t was historic. It was emotional. It was powerful. It was transformational. It is about America the Great. It is about Ghana, the Black Star of Africa. It is about President Obama the first Black President of America. It is about Nelson Mandela, the example of Black leadership and his 91st birthday.
Whenever I see president Obama, I see the greatness of America. It is only in America that certain things are possible such as a Black person becoming the president of the Superpower. I am proud and grateful to be associated with America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. I still remember the love and generosity showed on me when I arrived in Washington DC in 1970 after the Nigeria -Biafra War as well as the fact that America was the only country that accepted me after the war. Love is a mutual affair. I love America. God bless America.
President Obama choosing Ghana as the first African country to visit to address African issues is very gratifying, revealing and transformational. I am in Africa right now. I followed the silly talks in some African countries such as Kenya and Nigeria that President Obama should have chosen their respective country. How could anyone with brain think that President Obama, the embodiment of Change, Hope and America would choose corrupted, election rigging and bad governance banana republic such as Nigeria or Kenya to give the message of good leadership/ governance, peace and stability is beyond me? Ghana, Botswana and some few African countries with good leadership, freedom, and democracy, rule of law, free and fair elections and peace were the only appropriate choices for the first Black president of America. Ghana, the Black Star was chosen. Ghana is perhaps the only African country where an opposition party has won an election and the ruling party gracefully conceded power gracefully. God bless Ghana!
President Obama delivered transformational speech and policy for Africa in Ghana. African misrulers , misleaders and the corrupt ego-driven power elite are the African problem. America and the brilliant President Obama will not reward any country and misleader of such cursed country unless is transformed like Ghana and Botswana.
President Obama also visited the Gold Coast Castle from where African slaves were shipped to America during the inhumane trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. He made it clear that remembering the slave trade experience is still relevant today not as a blame game but because there is still cruelty or man's inhumanity to man in the world today. This brought such an emotion in me because one of my greatest concerns as an Igbo man is that over 3 million of my people perished and we suffered untold hardships and pain during the Nigeria-Biafra war as well as continued dangers in today's Nigeria but Nigerians do not acknowledge and remember this ugly fact.
I am not interested in a blame game but I am very interested in Nigerians acknowledging and remembering what happened to my people as well as taking measures to ensure that it will not happen again. You see, the best indicator that genocide or evil will happen again is denial or pretending that it did not happen. You cannot change what do not acknowledge. I am impressed by how America freely acknowledges, discuss and apologize for the evil of slave trade, and take measures to prevent future occurrence. The same goes for Germany with regards to Jewish Holocaust under Hitler. Nigeria must face its demons and ugly history by taking measures to redress past and ongoing injustice, misery and bloodshed.
As I watched Obama in Ghana, I wished to see Obama with Mandela, the great African and symbol of selfless leadership, freedom and justice on African soil. I join the world in congratulating Mandela on his 91st birthday. It is even more gratifying that Mandela requested people to celebrate the Mandela Day by doing voluntary work or providing free service to someone. This principle of service above self instead materialism and self-centered actions is the hallmark of success, leadership and true religion. Mandela is my hero and role model. Meeting him in Canada upon his release from apartheid prison as Canadian government recognition of my services in fighting for racial justice and equality is still one of the highlights of my life. For those Africans especially Nigerians and Igbo people who think that success is measured by idol worship (money, power and status), Mandela as the man and his 91st birthday message of voluntary services to others is a stark reminder that true success and greatness is about service above self and making a difference. God bless Mandela!
The only disappointment with President Obama's speech in Ghana is that he did not deal with the ongoing genocide against Blacks in Sudan. President Obama must be careful about being politically correct and pandering to certain group. Leadership is about doing the right thing not political correctness. Blacks are oppressed in many Arab dominated countries in Africa. This must stop.
President Obama, the first Black president of America chose Ghana as the African country to visit on his first official trip to Africa. This should be an object lesson for other African countries such as Nigeria and Kenya to change by having good governance/leadership, freedom, true democracy (rule of law, free/fair elections), peace and stability. Note the sequence. Good leadership not overlords, the rule of law where no man is above the law, and those in power showing humility as well as free/fair elections where peoples' votes count not rigged elections are the litmus test for democracy. The message that today's African problem is lack African leadership is right on. Those of us fighting for change in Africa and Nigeria and Igboland are energized to continue the struggle. Mandela's 91st birthday message about service above self instead selfishness and idol worship (money, power and status) is a great lesson for Afrcians especially Nigerians and Igbo people.
It is always moving to see President Obama either in Canada or in Africa embodying the greatness of America. The same goes for the Mandela, my hero and role model. These two great sons of Africa and exemplary transformational leaders make me proud to be a
Black man. African countries like Ghana and Botswana with good governance, freedom, democracy and peace also make me proud. Ghana is the Black Star.
God bless America. God bless Ghana. God bless President Obama. God bless Mandela.
Peace to all
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