Two articles back, in “For good or for malevolence,” I wrote: I wished Biden were not running. Two weeks later, Biden stepped down and endorsed Kamala Harris. Is it not amazing how quickly the world can change in a matter of weeks?
Many times, all that is required to bring about great change is a little pivoting. The excitement level for the Democratic ticket has gone up from 1.5 on the Political Richter scale to 9.5. It is of earthquake dimensions. Everywhere Kamala goes these days, crowds of 15,000 to 25,000 are waiting to see her. This is what a good decision looks like. With Tim Walz as running mate, rural America, suburban America and moderate Republicans will start to feel good about the Democratic ticket.
Within three weeks, Kamala has raised over $300 million. Twenty-four hours after announcing Tim Walz as running mate, they raised $40m more. Money is pouring in. This is astounding, but even more astounding is the fact that the money is coming in as tiny donations from over 1.5 million new contributors, 60% of whom are women.
Historically demographic experts will tell you this: When women come out to vote, get ready to rock!
How’s Trump reacting to all the good news on the other side? In a recent Press Conference at Maralago, people gathered to hear him speak. I watched it. I am sure that having achieved demi-god status, there’s no one left in the Republican Party who is able to whip him into line. Trump is the King. Add to that the recent victory on the matter of presidential immunity handed over to him by SCOTUS. He is literally walking on water. He had no message for Kamala nor for the country at the Press Conference.
Among other rambling, Trump said that Kamala failed her Bar exam. If that is true, how did she obtain license to become a Prosecutor in the State of California? Can one be a prosecutor without passing the Bar? Fact check revealed that Kamala failed on first attempt but passed on second attempt. It would appear that Trump has perfected the art of making statements that leave much to be learned.
People will tune in again when Trump is ready to talk about issues.
And the issues are real. Gas prices are high. There’s inflation. Families are struggling with two incomes, retirees are going back to work as cost of living is going through the roof. These are issues people want solutions to. No one cares if Kamala is Indian or Black. What the voters care about is who can improve the standard of living for the greatest number of people.
One killing in Lebanon. Another in Tehran.
Israeli Intelligence is hard at work taking out enemies. First, it was a Hezbollah Chieftain in Beirut, quickly followed by the Hamas Chief in the heart of Tehran where he was a guest of the Ayatollahs. For Iran, this is an unforgivable sin.
In that part of the world, people consider it an honor to give their lives for their guests. Both Hamas and Hezbollah have vowed retaliation. The only question is when, not if. The world meanwhile holds its breath as the United States moves military assets around.
The protection of the State of Israel is a national security issue for the United States. It is as strong, if not stronger than the Monroe Doctrine (1823), which forbade any foreign power from getting a foothold in the South American and North American hemisphere. In return, America promised to stay out of European colonial possessions.
Bangladesh on fire, Nigeria nearly on fire.
Last week, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh fled the country after over one month of protests led by students. Their demand was a simple request for the government not to create laws that segregated jobs for favored people. The government failed to listen. The people asserted their sovereignty, but not after over 100 students had been shot.
By contrast, or depending on what side you’re on, fortunately or unfortunately, the hunger protest in Nigeria was haphazard, not because people are not hungry but because primarily, even though we are one country, one shoe size does not fit all religions and regions or tribes.
Our priorities are different by region. The protests have gone the way of previous protests as can only be seen in Nigeria. This is about the only country where the oppressor can pay the oppressed not to protest against his own oppression. Safe to say we have perfected the art of the weaponization of poverty against the poor. Will change ever come? Only time will tell.
Olympics ending.
The Olympics have come to a screeching end for Nigeria with zero medals. The United States and China will be first or second to each other by the end of the competition. Their secret is not a mystery. They prepare. They invest. They train. They work hard. Their country lends necessary support. They have national pride. These are things that set winners apart from losers. Nigeria, giant of Africa sleeps like old Rip Van Winkle, the man who went to sleep before the American revolution and woke up after the revolution had happened.
Dangote, like Tony Elumelu, made a mistake.
Nigerian investors are yet to learn a vital lesson about investing in Nigeria. Nigerian officials as a matter of policy, whether rightly or wrongly, always give preference to White faces. If Dangote had gone into a quiet partnership with a White High School dropout from Money, Mississippi and named the refinery Mississippi Refinery, he would not be having any trouble getting all the crude he needs for his operations. Tony Elumelu of Heirs Holdings made the same mistake when under the Buhari Administration, he tried to purchase an oil block asset from a multinational looking to exit the Nigerian market. Buhari blocked it. If only he had brought a White friend from Detroit, Michigan!
Nigeria is peculiar. All the same, we continue to hope for a better country. One day.
*Ovienmhada, author, poet, playwright, and public affairs commentator, cab be reached via [email protected].
