The entire world recently witnessed the historic event that happened in the United States of America. For the very first time ever, a man of African descent was elected President of the United States. This, my friends, without doubt, is a major lesson to this world. Without belaboring you with the details of this occurrence which I know you are all very familiar with, I would suffice it to mention that by God's grace your humble servant, Ernest Bhabor, was privy to many aspects of the process that led to the historic feat.
I have lived in the United States for some years now. I have worked, and still work, for the government of New York, NY for sometime. I was, and still am, a very staunch supporter of Barack Obama. I became his supporter, and a worker in his campaign, not just because he is of African descent; which of course played a part, but mostly because of his values, aspiration, and dream for the common man. Here is a brother who was the first African American president of the Harvard University Law Review; he graduated with high honors and had several offers to go work on Wall Street for several millions of dollars a year, but he turned all that down to pursue the cause of the common man. He started a movement that has become the most powerful catalyst for change in the United States of America. For those of you who do not live in the United States, believe me when I say nobody saw this coming. Nobody believed it could happen. In a nutshell, Martin Luther King's dream is coming alive. MLK's dream of justice, equality, same opportunity for all people of all color and creed is starting to come alive in America. For the first time, from my own personal experience, I see a huge wave of change sweeping through the United States.
I look at the foregoing and ask myself: Why not in Africa? Why can we not join hands together to create a wave strong enough to sweep through Africa; a wave of change? I will not bore you with the problems of Africa since I am aware of your vast knowledge of our collective issues. My desire is to elicit a strong discuss, and catapult a catalytic movement that would attack the problems head on, and proffer lasting solutions in the long run.
I believe we can. I believe this generation of Africans; our generation, a generation that has been described as 'a wasted generation', can successfully change Africa for the best. Yes we can! We have the intellect, the strength, and the might; what we need is collectivity and a strong determination to effect change, positive change. Yes we can revamp our continent! And we must as a matter of urgency! We only need to commit ourselves to uplifting our people from out of their abyss of disenfranchisement, we must commit to breaking our people free from the stranglehold of poverty, penury and lack! We must speak with one voice.
But I must make something very clear, I am not a politician, neither am I interested in pursuing any selfish or personal gain; I am only a social reformer, a catalyst for change. In the last couple of years I have been doing a research for a film project that would hopefully be made in New York sometime this year. During the course of my research that has spanned over two years, I have visited many states of the contiguous States of America, some parts of the Caribbean islands, several parts of Latin America, and a few parts of Europe. My research is on the massive subject of immigration, a topic that makes many people squirm uncomfortably. But the truth must be told. My result so far has been unanimous: from east to west, from north to south, professionals, artisans, laborers, from everyone; the word is the same -- immigrants would rather live in their native countries if their countries were better.
Now my question is: How can we make Africa a better place? We need solutions. We already know the issues. But can we really effect a change?
Yes we can!
I have lived in the United States for some years now. I have worked, and still work, for the government of New York, NY for sometime. I was, and still am, a very staunch supporter of Barack Obama. I became his supporter, and a worker in his campaign, not just because he is of African descent; which of course played a part, but mostly because of his values, aspiration, and dream for the common man. Here is a brother who was the first African American president of the Harvard University Law Review; he graduated with high honors and had several offers to go work on Wall Street for several millions of dollars a year, but he turned all that down to pursue the cause of the common man. He started a movement that has become the most powerful catalyst for change in the United States of America. For those of you who do not live in the United States, believe me when I say nobody saw this coming. Nobody believed it could happen. In a nutshell, Martin Luther King's dream is coming alive. MLK's dream of justice, equality, same opportunity for all people of all color and creed is starting to come alive in America. For the first time, from my own personal experience, I see a huge wave of change sweeping through the United States.
I look at the foregoing and ask myself: Why not in Africa? Why can we not join hands together to create a wave strong enough to sweep through Africa; a wave of change? I will not bore you with the problems of Africa since I am aware of your vast knowledge of our collective issues. My desire is to elicit a strong discuss, and catapult a catalytic movement that would attack the problems head on, and proffer lasting solutions in the long run.
I believe we can. I believe this generation of Africans; our generation, a generation that has been described as 'a wasted generation', can successfully change Africa for the best. Yes we can! We have the intellect, the strength, and the might; what we need is collectivity and a strong determination to effect change, positive change. Yes we can revamp our continent! And we must as a matter of urgency! We only need to commit ourselves to uplifting our people from out of their abyss of disenfranchisement, we must commit to breaking our people free from the stranglehold of poverty, penury and lack! We must speak with one voice.
But I must make something very clear, I am not a politician, neither am I interested in pursuing any selfish or personal gain; I am only a social reformer, a catalyst for change. In the last couple of years I have been doing a research for a film project that would hopefully be made in New York sometime this year. During the course of my research that has spanned over two years, I have visited many states of the contiguous States of America, some parts of the Caribbean islands, several parts of Latin America, and a few parts of Europe. My research is on the massive subject of immigration, a topic that makes many people squirm uncomfortably. But the truth must be told. My result so far has been unanimous: from east to west, from north to south, professionals, artisans, laborers, from everyone; the word is the same -- immigrants would rather live in their native countries if their countries were better.
Now my question is: How can we make Africa a better place? We need solutions. We already know the issues. But can we really effect a change?
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