We are all Americans!!!

We are all Americans now! America has demonstrated why it is the greatest democracy on earth. US voters have once again proven to the rest of the world that indeed America is the land of the possible. America has shown like Barack Obama set out to establish that there is no black, white, red, blue or purple America, but one United States of America. America has “sent a powerful signal to the rest of the world about racial and ethnic integration and the futility of racial, ethnic and other stereotypes and prejudices” as I wrote in “Miscellaneous Updates” on July 16, 2008.

This column has written nine times about the Obama phenomenon dating back to February 6, 2008 during the party primaries. Readers will recall that my initial preference was for a Clinton-Obama democratic ticket (A vote for Clinton-Obama) in which I sought to have “two for the price of one…Can’t we have a President Hillary Clinton and Vice-President Barack Obama and make it an event of multiple historical proportions-a first female president, who will also be a first former first lady to be elected Senator and then President, and who will be elected on a ticket that produces the first African-American Vice-President who can then go ahead to become President subsequently!...… ”

In May 28, I wrote “A Vote for Clinton-Obama Part 2” pushing the same argument. I noted that Obama’s election “would be a truly revolutionary event in American politics, and not just as some argue for the symbolism. It would indicate, just like J.F Kennedy’s election in the 1960s another generational shift in US politics but more importantly signal a major shift in mind-sets as well in America that may lead to perhaps some change in global perceptions on race and ideology…” I noted then that it appeared the Republicans preferred an Obama nomination to Hillary Clinton in the erroneous belief that he would be easier to defeat. How wrong! As I had noted in “Miscellaneous Updates” the democrats chose “a riskier strategy, but then nothing ventured, nothing gained”.

By July 23, 2008, I was sufficiently enthralled by the prospect of Barack Obama being elected US President that I issued an early endorsement of Obama. In “Endorsing Barack Obama”, I predicted, “Well bad news for the republicans! This column feels confident at this point in time to offer an unconditional endorsement of Illinois Senator Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. And we fully expect that come January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will step into the White House as President of the United States of America.” That great epoch is now with us. A rearguard conservative backlash is possible and Obama and his supporters must be vigilant and prepared, but nothing can detract from the immensity of this development.

As I wrote in that article, Obama’s election offers "hope to all African-Americans and indeed all minorities in the US that race, colour, class, sex (thanks to Hillary) and personal disadvantages of any hue can not limit one in reaching any heights we seek. It would be a moment of restoration for the African-Americans after slavery, segregation and discrimination and I hope should help create a new stereotype of the African-American male which generations to follow can aspire to.” It would be good if not just America, but indeed the whole world, particularly Nigeria and Africa learnt the right lessons from Barack Obama’s election.

I was happy to endorse Obama after reading his book, “The Audacity of Hope”. In the article of same title on July 30, 2008 I noted that “Reading the book, you get the sense of the hand of God steering this young, brilliant, idealistic, intelligent and yet pragmatic lawyer to a great destiny…” That great destiny is here with us. If anyone doubts the presence of a divine direction, ask why the global financial crisis happened at the critical stage in the campaigns? Why did job losses, mortgage foreclosures, bank failures, stock market collapses all happen at the worst time for McCain and propel the Obama campaign to a landslide victory? That is not to deny the vision, commitment, organisational acumen, communication skills, sharpness of mind and unbelievable audacity that Obama brought into the race. He is completely deserving of his success.

In “Nigerian and American Scenarios Part 2” published on September 10, 2008, I examined the implication of Obama for Nigeria and Africa asking the questions, “Is the Obama phenomenon possible in Nigeria? If Barack had been born in Nigeria, would the system have given him the opportunity to project himself to his present position? Would he have been able to retain his principles while doing so? If Obama’s father had taken him back to Kenya, where would he be today?” I will only restate the conclusion I reached in that article-“Nigeria and Africa must rise to the real lesson of the Obama revolution and begin to create a new, truly democratic society that gives opportunity through education and other social infrastructure to all their citizens, and allows the best of our society, and not the most venal, sycophantic, base and unprincipled to rise to positions of leadership.” On November 4, 2008, Americans voted to renew the idea of the American dream. They voted for renewal, revival, and re-invigoration. What will Nigeria and Africa do? opeyemiagbaje.blogspot.com

Agbaje is CEO of Resources and Trust Company Ltd-a strategy, consultancy and business advisory firm. RTC POLICY is the policy, government and political consultancy division while RTC Strategy and Advisory offers private sector advisory services.