Every American knows there is an American dream. Party affiliations are made along this dream. Every so often the America Presidents remind the people of the American dream. The dream is people centered and people oriented. This over the years has fired every American to hope for the best and be assured that the government is there to cater for his best interest.
Last Tuesday’s Presidential election in the US brought to mind again the American dream. The re-elected Obama spoke gloriously of this dream. He said “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
“Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress”.
The American dream caused men who believe in America to form political parties based on shared values of self reliance, individual liberty and national unity. This is one thing that makes America great. What about our own country, what values do our political parties enunciate other than revenue sharing, crave for power, stealing and embazzlement. That is why in our politics, we kill, maim and destroy opponents as if we are in a game of winner takes all.
Will Nigerian politicians and leaders learn of basing party manifestos on values? Can Nigeria begin to reemphasis societal values instead of hero worship and money? Yes, Nigeria is a multi ethnic society but does that make us enemies and forget our past? Reflecting on America’s past Obama said “As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.
To ask, what is the strength of Nigeria? What makes Nigeria the giant of Africa? Its land mass, certainly not. Natural resources, no! what makes Nigeria great is its people. But over the years, Nigeria leaders have not realised this. They feel oil and gas resources, mineral and land is what makes the country what it is. How else can we explain the neglect of the human resources in Nigeria and the over concentration on oil and gas.
Obama said “The true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals; democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope. For that is the true genius of America – that America can change? In Nigeria, ideas have no place; it is all about money by what ever means it is achieved is no body’s business. That is why we are the way we are, noise and motion but no movement, no progress. Let us all ask our past and present political, social and economic leaders if our children should live to see the next century; what change will they see? What progress will we have made especially in this period of mass unemployment where those without godfathers stay five years without the hope of securing any form of gainful employment?
President Goodluck Jonathan must know now that this is his chance to make a difference. This is his moment to bring hope to Nigerian youths. To put the teeming army of young graduates roaming the streets endlessly in search of jobs back to work and open doors of opportunity for those that are now in schools.
