A Nigerian Obama

This post is in reponse to one by Naijaleta. it started off as a comment on his blog but it got so big I decided not to just leave it as a comment. Hope Ahmed Babatunde Chibuzor won't mind.

Naijaleta's post reminded me of an article by Simon Kolawole of ThisDay newspapers. He referred to a trip where he listened to one of the top men overseeing the transformation in Doha (I think) outline their lofty plans and so on. He then observed that it wasn't the plans that impressed him but the fact that the fellow kept punctuating every line with the phrase "according to the vision of our leaders" like it was some kind of mantra.

When are we going to have an Obama whose vision dwarfs his achievements and experience? When are we going to have an Obama whose ability to eloquently motivate his followers draws the young and old to the challenge of changing a reluctant system?

We had an opportunity a while back to elect a visionary. Obasanjo robbed us of it. I personally believe Nigeria has its best opportunity in Donald Duke (p.s. he's from a minority tribe). The guy had a team, a dream and a plan. His was an in-depth analysis of our nation and its problems. He had laid out solutions waiting for implementation. Then he was usurped by an ill-prepared sub with a 7-point agenda.

My only consolation is that he's still young enough to contest even if Yar'Adua wangles another 4years out of the political powers that be. As for Clinton, I think the way she put Obama under pressure to adopt her as his running mate on a night when she should have been gracious and allowed the man his moment shows her as somewhat mean, selfish and (dare I say it?) b*$#@y.

She's constrained because the American political climate would never tolerate a party shift by someone of her stature. If she'd been Nigerian, she'd probably have switched parties yesterday.