Its a toughie...
The Economist informs me that Barack Obama is looking to enter the 2008 race for the White House. He will publicly declare whether or not he so intends on February the 10th... but its pretty likely he's already got his shorts, trainers and socks on, otherwise he'd be pretty foolish to have said anything at all regarding the matter.The Economist also confirmed something even I already knew, that Hilary Clinton will be a contender in the big American race, come 2008. With the support of America's most charismatic President yet, and the first man to ever make me watch the news, she could well give Mr Obama a sweatier and more ferocious contest than he'd bargained for - Even as a youngster I knew not what my mother meant by "sex appeal", but I knew Mr Clinton possessed something!
I don't know much about politics... and certainly not about American politics, but I do know about making tough decisions. It looks to me as though Black women in America are going to have a lot to think about over the next two years. From where I sit, I have prematurely concluded that the more pressing issue for Black-American women will be the colour of their President as opposed to his (oops... uh... its) sex. But then again, I could be wrong... Like I said, I know next to nothing about politics.
One thing's for sure, America will be making history one way or the other in 2008, and this time, unlike the other 5 in my lifetime, I will be paying close attention - If not to the candidates, at least to sexy Bill! And if Mr Obama somehow metamorphed into a hottie before 2008... he'd be sure to get my vote, if no one else's.
Luckily for the American public, I won't be able in anyway to influence the outcome of something so important to them using my unashamedly frivolous reasoning and powers of logic.
One thing I do wonder though, is when I'll ever be able to do my little bit towards getting someone worth looking at onto the Nigerian Presidential stage? Or when I'll get to decide between a male Igbo/Ijaw/Itsekiri President, and a female one? When will the Nigerian body politik, or whatever its called, ever face a similar conundrum to its American counterpart? Are we destined to an eternity of stuffy, "homeward-bound" ( the new incumbent has kidney problems for goodness' sake!), non-south south, non-female and non-hottie Presidents?
We don't have the same history as the States when it comes to the century-long oppression of a particular racial group within society, but we did have our own ethnic dilemma some decades back. Like America, will it take a few hundred years to get over? Or is there hope to be found in figures like the Duke and Okonji-Iweala? The treatment of the latter by the somewhat senile OBJ, who branded her a threat to his (non-existent) celebrity factor and dismissed her from his Cabinet, suggests we could be waiting a long loooong time.
If it were to happen though, I'd certainly get off my backside and vote. Till then, I'm not so sure I see the point.
7 comments:
lol... it realy is a close call... but I'd vote for the female... ah crap.. maybe the black man.. k... I don't even know... but this some food for thought.. but in canada we haven't even had to contemplate this...our prime ministers since the beginning of time have been as alpha white male as is possible!
hehe, sorry to dampen ur hopes but neither Obama nor Hilary are gonna be smelling the White House anytime soon (i.e. the next 4 years!). 2 things, first, America's not ready for a female president (as progressive as some may think they are...although on most days, the general consensus is that americans are daft...look who's been presido for the past 6 years!) let alone a black one. Obama knows this but unfortunately, pressure from the black political world means that if he doesnt run this time, he won't get their vote the next time around, so it's unfortunate but true.
Second, Our darling Red "christian" states dont believe either of these 2 candidates have the strong christian character (aka fanaticism) they like to see in their president. Barak was raised by his mum who was "raised Methodist but with a healthy skepticism" and so he was basically "not religious" growing up, but thankfully, he's found God more recently (and just in eh!). Hilary's pro-choice (right?) so u know that doesn't go down to well with our dearest rednecks down south!
anyways, the point is, Nigeria's in such a deplorable state, economically, socially and politically, a basic wreck, but I think the US has some serious issues of its own (@ least politically) but just wears some great MAC foundation...
there may be a dark horse white (sense the irony?) male democrat just waiting in the shadows. then there will be no history made. dear dear. stick with not voting. it's a silent protest against an inefficient system. i too participate in this protest. catching up with what? e-mail is replied.
ONB - I have no clue who I'd vote for either... To be honest I've never given it much thought before... I've never voted
Mimik - LOL @ "great Mac foundation". I did get a sense that Obama had no chance whatsoever, but just thought I'd put it out there and flex my "non fluffy" muscles in a direction other than religion.. hehe.
Acheeka - Do you know this' the FIRST time you've commented on my blog? Some homie you are! Hehehe... There is a dark horse white male democrat by the way- John Edwards. He ran as John Kerry's VP in '04.
PS Is not voting really a "silent protest"? Or is it you just being too lazy to go register and queue? Hehehe
so now the whole article is futile because my dark horse exists. you see, i don't even have to read the papers and i know what will happen. what shit are you talking about?? SEND ME THE PASSWORD.
p.s. yes, that statement about protests was to make me appear noble, rather than lazy, but i hoped that would pass unnoticed.
Until Nigerians en masse feel fully comfortable defining themselves primarily as Nigerian, and not in terms of their ethnicity, ethnic charactures will continue to be exploited by politicians who will do anything to attain or maintain power. And until 'Nigeria' comes first in the identity stakes, politics will continue to be reduced to petty tribalism, rather in terms of a) the practical tasks that face a severly mangled infrastructure and a severly value-distorted and inequitous society, and b) in terms of a genuinely caring pro-poor pro-development pro-bottom of pyramid.
In a way it all comes down to this: 'Nigeria' is an artifical construct created on the whim of a colonialists wife one afternoon as she sipped her tea and ate her cucumber sandwiches. Over one hundred years later, Nigerians still don't seem to be able to fully believe in its reality to the bottom of their souls.
The thing to bear in mind is that Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Ijaw etc are similarly fictitious entities - its just the source of the fiction lies further back in the mists of time. All ethnicities are fictitious - they are fabulations built on myth, and oftentimes involve external factors (witness the 'English' - the biggest bunch of mongrels ever). The 'Yoruba' didnt exist until dan Fodio's bunch gave them the name.
Progressive nationalism depends upon society buying into a certain more or less harmonious narrative of development. Until we can get away from the idea of everyone being marginalised and everyone wanting their share of the national cake, nothing will change.
Thanks for the comment Jeremy... You definitely dealt with the real question I was trying to ask underneath all that blurb. I don't really care that much about America's elections so long as the next one isn't another George Dubya.
I just wonder if Nigerians are ever going to see themselves as Nigerians before being Yorubas, Igbos etc. I'm beginning to think there might be hope with the younger generation, especially as a lot of the "elite" (for want of a better term) who're more likely to be in power later on, grew up in Lagos where the focus was less on being Igbo or Ijaw, and more on being a Lagosian in common with all the other Hausas and Yorubas and Efiks. I suppose I'm being optimistic for thinking that the Lagosian mentality could eventually morph into a collective Nigerian mentality - but we have to hope xxx
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