As America Decides

In less than 24 hours, Americans will file out to elect their leader for the next four years. A lot of publicity has been given to the build-up and the election itself and I must say I was amazed - if not impressed- by the interest of young Americans and Nigerians in the whole process leading up to the elections.

When Barack Obama first contested four years ago, Nigerians were overly excited at the prospect of a black man leading the most powerful country in the world. We even organised fund-raisers for the man here in Lagos. I asked someone then if Obama becoming U.S President meant Nigerians would gain unfettered access into the innermost crevices of the White House. I even postulated at the time, that the Third Mainland Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge would become adjacent with the emergence of Obama. Alas, four years after, Third Mainland remains as it was, except for the recent closure for renovation by my Federal Government. Obama is not black. Don't get it twisted.

So, in the build-up to tomorrow's election, there have been conventions, campaigns and debates. Thanks to satellite television, young Nigerians stay up all night to listen to American politicians. Again, I was fascinated by their keen interest in American politics. I began toying with the theories I had in 2008 about Obama's presidency and its subsequent impact on the welfare of the Nigerian youth. Why really are we so interested in the U.S Presidential elections? Why would a man with bilateral gangrene of his feet be interested in the colour of his neighbour's shoes? I wondered.

It then occurred to me, that we are desperate in this country. We cannot fathom how some earthlings got the calibre of Barack and Mitt as politicians and how another set got Ebele and his ilk. We are wondering which deity we offended that inflicted and afflicted us with Asiwaju and co. We are befuddled how the PDP has raped us savagely, literally and figuratively, for thirteen or so years. We watch how Americans file out, knowing without an iota of doubt that their votes would count and they guard that enfranchisement jealously. They know armed thugs won't turn up with their paraphernalia of grave bodily harm inflicting apparatus. They know one party chieftain won't be caught with stuffed ballot boxes or voters' cards obtained by distributing packs of Indomie noodles. Americans know they have a say. They have a say because they are respected  by their leaders.

Some weeks ago, Michelle Obama spoke at the Democratic National Convention, which I hear Asiwaju was privileged to have been'invited' to. The video of her speech went viral on the Internet. Her speech was astounding and I thought she was as elegant and gracious as ever. I hear she put in weeks of work into that speech. Why did she put in all the effort considering it was her husband who the eyes were on? That's RESPECT. She respects the minds of the Americans and she understands the importance of making indelible impressions on those sound minds. We also heard Bill Clinton speak. Articulate, informed, intelligent and inspiring as always. Another sign, that Americans are sound people. The man ruled them for eight years and after his speech, you could see his mandate then was not a fluke. He was and remains a remarkably brilliant man. He didn't need to bring his A-game to Barack's convention. After all, he had done his eight years as President and he really did not have much to lose apart from his wife probably losing her job as Secretary of State in the event that the Republicans won. But he brought more than his A-game, he brought his A-prime game and it was a sight to behold! Why? Respect for the average American mind.

We also avidly watched the three debates where Romney and Obama took each other to the cleaners on issues ranging from the economy to health care to foreign policies. We sat  and watched at wee hours of the morning. Even the chance of being utterly useless at our workplaces only a few hours later did not deter us. I didn't watch the debates but I caught excerpts of them later. As I listened to each man, I smiled. I smiled because the conviction with each spoke assured me, either way; Americans were not going to be short-changed. I really don't have a favourite. Personally, Obama's last four years has not directly impacted on my life in everyday Lagos. It didn't grant me automatic passage through JFK so I really can't be bothered if he won or lost at the polls tomorrow. I am however stupendously intrigued with the way and manner with which the two men address Americans. You can tell, they understand their fates lie in the hands of these 'commoners'. Again, that is respect.

Obama did not perform particularly well at the second debate, if I'm not mistaken. Or was it the first? I don't even care. What I know is that after he lost that debate, he admitted that he had some work to do and cancelled some campaign trips to work on his debating. That, I found immensely awesome. Even as incumbent, he knows he can't toy with his electorates. He knows he'll get the boot if he is perceived to be below par at any point. And boy, did he come out blazing in the next debate. That is respect for his people.

From Obama to Paul Ryan to Joe Biden to Romney, even their spouses, we see a depressingly glaring variant from what prevails around this region. After I watched clips of all the speakers at the conventions and campaigns, I was convinced that Nigeria would thrive under any of them. Obama and Romney are long-shots because as far as I am concerned Michelle or Biden will rule Nigeria very well. If you are in doubt, listen to Ebele give a speech. If you manage to listen till the end without cursing or sleeping off, then you are ripe for marriage.

I have decided to desist from wasting my thoughts on Ebele. I am one of the few who have actually written him off. All I'm hoping is that we ride the storm till 2015 and hope that by some miracle or natural disaster, he vacates Aso Rock. Ebele's speeches are dull, insolent and indolent. I dare say I've heard better speeches at funerals as elegies. His are utterly uninspiring and are products of the worse form of mental laziness. Hitherto, Ebele read from sheets of paper and made us wonder how on Earth he bagged a PhD, and then his cronies introduced him to the teleprompter. That had to be their greatest undoing. In medical circles, Ebele's eyes would have been best described as 'pupils fixed and dilated'. He looked like he had just finished indulging himself in expired heroine and then applied Glaucoma eye-drops. I was flabbergasted. It predictably didn't improve the quality of his speech. I assume a depressed Nigerian contemplating suicide by hanging before that speech would have eagerly shot himself in the head shortly after listening to Ebele.

Then, let's examine Michelle's oratory prowess as a First Lady in comparison with Dame. Okay, maybe we shouldn't. Maybe that's not such a good idea. Let's just move on.

Prior to April 2011 elections, debates were organized to enable the electorates get a feel of what each candidate had to offer, just like Obama did with Romney. On the day of the debate, the incumbent Nigerian President did not show up. He didn't send any apologies either. He simply ignored us. Instead, he got D'Banj, who from his lyrics we can tell, is still mentally stuck in nursery school at 32, to interview him. While fellow contestants were busy articulating their plans for Nigeria on live television, D'Banj & Ebele were busy shouting 'Hmmm, no long thing' over bottles of Johnnie Walker at the Villa. Yet, we voted for him. Life is fair, what you get is what you've earned. Ebele is what we earned as a people.

Obama and Romney have held positions of authority as politicians before they thought of the White House. Mitt Romney governed Massachusetts for four years between 2003 and 2007 and the word on the street is that he refused his salary of $135,000 as Governor and went on achieve surpluses of over $500 million as income for the State in his last two years. Obama became a State Senator in 1996 and moved on to the U.S Senate in 2005 to represent Illinois. Alone, he sponsored 137 bills in the Senate in 3years. There are others he cosponsored and his stint in the Senate was remarkable. These men had been in evolution for many years, they had been beaten into shape and they had acquired leadership skills. They were committed to the American people.

Ebele was Deputy Governor of Bayelsa. Did we ask him what he achieved before he was promoted to Governor? No, we didn't. He became Governor in 2005 and ruled for two years before he became Vice President. Did we ask him what he achieved for Bayelsa State before we moved him to Aguda House? No, we didn't! He was Vice President between 2oo7 and 2010 before fate struck and we didn't have a choice. He was thrust upon us by the demise of the President and constitutionally had to be sworn in. It was an impressive run. Who says mediocrity can't get you that far? Amazingly, when we had the chance to ask him what he did as President for over a year that made him deserving of a full term of his own, he ignored us and went on his charade with D'Banj. Again, we did not ask him questions. He told us he had no shoes, we pitied him and now he owns Bata, the shoe factory.

Until Nigerian politicians respect their citizens, things will not change. Until Nigerians demand to be respected, we will remain here. We can organize fasting and prayers from now till Jesus returns, we will only lose weight, our decrepit state will become even worse.

It is a long and dark path to redemption. A path we will only tread when we are ready to take our destinies in our hands.

Tomorrow, a fine gentleman will either vacate or assume the Oval Office. Its a win-win situation for America. I won't wish Americans the best, they already have that. I will only wish Obama and Romney the best as America decides.

I will however implore Americans, to kindly send the loser over. No shame! I'll gladly take the second best man. Nigeria needs him. Like yesterday!

Don't leave the page with your thoughts on this issue. Kindly drop them in the comment box. I'll love to read them.