Party's over... who made this mess?

So Egypt is free. The "Last Pharoah" has been dethroned and the process of de-constructing the spectre that was Mubarak has begun.

I am part of the generation that grew up only ever knowing Mubarak's Egypt. But watching the birth of a new Egypt is proving inspiring in many ways.

After the historic outing of a dictator by peaceful protest, the Egyptian people got up to claim their country. First item on the agenda: clean up.

Egyptians replacing the paving stones that had been used as weapons.

Egyptians cleaning up the streets.

Makeshift "Lost & Found" Stall to help people recover their misplaced belongings.

Tents in Tahrir Square being dismantled 

It's in the little things that we show who we really are, as people... and as a people.

Photos courtesy of the BBC.

Obama & Coke

All hail the new King of the world - President Barack Obama. Did you watch the inauguration on tv? Never seen so much international goodwill.

Obamamania is alive and kicking all over the place. People all over the world tuned in to watch the American son of a Kenyan immigrant take over as the worlds most powerful man.

On top of that, he could very well be the most popular politician ever. Just invoke his name and watch the atmosphere change. I stuck my head out the window and yelled "Obama!" the other day and a car horn honked back at me in approval.

Mention the name Obama in the most obscure parts of the world and people smile, or give you discounts. If he keeps this up, his name could become more popular than coke - and that is VERY popular.

Of course Oshiomhole won!

Ask just about any Nigerian you can find on any street anywhere on this earth who is the more popular politician - Adams Oshiomhole or Prof Osunbor and the answer will be Oshiomhole. In fact, I'll bet you good Nigerian money that not a few will wonder just who exactly Prof Osunbor is.

Everybody knows Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The man has fought for better wages for Nigerians, he has fought for civil liberties for Nigerians and now, finally, he has succesfully fought for political office.

He has been on tv more times as a regular Nigerian than Osunbor has been as a governor (not counting the pandering state-sponsored/influenced shows, documentaries and reports aired in Edo state since Osunbor came into power). Oshiomhole is better known or more notorious depending on whether he has stepped on your toes.

A few minutes ago, he was declared winner of the 2007 gubernatorial elections in his home state of Edo after an unneccessarily long and drawn out elections appeal process. In the minds of most right -thinking people, there could have only been one outcome from the Appeals Courts - an elected Governor Oshiomhole.

Why?

No long gist there... because it was simply impossible for him to have lost a clean election in Edo state to a comparative unknown like Prof. Osunbor. Argue all you want, espouse high-minded theories about the nature of elections and what-not but the fact of the matter is that elections are essentially popularity contests.

I should know, I've lost one or two.

But this is not about me, or the fact that this blog is the first to comment on Oshiomhole's victory. It is about a deserved win and the triumph of truth over lies.

My congratulations go out to Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his supporters. I only hope he can successfully govern the way he has always called on others to do.

Well, well, well...

He did it.

He won.

The son of a Kenyan immigrant is the top gun... the big dog... the main man of the most powerful country in the world. WOW!

Anyone who followed this election will agree that this was at one point the most unlikely of outcomes. Just go back a year to when the Hillary Clinton machine was on a roll. Obawho?

Anyhow, I've been busy so it was bound to be a landmark event like this that would get me blogging again. To Barack Hussein Obama, the american people and all the world... congratulations.

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.

Election Tribunal Brouhahahahaha!

Watching CNN these days stirs up great feelings of admiration for America and its democracy. More so when I see the passion in the eyes of those involved. And I don't mean in the eyes of the politicians. No, I'm talking about the man or woman in the street.

They seem to get so into in the process don't they? They follow everything… the issues, the health of the candidates, the debates, the candidates' proclivities. EVERYTHING! They seem so involved, and that's far more than I can say for myself and a great number of my countrymen.

Now don't get me wrong. I registered to vote, I voted, I rejoiced when Yar'Adua won ('cos I voted Yar'Adua, not PDP); I even admit I monitored the delivery of judgment by the presidential election tribunal. Who didn't?

Lots of people listened to the verdict on their radios and watched proceedings live on their TVs. I listened on the car radio myself while on the move (although all I vividly recall is the laughter that greeted the citing of Bush vs. Gore during the delivery of the ruling). However to be perfectly frank it was curiosity more than any real sense of involvement that kept my mind drifting from my work to the Court of Appeal Abuja.

From the beginning of the entire process, we were made to feel more like spectators than participators. There was all the talk of anointing a successor etc. Some of us had to watch our favored candidates eat humble pie at Eagle Square during the PDP primary. Then there was the campaign process which only affected me on two occasions.

The first time was when I had to veer off the road to avoid being hit by a crazy okadaman screaming "Sai Buhari!"

And the second time was when I was stuck in traffic from Independence Way to Ahmadu Bello Stadium because 'Baba' had come to hold up the hand of a man I was already supporting. (Ah ah! Babaa, ok, vote Yar'Adua. We get it – you're preaching to the choir here!)
But through the whole time that the electioneering barely grazed us, the voting almost excluded us and the announcement of votes missed us totally (did you have light?) all we could do was sit and watch.

I had observed the numerous fallouts of the OBJ-Atiku wars, I had observed the PDP infighting, and I had observed Buhari's fight with everyone. So I was only continuing my assigned (or is it resigned role) in Nigerian Politics by curiously observing the election brouhaha.

It was funny though. The morning the verdict came, security forces were all over Abuja. And rumors were spreading that Yar'Adua was on his way out of office. I didn't believe it but I must confess that the detached fatalist in me was hoping he'd lose… just to see what would happen. But now that judgment maintains the status quo I guess I'll never know.

But I'll keep watching.

Phone a Dead Friend?

I found it ab-so-lu-te-ly hilarious that President Obasanjo had to hold a phone to a mike to prove to Nigerians that his anointed one was still alive. Especially since I was just about to do the same on the Ghana show.

Bad news sure travels fast! I’d barely heard he was sick before I heard he was dead. Dead? Ha! Wouldn’t that have been a kick in PDP’s teeth? Didn’t President /Prophet OBJ say the man had been miraculously healed a while back?

Anyway,the phone call proves nothing. That could have been his ghost calling. No be Africa we dey? besides, Baba na strong yoruba man. No be so? No long thing!