President Barack Obama: Global implications
November 4, 2008 (Victoria, BC, Canada) -
I would be doing history injustice if I go to bed tonight without penning down something about this extraordinary man called Barack Hussein Obama.
My friend, Mading Ngor, caused me laugher a few hours ago when he reminded me of my previous article in which I had suggested a possibility of The White House being renamed The Black House. I also had said that Obama would select Oprah Winfrey as Vice President since black season was here. Of course that was comic but the reality of Obama’s victory today made me laugh when I thought back.
First things off, America is a great country and John McCain is an awesome dude. In conceding, he said, “We both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still have the power to wound.” The honesty of his concession was striking.
What it means for America
Glued to the TV following the election proceedings, I had no excitement at all, in contrast to my friends. But something struck me: Oprah Winfrey, Jesse Jackson, Roland Martin of CNN were crying! So were many other African Americans. Only then did I fully grasp the depth of what this election has meant to Americans. In his acceptance speech, Barack had this to say: “If there is anyone out there who doubts that America is a place where anything is 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.”
During the three years I have been in North America, I often didn’t understand this whole race thing. For instance how some black dudes have low self-esteem? Walking around with my Sudanese pride, I didn’t get how another man can be more important – we can only be equals! Today, the point sank home: those years of mistreatment can break a people so badly. Tonight, the victory belongs to those Americans who have lived to see this day. This change must be profound to America as a nation to begin being honest with herself and heal those wounds. It will take time but they are on the right track.
From eight years of George Bush (By the way, I have no problem with my buddy Bush!), America has a bad international image. Today, America has voted for a president who will endear her to the world and restore her grip as a superpower. I think, they will begin to see the wisdom of their choice few years from now.
What it means to the world
It’s not hard to see that the world is broken. The world needs more peace than war. But peace is hard to come without the deep thoughtfulness, wisdom and friendliness of a president Obama. Throughout today, I kept thinking about Kenyans and how they are getting rid of Senator and Senator Keg in the bars (popular brews in Kenya since Barack became a US senator!). I lived among Kenyans for over 10 years: trust me, hell broke loose today! They truly feel Obama is their own. Even the South Sudanese are also trying to lay claim to him: that the Luos, tribe of Obama’s father, originated from Sudan! Obama has relatives too in the most populous Islamic State, Indonesia. Barack went to Berlin and delivered a powerful speech: Europeans are crazy about him. Look at all these dynamics and you get the feeling everyone wants a piece of him. Now tell me, what will stand in the way of a more peaceful world?
What it means for South Sudan. Attention: Government of South Sudan
I won’t get into the country's politics here but I will draw a few parallels. Many of us South Sudanese will identify with Barack’s story. We don’t believe in impossibilities and we approach the world with the might of our understanding and resilience when we hit obstacles. We have a long story to tell the world and given our experiences of fighting for a free world, we can only strive to build an equitable world for everyone. We can qualify to be worthy allies to Barack.
Barack’s story goes back to an intelligent Kenyan man: Tom Mboya, who being an influential government minister in the 1960’s, saw the need to airlift Kenyan students to study in American universities. One of the beneficiaries was Barack Obama senior, father to the US President-elect. Barack Obama senior went back to serve the people of Kenya but his seed of romance has taken the world by storm today. That humble initiative has paid off handsomely, albeit indirectly.
I would ask: Is it hard for the Government of South Sudan to airlift her bright students to the best universities in the world? It can never be a question of money.
Jok Gai Anai is an engineer student at the University of Victoria in Canada. He is The New Sudan Vision's Columnist
