By FUH NGWA *
OBAMA , the 44th president of the United States of America will soon take over power in what has been described by some as a referendum of the Bush’s administration. Others look at it as a grass to grace venture and even a break through in the long standing fairy tale that a black could never rule America.
Whichever school of thought you may belong to, I personally have learned that power comes from the grassroots and not from the top as it is the case with most African leaders. African leaders are true politicians who are thinking only of the next election, whereas a true statesman like Obama is thinking of the next generation. They spend their time mapping out strategies to rig elections, sleep during international conferences where issues about their countries are being discussed and do intimidate whosoever is trying to oppose them.
Africans are clamoring for the wind of change that is blowing in
America to be extended to Africa. Can Obama flush out these dictators
who cling to power just as a louse clings to the body of a dog? Even if
he has to do, it would only be possible in the second term of office
God willing since he has so many pressing issues on his table like
the American economy which is in a ‘tsunami position”, the war in Iraq and
Afghanistan, terrorism etc. Africans therefore should not expect
miracles from Obama
It should be recalled that Obama was about 5 years old when Omar Bongo for
example took over power as President of Gabon. From all indications, he is not willing to
relinquish power. If Obama finishes his first term of office and enters
the second which is the last he will leave office with most of them
still in power.
Age does not always come along with wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone. Mandela at his age was able to set the pace for African leaders to follow of which none did.
After close to 30 years in jail as a freedom fighter he came out
victorious when he was made the president. He handed over power when it
was time for him to do so. Today his honor has been restored and he is
respected in the world as a true statesmen
Why the noise about a Negro in the white house? Why refuse the
container and at the same time in love with the content? Is the
French National team not an African selection? Recently, Pierre
Ngahane of Cameroonian origin was appointed to an administrative post
of ‘PREFET” in France which is similar to that of a Divisional Officer
here in Cameroon. Is France smarter than the US in spotting talented
Africans?
Who am I then to be judged by my color? I am no one else but a handsome Negro in my thirties, a graduate from the university still living with my parents because I am jobless. With a broad hairy chest and well developed arm muscles willing to do any thing to earn a living, I was brought up in a society badly battered by the effects of slavery, HIV- AIDS, malaria, bad governance characterized by corruption, favoritism and long stay in power. Yes, in a society where brilliant citizens are never given the opportunity to serve their fatherland and thus leadership is in the hands of mediocre, a society where if you love opposition you will lose your position, a society where education is a curse rather than a cure, a society where nothing moves according to plan and is full of empty promises like 'the youths are the leaders of tomorrow', 'there is freedom of speech and press' etc. For sure these mean nothing to someone who has not eaten or is not having a place to stay.
Though an educated young man, my black color is considered an inferior
color and any bad thing is usually associated to my black color. If I
commit a crime , my name will enter into a black book as if the pages
were black, if I let the cat out of the bag, I am considered a
blackleg , If I go late to meetings and conferences, it is considered
as black man time, If I am engaged in any clandestine business , it is
considered black market as if only black people trade there, If I do
something that others can not explain, it is black magic and in most
cases Satan the devil who has never been seen by any body is usually
painted black
I am really educated to lack self confidence in my own abilities as white color is considered superior.
* Fuh Ngwa is a Contributor to VOTO(Voice Of The Oppressed). He is a free thinker and critic
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