History is constituted by the occurrence of events at particular points in time with a significant characteristic. Keeping such records has become part and parcel of our day to day existence, as it as often serves as a repository where invaluable learning for varied purposes can be secured. In as much as some of these occurrences occur naturally, others have man at the centre of it. The build-up to the 2009 US general elections brought to the fore a reality that was unprecedented and unbelievable. Given the historical facts of aggressive racial discrimination in that clime, conceiving that a Negro would become the nation’s commander-in-chief somewhat had a semblance to lunacy. Martin Luther King could easily have been regarded “mad” because of his avowal over four decades prior to that time, that he had a dream of such coming to fruition in future. Research has shown that great men, who see what most people of their time are blind to, have a tincture of this virtuous “disorder.” At that election time, conventionally speaking, the odds were against any non-white that throws his/her hat in the ring. The prejudiced conception of a black man as intellectually bankrupt implicitly laid in the minds of a number of Americans. As those skeptical thoughts permeated the American mental sphere, history was poised to include Barrack Obama in its annals. A modest African-American Illinois senator was on the brink of reversing the odds in his favor. The world eagerly looked on as the seeming paradox unfolded.


Barrack Hussein Obama’s meteoric political rise, despite his humble beginning, is typical of one that knows his onions and relishes the prospect of spearheading a cause much bigger than him. Born of a Kenyan father and American mother, he studied law at the prestigious Harvard University wherein, like the biblical Moses groomed to be Israel’s leader in the Egyptian palace, he was prepared to be leader of the acclaimed most powerful nation on the surface of the earth. Inevitably, adversaries and naysayers came in their numbers disputing his American citizenship, which would have had a severe ripple effect on his eligibility to run for president, if validated. The pull-him-down efforts were fruitless and the rest is history. Obama’s articulate, mind-blowing, and thought-provoking speech at the Democrats’ national convention in 2004 singled him out. He was as conspicuous as a moon in the sky. It enormously distinguished him from the crowd and temporarily turned politicians to prophets, who thereafter began to foresee him as the arrow head in the White House in the nearest future. Their political prophecy came true.


Few years later, Barrack Obama stepped out of the comfort zone and ran for the Democrats’ presidential ticket. He faced stiff opposition from former first lady Hillary Clinton. Notwithstanding, fortune smiled at this African-American difference-maker, who defied all odds by clinching the highly-sought-after ticket. Whoever said that would presage the end of the road for him was in for a shocker. Towards the tail-end of 2008, he was formally contesting for the US number one job against Republicans’ John Maccain, who also had the possibility of winning. At this point, seeing a black man reach for such a prize in the globe was a profound inspiration to many, most especially for those in the African continent. It injected in them a sense of hope and self-belief, and made Walt Disney’s admission “If you can think it, you can do it” more poignant. More so, Obama’s sermon of hope throughout his campaign elucidated the peculiarity of the moment. His emphasis on the “audacity of hope” paints a mental picture of a destitute child in a riverine neighborhood reeking of squalor, who ceaselessly has a conviction that he isn’t a prisoner of his circumstance and can make a difference. It reminds me of Nobel Laureate Albert Camus’ allusion to the mythical Sisyphus—an epitome of hope—who continues to roll a heavy stone up the hill even as it recedes, a curse laid on him by the gods.


Furthermore, this adventure reached its crescendo when Obama emerged victorious in the US presidential election to become the 44th president of the United States of America, a no-small feat. It was reminiscent of achievements made by great men through positively bulldozing convention. Most notably, this depicted the inclusiveness of the American nation and underlined it as a fertile ground for the germination of dreams, irrespective of dreamers’ nativity. Undoubtedly, President Barrack Obama’s eight years in office gave the US a nudge forward in the developmental spectrum. His administration’s dogged fight against terrorism, introduction of Obama care, peace-keeping moves around the world, decisive steps to curb unemployment, and so on, show that he actively presided. His charismatic leadership demonstrated the fact that the black man has something good to offer and isn’t bereft of the intellect to do so. The existence of little or no scandal in the life of his government points to a man with a conscientious head on his shoulders. His wife’s support was the icing on the cake, as she overtly disapproved the abuse of women and the girl-child all over the globe, thus indicating her backing of movements to alter such. Her “hash tag Bring Back Our Girls” campaign for the return of the Chibok girls comes to mind.


However, the Barrack Obama story is one that would be told for years to come. Similar to the sun, he rose from anonymity and set in the Oval office. He defied all odds by sailing the tumultuous political waters and ending up as the first African-American president in US history. His last words to his people as president, to believe in their ability to “bring about change,” encapsulate the direction of the Obama administration thus far. The vital theme of hope runs through his life, a message that any right-thinking observer should hold on to and apply in his/her existential sojourn. Strongly believing in your capacity to make a difference already kick starts your journey to doing so. We need this mental disposition to confront those odds before and against us, for aptitude without an apt attitude leads to ineptitude.


Kaycee Naze
(Rational Pen)

classic!
he was a bundle of infinite hope indeed.

cc: lalasticlala, mynd44, mukina2, humbledbYgrace.

Kayceenaz:
History is constituted by the occurrence of events at particular points in time with a significant characteristic. Keeping such records has become part and parcel of our day to day existence, as it as often serves as a repository where invaluable learning for varied purposes can be secured. In as much as some of these occurrences occur naturally, others have man at the centre of it. The build-up to the 2009 US general elections brought to the fore a reality that was unprecedented and unbelievable. Given the historical facts of aggressive racial discrimination in that clime, conceiving that a Negro would become the nation’s commander-in-chief somewhat had a semblance to lunacy. Martin Luther King could easily have been regarded “mad” because of his avowal over four decades prior to that time, that he had a dream of such coming to fruition in future. Research has shown that great men, who see what most people of their time are blind to, have a tincture of this virtuous “disorder.” At that election time, conventionally speaking, the odds were against any non-white that throws his/her hat in the ring. The prejudiced conception of a black man as intellectually bankrupt implicitly laid in the minds of a number of Americans. As those skeptical thoughts permeated the American mental sphere, history was poised to include Barrack Obama in its annals. A modest African-American Illinois senator was on the brink of reversing the odds in his favor. The world eagerly looked on as the seeming paradox unfolded.


Barrack Hussein Obama’s meteoric political rise, despite his humble beginning, is typical of one that knows his onions and relishes the prospect of spearheading a cause much bigger than him. Born of a Kenyan father and American mother, he studied law at the prestigious Harvard University wherein, like the biblical Moses groomed to be Israel’s leader in the Egyptian palace, he was prepared to be leader of the acclaimed most powerful nation on the surface of the earth. Inevitably, adversaries and naysayers came in their numbers disputing his American citizenship, which would have had a severe ripple effect on his eligibility to run for president, if validated. The pull-him-down efforts were fruitless and the rest is history. Obama’s articulate, mind-blowing, and thought-provoking speech at the Democrats’ national convention in 2004 singled him out. He was as conspicuous as a moon in the sky. It enormously distinguished him from the crowd and temporarily turned politicians to prophets, who thereafter began to foresee him as the arrow head in the White House in the nearest future. Their political prophecy came true.


Few years later, Barrack Obama stepped out of the comfort zone and ran for the Democrats’ presidential ticket. He faced stiff opposition from former first lady Hillary Clinton. Notwithstanding, fortune smiled at this African-American difference-maker, who defied all odds by clinching the highly-sought-after ticket. Whoever said that would presage the end of the road for him was in for a shocker. Towards the tail-end of 2008, he was formally contesting for the US number one job against Republicans’ John Maccain, who also had the possibility of winning. At this point, seeing a black man reach for such a prize in the globe was a profound inspiration to many, most especially for those in the African continent. It injected in them a sense of hope and self-belief, and made Walt Disney’s admission “If you can think it, you can do it” more poignant. More so, Obama’s sermon of hope throughout his campaign elucidated the peculiarity of the moment. His emphasis on the “audacity of hope” paints a mental picture of a destitute child in a riverine neighborhood reeking of squalor, who ceaselessly has a conviction that he isn’t a prisoner of his circumstance and can make a difference. It reminds me of Nobel Laureate Albert Camus’ allusion to the mythical Sisyphus—an epitome of hope—who continues to roll a heavy stone up the hill even as it recedes, a curse laid on him by the gods.


Furthermore, this adventure reached its crescendo when Obama emerged victorious in the US presidential election to become the 44th president of the United States of America, a no-small feat. It was reminiscent of achievements made by great men through positively bulldozing convention. Most notably, this depicted the inclusiveness of the American nation and underlined it as a fertile ground for the germination of dreams, irrespective of dreamers’ nativity. Undoubtedly, President Barrack Obama’s eight years in office gave the US a nudge forward in the developmental spectrum. His administration’s dogged fight against terrorism, introduction of Obama care, peace-keeping moves around the world, decisive steps to curb unemployment, and so on, show that he actively presided. His charismatic leadership demonstrated the fact that the black man has something good to offer and isn’t bereft of the intellect to do so. The existence of little or no scandal in the life of his government points to a man with a conscientious head on his shoulders. His wife’s support was the icing on the cake, as she overtly disapproved the abuse of women and the girl-child all over the globe, thus indicating her backing of movements to alter such. Her “hash tag Bring Back Our Girls” campaign for the return of the Chibok girls comes to mind.


However, the Barrack Obama story is one that would be told for years to come. Similar to the sun, he rose from anonymity and set in the Oval office. He defied all odds by sailing the tumultuous political waters and ending up as the first African-American president in US history. His last words to his people as president, to believe in their ability to “bring about change,” encapsulate the direction of the Obama administration thus far. The vital theme of hope runs through his life, a message that any right-thinking observer should hold on to and apply in his/her existential sojourn. Strongly believing in your capacity to make a difference already kick starts your journey to doing so. We need this mental disposition to confront those odds before and against us, for aptitude without an apt attitude leads to ineptitude.


Kaycee Naze
(Rational Pen)

Gbam. Obama's a highly accomplished man who became very successful without any inheritance from his father or mother unlike a two bit hustling President who inherited over $200 million from his father. Obama built himself from Zero to Hero and that's why millions of people in America and all over the World still have so much respect for him and why his approval ratings is so high.

Lucasbalo:
Gbam. Obama's a highly accomplished man who became very successful without any inheritance from his father or mother unlike a two bit hustling President who inherited over $200 million from his father. Obama built himself from Zero to Hero and that's why millions of people in America and all over the World still have so much respect for him and why his approval ratings is so high.

...and why he supported homosexuals, islam and everything satanic. Dude was a black man that never did anything for black Africa.

alBHAGDADI:
...and why he supported homosexuals, islam and everything satanic. Dude was a black man that never did anything for black Africa.

Man is a being on a lifelong journey to perfection. He had his shortcomings notwithstanding.

alBHAGDADI:
...and why he supported homosexuals, islam and everything satanic. Dude was a black man that never did anything for black Africa.

You and your ilks are so pent up about Obama not doing anything for Africa. Obama was elected president of America not any African country. Let me ask you one single question ? What did your useless and worthlessly Kleptomaniac and inept leaders you have been having for decades do for your country ? . A country so blessed by nature and pauperised by her leaders in which an average citizen earns less than $2 a day. A country that's suppose to be an Eldorado turned to junk by mismanagement and greed. Obama is not the cause of your woes in life, it's your useless leaders stealing the commonwealth dry while feeding you and your ilks crumps that fell of their tables. There is a reason Obama's having one of the highest approval ratings of any president in history of America . Because we Americans value him unlike the racist , xenophobic bigot in power now who hates people that looks like you. Get a grip on life and go crawl back in your dungeon.