The great American story has begun to be written through the nomination of Barack Obama as the presumptive Democratic nominee to fight for the presidency against Senator John McCain.  On one hand, Americans should be proud of her attempt to correct the injustices done to American women and to the black Americans.  The idea that the color of the skin determines a persons achievement in life has now been conclusively debunked and the world must thank many courageous whites especially the young Americans who are by and large color blind.  On the other hand, Americans in rural areas are still holding on to racism and to sexism which Senator Clinton craftily employed to her advantage during the long protracted 2008 presidential primaries.  The world is still very appreciative that Americans took a bold step to move their nation forward in this participatory democracy.

If Senator Barack Obama finally becomes the first non-white president in America, there are four major measuring indices, at least in my mind, to judge his success.

1. How does President Obama’s administration stay away from having to proof over and over again that his presidency does not have a black face but white appeasement?  In order words, how can he balance working for all citizens of the world and still be able to defend America’s national and strategic interests in both time of war and of peace?

2. How Senator Obama manages the Clintons during the general election will determine his success as a United States President.  He must manage this association with the dexterity of a surgeon;

3. How does he help Israeli since all the presidential candidates are falling over themselves to show that their administration would be more of an Israeli administration in America?  President Obama must also lift the spirit and address the basic needs of the Palestinians, and of the Africans within the African continent without Americans feeling that he is over stretching his hands of compassion to Africa alone, yet he needs to do this; and

4. If President Obama’s administration is to be written as a success story, he must carefully challenge the directionless African leaders, pledge his utmost interest in seeing Africa grow and achieving Africa’s common enterprise and common future.

How President Obama is able to carry some of African dictators along to participatory democracy that benefit all their citizens, showing these anti democratic leaders that the world has changed and that through him and his actions show that Africans are not inferior but their actions are the ones that are inferior.  President Obama’s ability to accomplish these herculean tasks will define the narratives of his presidency.

Whenever the world celebrates the ascendancy of a black man to the leader of a major political party, those who do not have the historic perspectives on how Senator Obama arrived at the scene that brought him this far may not have the hindsight of this same history.  Senator Barack Obama rode on the backs of Rosa Park, Martin Luther King and those Whites and Jews citizens in America and all over the world that took personal risks for things they believe that were good and right.

Many young Americans especially blacks and minorities today cannot phantom that until the Civil Rights Act passed, black Americans had to drink from separate drinking fountains, eat at separate lunch counters, ride at the back of buses, and watch movies only from the balconies of theaters.  Many died so that you and I can enjoy and travel freely in America and even for Senator Obama to contest and win the 2008 primaries.  But America had been moving in the right direction all along.  In 2001, Donna Brazile was Al Gore’s campaign manager who won the presidency for Al Gore except for decision of those Supreme Court Justices.  The decision of these Justices is now being felt not only in America but all over the world.  The world is radically changed for the worse.

How then can Senator Barack Obama show appreciation to the sacrifices of these heroes?  He can start by running a campaign that is above board such that no matter how desperate the other side disparages him, he focuses on the most important issues of the day.  Senator must redefine himself and not allow himself to be reactionary as the Republican would like to make him.  He must not allow the tax and spend drum beat of the Republican stick.  What exactly does tax and spend  mean to a nation that is drowning in debt and fighting an unpopular war?

Obama must state with clarity his vision for America and for the world at large and especially how Africa can be made better because he came on the scene and more importantly, how he plans to achieve those visions.  He must not forget those that help him get where h is, not by running his campaign from black perspective, not by making himself more white than the whites or appeasing whites at the expense of blacks, Hispanics, Chinese Americans but as a patriotic red blooded American.  I have no doubt that if Senator Obama appeals to the innate human instincts of all Americans, that is, need to feed families, go to work, be respected, be safe, be compassionate towards all in the world that respect America’s national interest without shelving their own national interests, he will succeed.

But, how does an Obama administration mange the mangled American foreign policy?  He can do this by not employing the old gun-boat diplomacy but negotiating carefully with reasonable countries and be firm with rogue nations; and by the being guided, diplomatic in his speeches and actions.  He must put a seasoned Secretary of State that will play his foreign policy with semblance of fairness on the world stage.  Furthermore, President Obama must be a good listener who can systematically, with resolve, act firmly whenever actions are required.  He cannot lead with fear as in the last almost eight years with the wolves (Al Qaeda) are coming strategy.

How should President Obama’s administration influence Africa?  His action in office must show compassion, wisdom to reason through tough times and show most African leaders, by example, that politics is not simply about control of resources for oneself and family it is about signals and suggestions that a leader is human with blood running through his vein.  A leader must also deal with some outcome of his actions in office that may be antithetical to his liking especially when such actions eventually lead a nation to better tomorrows.  Most importantly, politics must be shown to African leaders that it is about doing the right thing at the right time for average citizens.  In Nigeria so far, politics has been a way of visiting massive mistreatment on citizens and opposition on an onslaught of misogyny.  African leaders must cooperate with President Obama so that the usual “I told you so, blacks cannot lead” will not become self-fulfilling prophesy.

In every viable Democracy, there have always been a group of interested patriots that correct the direction of ship of state.  In Nigeria, these are the group of former Presidents/Head of states.  Unfortunately, the actions of most of these former heads of States have never been about exhibiting any aggregates of strength but exhibiting the sum of our common weakness.  For example, the blunder of OBJ giving Abdulsalam energy contract in which no project was executed but money paid out becomes an albatross on a power run mad and a presage of conflict and power struggles between rooted power and power usurped by those that stole power.

In all that I write and say in social political commentaries, I have always shown the love and respect I have Nigeria in spite of her disappointing many of us every step of the way with policies that do not carry average Nigerians along and with politics that reflect selfishness of purpose.  During the 47 years of our independence, those that contributed less took advantage of the system and mortgaged our common future.  Not only that they wrecked havoc on the nation, destroyed our morals and our national psyche, they also destroyed our common sensibilities and enshrine mistrust among citizens.  We must regroup especially when we still have some of our social consciousness in Gani Fawehimi, Professor Wole Soyinka, and their likes while remembering that no one is perfect but yet we can perfect our union.

What exactly does Nigeria need to learn from the success of the young man, Barack Obama?  Those that have guided our nation to this despicable situation must leave the stage for younger, more travelled and with global outlook to take control of the nation so that these older generation and their offspring can see the best Nigeria can be.  This is what I refer to as revolution.  So, in viewing the success of Barack Obama, I was not only blurry–eyed but I was also a little teary-eyed to watch him win the nomination and to know that he has a real chance to win the presidency of the United States of America and to reflect that such monumental change can also happen in the most populous black African nation, Nigeria.

Indeed, Nigeria can be said to have lost her bearing upon the house built on corruption and greed but she has lost in every measurable matrices.  It is the youth and our women folks that, I believe, can stare us back to being a nation filled with smart, savvy, and patriotic citizens.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and God bless the United States of America for reluctantly taking a step where no one expected her to by giving a black man, Barack Obama, a chance to lead America in this time of the world fear and disunity and time when the world seeks lasting peace. Towards this goal, the old generation of Nigerian politicians must be the wind beneath the wings of the new bread of visionary Nigerian politicians.  Nigeria must also map out strategy for heading towards the common destination, flight for shared dreams because such dreams are worth fighting for; and we must begin the natives for building Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria in the emerging service-oriented political evolution.  It is time for Nigeria to end the old order and begin the new order through the prism of our youth and of our women.

Robot  # 1 | 07.06.2008 23:17

The great American story has begun to be written through the nomination of Barack Obama as the pr...Read the full article.