A time for leadership

President Barack Obama has the stuff and what it takes to be a great American president; and the possibility of having his image chiselled on Mount Rushmore with other great presidents.  Obama is tenacious, strategic, brilliant and politically astute to join the family of American greatest presidents. But he should be ready to walk the difficult but established pathway to greatness.  For him to accomplish such a tall order he must be willing to think long term and forsake immediate gratification of winning immediate elections.  The November mid- term election is almost here and polling numbers coming in are not very good for the Democratic Party.  Well, history has proven that mid-term election is not always good for the ruling party. But to make the sour soup worse, the great recession that comes with increasingly unemployment is not making life easy for President Obama and his fellow democrats on the campaign trail.

Real politicking would be for the White House to tactically recoil from its agenda of transforming American economy.  It may help them in short term to win November election and continue to maintain the majority in both Houses. But dwelling on winning immediate election at the expense of planned agenda will make the American prospect little dimmer. This is not to say that Democrats will rest on their laurels and give up in maintaining their majority in both houses. All things being equal, this is not the time to back down from laying the necessary foundation for the creation of new industries and policies that will produce 21st century jobs and the innovative green energy industries. It will be a total disservice to the children and next generation of American workers when policy makers and industrial leaders fail to prepare them for jobs of 21st century.

President Obama has a great challenge even perhaps the greatest dilemma of his political life. To do the political correct and popular things, thereby win elections.  In other hand do the right and difficult things and suffer the consequences of losing seats in the both houses.  The right decisions and policies will make American Union richer and stronger. To make these strategic decisions President Obama has plenty of places to look to especially through the prism of American history. History has proven that nation building and growing of economies of the future never happen by chance.  The world can be changed and things get better when men and women of goodwill made firm decisions to be committed and consistence to a strategic vision. The “translating of strategic vision to operational reality” cannot be possible when tactical decision hinders politicians for short-term political gains.

History was littered with great men and women who took up the consequential challenge of making lives better by changing the course of history. Looking into American past the great presidents can be a case study for President Obama and politicians who are willing to rise above politics and make the right decisions.

The brilliant, young and charismatic President John Kennedy stood on the right side of history in spite of the pitfalls.  JFK did the right thing and stood up for civil rights and he did not think about losing elections in the South, rather he was thinking about the future of the republic.  The strategic vision of making American freer and more prosperous for everybody is more significance than winning elections in short terms.  President Kennedy was looking at the future when he pledged to land a man on a moon and return him back successfully.

President Reagan at era of cold war increased the defence budget despite criticism and his contributing endeavor catalyzed the end of cold and the defeat of Soviet Union.

President Eisenhower pushed the bill for the intercontinental Highway constructions and today America is better and richer because of his vision. The bulging of commerce and trade would have been hampered without the easy access for deliverance of goods and services in every nook and corner of the country.

Probably the greatest president of modern time is Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) who gave America the New Deal “a complex, interlocking set of programs designed to produce relief (especially government for the unemployed), recovery (of the economy), and reform (through regulation of Wall Street, banks and transportation).” America is healthier and stronger because of FDR’s New Deal.

Time and events, it is said, makes a great president. President Obama during this changing time of the global economy should look into American history for courage and determination to continue with what he has started - which is to transform America for sake of the next generation of workers and capitalists.

It has been reported widely in the press that Nigerian leader and Acting President Goodluck Jonathan will be meeting his American counterpart President Obama in Washington. Obama’s Washington is holding a Nuclear Security Summit and world leaders will assemble in Washington for the summit in early April 12-13. The global leaders including Nigerian president are expected to participate in the summit and he will probably hold talk with President Obama.. This is a great opportunity for His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan to display his leadership skill and reassured the world leaders that he is in control and our great country Nigeria is a peaceful nation that will resolve her problems peacefully.

Given the circumstance that impelled Goodluck Jonathan to the role of acting president, it is imperative that he will make impression on the world stage with his understanding of the role of Nigeria as a leader in Africa and what the world expects from Nigeria. This is a golden opportunity for our leader to engage personally in rebranding and making affirmative impression of Nigeria and himself as an emerging discipline and dynamic leader.

It is widely known that America has interest in Africa with regards to enduring of democracy and democratic principles in the second largest continent. Africa with population bulging into a billion people in near future with enormous natural resources especially crude oil has become a strategic interest to Washington. According to Council on Foreign Relations: "Currently, 15 percent of U.S. oil imports come from Africa—as much as from the Middle East—and the continent is poised to double its output over the coming decade. It has become the focus of attention from countries like China, which now imports more oil from Angola than from Saudi Arabia. In addition, Africa is rising in importance in trade, international security, democracy promotion, and efforts to tackle worldwide concerns about global health and poverty."

Oil is the engine of development, the supply is never enough especially the reliable and safe one. With all the troubles in the Middle East, African oil appears to be the safest at this point in time and the supply of African oil is more secured when compared to Middle East and Russia. Africa’s oil proximity to the American market makes its very favorable. The ebony light crude coming from Nigeria is more accessible, easier to explore and refine. Almost 15% of America oil consumption comes from Africa and it is expected to rise up to 25-30% in near future. This makes Africa a strategic important to the West. Although Africa is resources rich but it is still the least developed continent and Africans are still poor.

The world community especially United States know quite well that for Africa to move forward that Nigeria the reluctant giant of Africa must show leadership, by consolidating democracy, probity and free market economy.

Afripol put up an article that analyzed: "THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION: THE POLICY FOR NIGERIA" http://www.afripol.org/ObamaAdministration.htm the article listed litany of Nigeria’s expectations and needs.

Carson Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African, reinforced America’s interest in Africa: "Nigeria, Guinea and other African countries need civilian governments that deliver services to their people, independent judiciaries that respect and enforce the rule of law, professional security forces that respect human rights, strong and effective legislative institutions, a free and responsible press, and a dynamic civil society. This is not a list of options or some menu from which governments and leaders may pick and choose to suit their own ambitions. There has been far too much of that behavior in the past. Rather, all of these rights are requirements for a stable and prosperous Africa that will help ensure a brighter future for the African people." Therefore Nigeria must lead Africa by examples.

Goodluck Jonathan to be strategic in his engagements

 Nigerian leader must be willing to do business with United States. He should emphasis mutual benefits for both countries. He will show to his counterpart that he is willing to work with him inorder to realize the dream of making Nigeria a resourceful, effective and respectful nation that is working for average Nigerian.

Be concise and direct

Instead of handing over volumes of documents that detailed what Nigeria needs from America. He will talk directly to President Obama in simple words what Nigeria really wants without utilizing convoluted diplomatic languages. President Goodluck will leave diplomatic shenanigans and delivering of volumes of documents to his trained diplomats.

United States is a Friend and an Ally

Our leader must remember that America is a true friend of Nigeria. Thousands of Nigerians are living in America, prospering without hindrance and contributing to America positively. Millions of dollars are transferred from Nigerian Americans to the country of their birth Nigeria. And these Nigerians living in America are bringing ideas, knowledge and resources to make Nigeria a better nation. For this our country must show appreciation and build on this friendship for mutual benefits of both countries. The reward of President Goodluck Jonathan trip to America and meeting with President Obama may be the beginning of better understanding of Nigeria’s predicament and appreciation of America’s invaluable friendship.

Emeka Chiakwelu is the Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol Organization. Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment, human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it