Daily Independent (Lagos)
Cajetan Obodozie
8 January 2009
opinion
Americans regard their nation as God's own country. They appear justified. Even when things get awful, something somewhere appears profoundly in their favour to renew and reinvigorate their nation.
In September, for example, Iranian President, Mahmood Ahmadinejad, told the United Nations General Assembly that the era of American global imperialism was over. The Iranian President spoke what a lot of people thought was true, but considered politically incorrect (inexpedient) to utter. China, for one, has been emerging in over one decade as the world's next economic and military behemoth. The United States, which for one year has been bedeviled by a profound sub-mortgage crisis, was on September 14 hit by an economic meltdown. Yet, within two months, the United States became substantially renewed, if not reinvented. The election on November 4, 2008 of Senator Barak Obama as the 44th American President has restored American dignity and leadership in the world. No election campaign in history has provoked worldwide excitement as this, simply on account of one individual born only 47 years ago when his fellow African Americans were not allowed in many southern states in America to vote, let alone being voted for.
Still, for me, Obama's defeat of Senator John McCain of the Republican Party is not as profound an event as Obama's victory over Senator Hilary Clinton in the Democratic Party primaries.
The Democratic Party was somewhat destined to win the November 4 general election. The six-year-old war in Iraq, for instance, had become most unpopular. Its costs in terms of financial, material, and human resources had become unbearable. It had eroded global confidence in America. What is more, the economy was running the risk of depression. The Democratic Party, in other words, would comfortably win the election if only it could make the vote a referendum on President George Bush's eight-year administration. That's precisely what Obama did.
Whereas the Democratic Party could be said to be destined to win with just a little push, the same thing cannot be said about Obama's defeat of Hillary Clinton, America's famous erstwhile first lady. The party has for the past 16 years been moulded by the Clintons, and almost all its officers were appointed by them. It was, indeed, very audacious for Obama to challenge Clinton for the party's presidential nomination. The first-term Illinois senator had no name recognition, no money, no compelling pedigree. Even his race was a huge set-back. So was his age. Yet, in the first primary which was held in Iowa, he dusted Clinton, Gov Bill Richardson of New Mexico, Senator John Edwards of South Carolina, and Senator Joe Biden of Delaware who was to become his running mate. Obama relied purely on his brilliance, eloquence, charisma, superb organisational skills, his message of hope and, of course, his audacity of hope. The world was forced to take him seriously.
Obama's subsequent victory in the general presidential election has truly excited the world more than any event in recent times. The feeling all over the globe now may be summarised in the following short five words: 'we all are now Americans.' Here, in Nigeria, as in most parts of the world, everyone is asking: can the Obama phenomenon take place in our shores? Or, differently phrased, is there likely to be an Obama effect on our politics?
Responses to these questions have largely been in the negative, apparently informed by our country's tragic political and leadership failures. We may have to reconsider our stance.
Last September I travelled to Switzerland, France, Holland, Italy and Spain via the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, and almost lost my bearing in Lagos because of the enormous changes which had taken place within a short period. When I returned home after one month, I noticed more changes. Every Lagosian I spoke to was enthusiastic to say flattering things about the relatively new Babatunde Fashola administration. Even the ever critical press and the Civil Society in general were impressed. When I called two fellow priests who had about the same time travelled to the United States through Lagos, manely, Father Luke Ibe, my worthy predecessor at Christ the King Parish in Ihiala, Anambra State, and Fr Nonso Anaedo, the secretary to the Bishop of Nnewi, they expressed delight at what they saw in Nigeria's commercial capital.
Roads are being developed to international standard, the environment is being cleaned up and beautified, mass transportation is improving substantially with the introduction of Bus Rapid Route (BRT) which has so far been managed well. I am told that water transportation in Lagos is being taken to a much higher level with the building of a number of modern and big jetties. In fact, I was informed that as many as 75 water taxis have already been procured.
All these is the first step by Governor Fashola, in his vision to turn Lagos into a sophisticated mega city.
News like this gladdens the heart. It is a welcome departure from the depressing stories we hear always about the utterances and conduct of our elite, especially the political class.
As a result of the inertia and thieving incompetence as well as the failure of the elite to work for the common good, there is a disconnect in the polity between the leadership and the people. Many people tend to see most of their leaders as heartless rulers and marvellous swindlers. They do not seem to believe that their leaders are working for them.
Good a thing that Fashola is not the only exception in our people's justifiable perception of their leaders.
Another powerful example of a public officer who is imaginative and genuinely works for the common good is Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. I am not sure there are individuals who fail to acknowledge that the contagion of the ongoing global financial crisis would have by now had a devastating impact on our country if not for him. Whereas the Chinese economy has not been in an awful state yet, principally because it is not fully integrated into the global (read Western) economy, the Nigerian banking system has been essentially stable on account of the recent bank consolidation. When Soludo directed, no sooner than he assumed office in 2005, that the capital base of each bank be increased from two N2 billion to, at least, N25 billion within 18 months, he was widely derided. But he stuck to his gun.
There are now 25 solid banks, instead of 68 banks which could not engender public confidence. Nigerian banks are creating a healthy credit culture, making it easy for even okada riders and civil servants to acquire brand new vehicles and household items. Their branch development is unprecedented and they are now global players, opening offices in not just West Africa but also London and Paris. Anytime we see their commercials on CNN International, we feel proud of our nation. The Africa Finance Corporation and the re-denomination of the naira may be in abeyance for now, but soon the nation will fully embrace them because they are ideas whose time has come.
The nation is proud that the United Nations has just selected him to work alongside the famous Nobel Prize laureate and erstwhile World Bank chief economist, Joseph Stiglitz, to reform the international financial system in light of the on-going global crisis.
Both Gov Fashola and Prof Soludo are the face of a new Nigeria. Together with people like the former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; his counterparts in Anambra and Ebonyi states, Dr Chris Ngige and Dr Sam Egwu, respectively; the (former) Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof Dora Akunyili; the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na'Abba - they provide a ray of hope for our nation. I am delighted that on December 22, I had the privilege of participating in a major ceremony where the Catholic Church honoured Fashola and Soludo for distinguished public services.
The Bishop of Orlu Diocese in Imo State, Dr Augustine Ukwuoma, will led the pontifical mass preceding the ceremony. Fashola and Soludo are two persons prepared by high intellectuality, solidity of character and visionary leadership to help leap-frog Nigeria's development. Yes, Nigeria can transform rapidly. We will.
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