Binyam was born on September 10 1968, the first day of the celebration of the Ethiopian new year on the moon of መስከረም Mäskäräm. Binyam is the great grandson of the Abysinian\Ethiopian/lemba Beta Esrael Great SELAMUN OF THE CLOUD. Of the Cloud because he had a cloud hovering over his head occasionally to use it at battle fields to confuse enemies and slay them in their confusion. He would Slay them with a sword,
Binyam was born to South African parents, but of lemba Beta Esrael origin, He was born north of Rustenburg city, South Africa, village of Sandfontein { Mogwase} near Saulpoort { Moruleng} village of Binyam,s grandmother Mogani of the Mabula family in the Now Northwest Province of South Africa.
Sandfontein is near Northam and Thabazimbi. Some of Binyam’s extended family live in the nearby village of Lerome. These villages were in the former homeland of Bophuthatswana
Binyam’s family then moved to Mabopane north of Pretoria and settled on the banks of Odi river at Zone C near Soshanguve
Binyam is the sixth child out of nine children of King Abel Selamun son of Mavhungu Selamun, son of Selamun, son of Sena son of Baramina, son of Lemba and Queen Mother Lehuma Selamun, daughter of Talitha, daughter of Mochelo.
Binyam is the great grandson of Sara {the rain queen} great grandson of Muofhe. Binyam, is grandson of Mogani of Mabula. This lineage is on his father’s side.
Binyam’s Grandfather Selamun whose name the locals transliterated to Seremane and whose name the Vendas changed to Muphaphuli meaning a ”chopper” It was unusual on those days to find among the Vendas and other tribes, an Abyssinian warrior. Seremane drew his sword and chopped off the arm of one of his enemies. The enemy was appalled and the women wailed” Muphaphuli u phaphula maswina”[ A chopper chops his enemies} and the Pedi and or Sotho called him ‘Seremane” { one with tendency of chopping down trees/ could also chop his enemies or annihilate them. some of the clan of Mani the close relatives of Seremane also adopted Muphaphuli as their surname. This naming caused confusion about who was Lemba and who was Venda among the Seremanes/Solomons/Muphaphulis
On this Mother’s lineage Binyam was grandson of Keleapere Talitha and Mochelo Mokgosi.This lineage too was Lemba from the clan of Bubha, but in this part of the world they revered an ancestor called Malaka. There were mistaken by many to be an offshoot of the Pedi. Some of them split and settled further north of the limpopo river and had a king called Malema. They were a priestly people. When Mogani, Binyam’s grandmother from his father’s lineage visited them, she found among them a relative name Rankuru. Grandmother Mogani and Grandmother Talitha were powerful medicine women. Mogani could give medicine to a barren woman and the woman would bear children. One of the women given fertility in this way by grandmother Mogani ended naming her conceived child’’Mogani or MmaMatlakala, becuase Mogani’s first born daughter was called Matlakala. She was Binyam’s oldest aunt. She lived in Sandfontein all her life.
Binyam was born to families of Kings, Queens, healers prophets and priests.
Binyam has 4 brothers and and 3 sisters. His father Abel and his mother lehuma did not have daughters until their fifth born child became their first daughter named MmaTshivhase after which Binyam was born. They had thought that Binyam was going be a girl. When they saw that their next child, Binyam was a boy, they assured themselves that it would be the last baby boy they would ever have. Binyam was greatly loved by his father
As a baby Binyam suffered a great deal. His parents were very disheartened, they began to perceive a sense of deprivation within them. It was around that time that Binyam’s father was facing political tension. He entered some no-go areas in the Apartheid South Africa. In those days, a pass/passport was required to navigate within some big metropolitan areas. Abel refused to carry a pass and challenged the police saying that it was his native land therefore it was pointless to be required to carry a pass to move around or enter metropolitan areas. The police got mad when they learnt of his illegal moves. They later searched for him with intention to kill him. He was offered a bicycle by his brother Semane Ishmael John Solomon, who at the time lived in one of the Johannesburg neighborhoods called Alexandra. That was the last time Abel saw his brother John. John offered his brother a strong bicycle with conventional drop handlebars with yellow cloth tape wrapping. With this bicycle Abe l Would flee from the Aparthied police. In fear of his own life and at the sorrow of parting with his brother. Sadly, he never saw him again Many many years later Abel learnt that his brother John was poisoned to death by a Pedi woman. That is another tragic story. The tragic death of John Semane Ishmail Solomon.
Abel got the bicycle and he cycled in hiding and stopped only at essential stops until he arrived in Rustenburg, especially in Sandfontein his village. A turbulent incredible and exhausting journey. He loved his bicycle and he cherished it, and cherished the love and memory of his brother John
His stay in Rustenburg in Sandfontein did not treat him well. It was a strain. a stress and instability. With all uncertainties and fears, Binyam’s father had no peace.
It dawned upon him, that his father Solomon was a great merchant some years ago, A trader in herbs and spices, who with his horse wagon sojourned ti the land of King Kgama of the Bangwato in Botswana. Solomon traded with Kgama. At the time when Kgama was enthroned as king of Bangwato , Solomon came along with his herbs, magic , power and charm and installed Kgama on the throne with such strong charm. The charm of the Mazose, lemba medicine man, son of Seremane , son of Nyakavhi, son of Makovha, Son of Sena son of Baramina. That was Abel ‘s Father , That was Binyam’s grandfather. Abel remembered all this.
He also remembered that when Solomon visited Botswana, he had many friends in the land of Kgama and many of them lived in eastern Botswana in a village called Mogapi. The same village had another name called ‘’Malatsi’’ meaning’’ days’’ It was said that the village was so named because King Kgama used to visit that village and spend some days {malatsi} to get his herbs, Spices, charm, magic and power from the medicine men of the village.
With all this in mind, Abel and the family moved crossed the limpopo river and sought refuge in Eastern Botswana, in Mogapi, in Malatsi, where the Great Selamun, his father had early sojourned in his trade of herbs and spices. Abel Sought the friends of his father Solomon and reared livestock and settled. Binyam was noticeably young when they settled here and it was here in the village of Mogapi that Binyam fell sick, critically ill and almost died
Binyam suffered from an unknown incurable disease which we shall later learn was act of witchcraft or sorcery to kill the king’s beloved last-born son. It seemed no modern doctor could cure it. Perhaps only the Gods could cure it , but they did not live among men.
No precise piece of information has ever been passed to state how old Binyam was when he got ill. There is a rough estimate that he could have been between 3 and 5 years old, even though some family sources argue that he could have been less than a year old.
The child ‘s condition worsened. There was little hope for life. It was like a spell was cast
However, Abel, Binyam’s father, reared nice flock, good breed of sheep and goats. He selected the best among them to sell at the fair and obtain money. It was the custom that before one sells his goat or sheep, It must be proven by police that he was the rightful owner. So, registration was required. The police officer in charge of the registration of the animals for sale refused to accept Abel as the owner, suspicious that Abel was perhaps not the true owner. Abel was despised, and the sale failed. No money was obtained to pay for Binyam’s medication. Manene, [ Abel’s elder brother} could not stand seeing his brother despised and he wanted to fight against the police officer physically. Abel was sad and was running out of options to save the life of his BINYAM. Lehuma{ Binyam’s mother] declared that Binyam was the child of her sorrow and she was devastated. Abel the father said Binyam was like unto Benjamin in the bible, the last one and most beloved of his father. Therefore, he would be like his leaning stick on his right hand to lean on when he grows older. So, he really wanted to save the life of his most beloved son.
Binyam’s mother carried Binyam on her back through the hills in the hot sun from Mogapi village until they arrived at a village called PILIKWE where they met a spiritual healer {a man wearing white robes and white turban} This spiritual healer belonged to a church called Zion Christian Church {ZCC} and was amazing person.
Though ZCC church may sound like a Christian church, the practices within the church do not base on Catholic, protestants and Evangelical Christian principles. The practices are ancestrally centered and base on engagement of mediums and traditional spiritual orders. The members and devotes of the church usually hail their spiritual leader as the saving one, the merciful, loving, and caring shepherd by favor and way of the ancestors and the Supreme Being of all creation, There is no mention of one called Jesus Christ in this scenario. Many members of the ZCC are Lemba peoples.
The ZCC healer in the village of Pilikwe confirmed that witches put poisonous substances into the baby’s skin to poison the whole body or system and to kill the baby and use its body parts in sorcery and witchcraft.
The healer acted like a surgeon. He took a sharp blade, cut through and removed the poisonous substances that were put in there and showed them to the parents of the baby. ”The substances looked disgusting” said, Abel’ Binyam ‘s father. As soon as they were removed, the baby got miraculously healed.
Binyam was healed by a man who was wearing white robes and white turban\cap ZCC healer.
Binyam’s parents then declared that Binyam, as he was saved in this way, was a special gift from EL MWALI AMLAK, THE MOST HIGH.
Binyam indeed became an important child in the family and important to the communities where he lived. To this day there is a ZCC song sung in Mogapi viilage and in many villages around. It is sung by many religious persons. The song says In SOTHO and TSWANA languages the following:
‘KE THUSITSWE, KE THUSITSWE KE MONNA O MONG. MONNA WA KATIBA E TSHWEU’ MONNA OO, MONNA OO’ meaning ‘ A MAN WEARING A WHITE CAP\TURBAN HELPED ME, HE SAVED MY LIFE’ OH THAT MAN!!! O THAT MAN!!! :
NB: This song was not composed for BINYAM. It was a song that was sung in the villages even long before Binyam was born. It was a coincidence that it seemed to fit in with Binyam’s experience as a baby. Whenever Binyam goes through some difficult times in his life, he starts to sing this song to comfort himself, to call peace to his soul and to remember the day of his salvation.
Growing up as a child Binyam had many spiritual gifts. Healing, prophesying, and interpreting dreams etc. Binyam was also talented in music, singing religious songs. He was also good at bible reading, preaching sermons, narrating and public speaking.
His uncle Abner Selamun made him a bible reader in his church. In many cases Binyam would voluntarily read scriptures to the elders
In School Binyam refused to play sports. To Binyam, playing sports was a distraction. He wanted to be quiet and listen to the spirits and the voice of God speaking to him.
Like his grandfather SELAMUN THE GREAT Binyam was and is still a HEALER. He used and still uses herbs to heal A-Z of ailments.
He would sometime administer healing using ordinary water. He would just hold out a glass of water, say a prayer over it and hand it to the sick person to drink. The sick person would receive healing just from the drinking of this water. This practice was learnt from Binyam’s grandmother Talitha. Perhaps the same gift was passed down to Binyam.
He would use his rod or stick, place it on the sick person and say a short prayer and the person would receive healing. He would receive prophecies regarding the troubles and illnesses of others and then he would visit them and help them and heal them. He would see the problems or perhaps the sickness of the person before it happens and would advise the person.
He would tell that he heard a clear voice in the night like a human voice telling him something important regarding emerging wars, fall of economies, sickness, natural disasters, somebody’s past and even names of people that he never met. Binyam’s grandmother Talitha , a spiritual healer herself became his mentor.
How did the spirit of SELAMUN THE GREAT grandfather of Binyam connect and dwell with BINYAM? According to the culture of the Lemba Beta Esrael, during the fast of supplication called SIGD, the dead are remembered in what is called EMEN. Three emens are done during the fast of SIGD. Millet is placed on stones to let the birds of the air eat it. This is the way of remembering the dead and a way of submission.
The ancestors in turn could make occasional visitations to their descendants through dreams, trances, voices after being appeased at a fasting like SIGD and others.
When a Lemba Beta Esrael person dies, it is said that they have gone to sleep with their fathers or ancestors in some place of the ancestor’s underworld. However, the ancestors may visit their descendants and share some insights Similarly, SELAMUN THE GREAT appeared to Binyam in 1995, which appearance or visitation, extraordinarily strong as it was, nearly took Binyam’s life.
SELAMUN THE GREAT appeared and showed Binyam a box of sacred objects and then departed without saying a word. Binyam attempted to follow the ancestor, his great grandfather SELAMUN, but the ancestor scared Binyam away with a black dog so that he would not follow him. Following the ancestor would mean Binyam would die young before fulfilling his mission on earth. Since this experience, Binyam has always feared or had phobia for black dogs.
Every place that Binyam finds in any part of the world to live, there would always be a black dog in the neighborhood charging at him. The he would know that the grandfather tells him to stay on and do the work he has been called to do on earth. Perhaps if Binyam stays on he would receive a box of sacred objects used in the praise of El Mwali Amlak La Lukullu Manfas
The place where Binyam met Selamun is taboo to visit just before sunset or at sunset, even to this day. The villagers say that if they pass by that place at sunset or just before sunset, they will see a black dog suddenly appearing and suddenly becoming invisible and scaring them.
The second visit by ancestor Selamun was in 1998 when Binyam was in sorrow searching for some of the descendants of Selamun who got lost in Mabarastad Pretoria South Africa a long time ago. It was believed that this lost generation could have settled in the north of Pretoria or particularly in the neighboring city called MAMELODI. The visit was meant to assure Binyam that he would find this lost generation.
Binyam did indeed finally find them. they were the cousins of his Father Abel. It was aunt Sara of the Solomon clan, she married one from the Sedeq/Sadiki clan. Some of them transliterated the name Sedeq/Sadiki to Dickson and to Sathekge.
A woman called “Matlakala”, Binyam’ oldest aunt said she searched for them for a long time. They were her cousins, the sons, and daughters of her uncle John Jack Solomon brother of Solomon. Two sons of Selamun The Great.
To this day, a tragic story is told of the tragic death of John Jack Solomon in Marabastad Lady Selborne, Pretoria. John and his brother Solomon after leaving Venda, settled in Marabastad, then later Solomon left his brother in Marabastad and settled in Rooiberg.
in Marabstad Solomon left his brother John who at that had two children. ”Sara and Blou” Then Jack opened a butchery in Marabastad. later he turned that Butchery into a shop. He sent his brother Solomon a letter telling him that he turned the butchery into a shop.
One day whilst John was walking to his shop, he was knocked down by a car and died instantly. That left a scar off a big wound in the hearts of Solomons, the death of John and the lost generation of Sara and Blou
Then Matlakala was on the search for Sara and Blou for almost all her lifetime and with tears on her eyes she told Binyam” you, know son, i looked for my cousins all my life, exhausted all my resources and appeared like a pauper., in the end i found them near Pretoria, they are Sara, the Dicksons. Sedeq/Sadiki/Sathekge” and here are the gifts they gave me to show their love and happiness and these i show you as proof” she sobbed.
The latest visit of ancestor Selamun was on 5 march 2014 when Selamun appeared holding a sceptor\staff of dominion, blessed and installed Binyam as king at 630am. Selamun blessed Binyam speaking the lemba secret language and reciting a prayer in that language. This secret language is used in certain lemba practices by lemba persons only. Non lembas are not allowed to hear this language and cannot be taught this language or this prayer.
Who was SELAMUN THE GREAT? He was the great grandfather of Binyam who influenced and inspired Binyam so much with his legacy.
The history of SELAMUN THE GREAT is the history of the Lemba Beta Esrael Nation who left Jerusalem at the time when Jerusalem was seized by the Babylonians. The lemba then moved to Yemen and built a city called Sena. From Sena they moved along the coast till they reached the east African coast where they split into many groups, some settled in Ethiopia while others went to Mozambique. From Mozambique they moved to Zimbabwe where they built the stone city. There was one most distinct leadership of the lemba, the leadership of SELAMUN THE GREAT.
The Ndinda song confirms:
‘We came from Sena, we crossed Pusela, we rebuilt Sena. In Sena they died like flies. We came from Hundji, to Chilimani. From Chilimani to Wedza. The tribes went to Zimbabwe. They built the walls and lived on the hill. Mwali sent the star. From Zimbabwe to Mberengwe. From Mberengwe to Dumghe. We carried the drum. We came to Venda, Solomon led us. Baramina was our ancestor.”
About Binyam’s education
.He attended his primary and secondary education in Botswana, For his Tertiary and professional education, apart from receiving education from his father’s royal courts and kraal, Binyam did indeed obtain a teaching degree from the College of Teachers at the Institute of Education, University of London. He graduated in 1993.h
He majored in Human Anatomy/Health and Social Education
The other components included:
Pedagogy/Methods of Teaching,
Theory of Education,
Organization and Administration of Education.
Binyam also obtained a diploma with distinction in principles of business management and English for business communication from Manchester.
Then Binyam Studied Pharmacognosy {knowledge of Pharmaceuticals} by extension to enhance his Human anatomy component.
Binyam then joined the Commonwealth Science Council division of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources.
Then he pursued his innovations in Agriculture, Traditional medicine and biodiversity and his thesis earned him the title of Traditional health practitioner/complimentary medicine as Dr Solomon. Dr Solomon presented a paper entitled ”Herbal-ism and nutrition ” to the commonwealth Science council convention Southern Africa attended by doctors and professors from London, Botswana, Lesotho, Tanzania, Mauritius, and India
Dr Solomon lectured in many institutes in Botswana and South Africa, until 2008
In 2009, Binyam was called by an oracle to leave South Africa and go to a land at the end of the world, in Chile South America whence he shall be called to return from and lead the Lemba Beta Esrael people.
In Chile, the Chileans welcomed Binyam warmly and he lectured in their institutes and universities.
Binyam’s marital and family life
Binyam had two wives and he only considered traditional ways of choosing his consorts and caring for them. One wife bore him one son and the other wife the covenant wife from Ethiopia bore him 3 Sons making a total of four sons born to him. Princes to the kingdom. Binyam has no daughters but with marriage of his first-born son, Binyam has a daughter in law and a granddaughter.
To Binyam there was yet another mile of sorrow and tears, His covenant wife an Oromo Queen passed away after a short illness in 2014 and Binyam’s heart was heavy. He mourned her passing for a year, and thereafter remained a widower.
Now the time comes near and is already here Binyam must return.
He has a place to return from and a place to return to!
AMUN! BARAMINA. ME’EMANE!
Lemba Beta Esrael Kingdom 