I am thankful to God Almighty that I have lived to see a black man become President of the United States of America and, judging from the tumultuous outpouring of joy all over the world, millions of other people must have lived for this earthmoving event.” There is only one other event in history that can match this triumph.” That was the reclamation of Africa from the Europeans and the march to independence. As we reflect upon the African journey to Independence which began with Nkrumah, we are tempted to take it for granted.”” The passage of time has dimmed the glory of the achievement.””” The way in which African leaders have acquitted themselves over the years of independence has made us pause sometimes to wonder whether they are indeed fit to lead their people. I hope it will not be the same with who is as close to an African leader as he could get and who is also the leader of the most powerful country of the modern world. No African has ever ruled over a country of white majority and we shall soon see how this mixture of black and white will thrive in the White House. As spectacular as Obama’s achievement has been this is not the first time in American history that America has called upon one of its black sons to help out in a crisis. When America wanted its capital they called on the talent of a black architect to make the plan.” When the South faced panic from the failure of its agriculture George W. Carver, an ex-slave, came forward with his peanut experiment to save a part of America which harbored hostility and resentment against the black race. The list of black redeemers of America is too long to call.” In every area of life in America a black face always emerges to lead the country out of distress and uncertainty. There has always been, however, that lingering element of hate which steadfastly refused to acknowledge the sterling contribution made by its African-American citizens and only now have the white citizens of the United States decided to take a chance and trust their nation to the hands of black leader. It isn’t as if they had a choice.” Once again the great United States is in crisis.” Its banks have failed.” Its businesses are on the verge of collapse, doom is threatening to trickle down from the millionaire to the homeless.” The United States is on its knees.” Men’s hearts are failing them for fear as they stare at the corner and cannot tell what is around it. America is looking for a saviour.” They think that in Barack Obama, the messiah has come. I hope so; I hope that this extraordinary young black man, this son of an African father, can save the world by saving America. We can already credit him with saving America from itself.” After years of slighting the non-white population, after all the marginalizing of black people and the grudging acceptance of some of the more brilliant. White America has now come to terms with the fact that its African citizens have as long a history in America as its white immigrants, and that all non-white Americans fall into the category of having been created. By accepting Obama as their President white America has washed its bloody hands in clean water and has done penance for its sins of the past by humbly passing the mantle of leadership to its black son of the minority.
