe Lanane joelanane@stwnewspress.com

STILLWATER, Okla. — There were many Oklahoma State University faculty members and students responsible for advancing Ethiopia’s agricultural industry, many of whom highlighted in Thursday’s premiere of “Point Four.”

The documentary showcases American agricultural educators and their families who ventured to Ethiopia in mid 1950s to late 1960s to help develop farming and ranching programs. The film highlights benefits the Point Four program had on native-day Ethiopia as well as the experiences Americans had during their stay in Africa.

“The story is of the people of Oklahoma who came in to a very unknown land very far away with names and geography they didn’t know,” said Mel Tewahade, the film’s producer and director. “Those people are heroes.”

Tewahade was inspired to make the film based on his father’s experiences as the governor of the region of modern-day Haramaya University where the Point Four program originated. He and his son, Adam, visited Stillwater in August to interview OSU faculty and family involved in the program.

Many of those people featured in Point Four were on hand Thursday to see the film’s premiere. David Henneberry, OSU associate vice president of International Studies and Outreach, said afterwards the film truly captured the spirit of the OSU faculty who served in Ethiopia.

“If you watch the audience tonight, a lot of people had tears on their face at the end of it,” Henneberry said. “It’s hard to describe how much emotion people have about their experience in this project.”

Henry Bennett, president of then-Oklahoma A&M College, oversaw the Point Four project that sought to help create bonds between the United States and underdeveloped nations. His involvement eventually helped land Oklahoma A&M a contract that sent faculty members to Ethiopia to assist in the school’s development.

The project is considered OSU’s premiere international involvement, Henneberry said. The university continues to contribute internationally, he said, with OSU faculty making more than 1,000 international trips last year alone.

It is that initial assistance that made such a difference in Ethiopia, Tewahade said. He is in the final stages of completing three more chapters of the Point Four documentary to tell the story about how educational assistance helped Ethiopia become a self-sustaining agricultural country.

“It was just an incredible beginning for Ethiopians,” he said. “Now it’s up to us to build and take it from where America gave us an opportunity.”

For more information about the film, visit www.pointfourethiopia.com.

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