Afrikan Goddess (AG) Online

A Word in Season
By: Nii Amu Darko (November 1, 2009)

Obama, may the Lord be with him, has come and gone. The funfair is over. The preparations, (the four separate committees set up by the President to organize the visit), are over. In my view, this is the most elaborate and the most expensive 24hour visit for a Head of State per capita anywhere in the world.

The noise over where he should have gone instead of Ghana is over. The reasons given by people from all walks of life over his choice of Ghana are over. The Kenyans who were disappointed that he did not come to them because of his paternal lineage have forgotten what Jesus said when he was told his mother and siblings were looking for him. He asked rhetorically, ‘’who is my mother and who are my brother and sisters? Then he proceeded to answer himself by saying, ‘’they are those who do the will of my father who is in heaven¹’’. Kith and kin are the primary occupation of those leaders who cannot see beyond their nose, the kind of leaders we have had in Africa for the greater part of our existence as an independent continent. A leader with a vision and a mission looks beyond kith and kin. He looks at those who do the will of the people and who listen to the voice of the people. For the will of the people, is the will of God and the voice of the people is the voice of God. Apostle John said, it is impossible to love God who we do not see if we do not love our neighbour who we see². God is expressed through human beings. I hope the Kenyans get it now.

The Nigerians who were making noise that they, deserved this visit more than Ghana because of their size and resources have forgotten that when God wanted a replacement for Saul as king of Israel, he sent Samuel to the house of Jesse to pick one of his sons as the would-be king. Jesse being a natural man looked on the outside, he called his big older sons, and those he believed had the physical characteristics to become the king of Israel. They were all rejected. The young, unimpressive David whom their father seemed to have forgotten about was the man after God’s heart³. Nigeria should know that there is always a small little David in God’s scheme of things. Size does not matter to God, character does and that was the message of Obama. David did not lobby to be the King; Ghana did not lobby to be visited by Obama. In fact, I believe even the leaders were confounded as David was when he was chosen as the King. Obama is our Samuel, he was sent to the house of Jesse which is Africa to anoint a new leader David which is Ghana, the least expected of the many sons of Jesse to bring in a new kind of leadership to replace the corrupt and inefficient post – independent system which is Saul the 1^st king of Israel. Africa has had enough of Saul. I wrote sometime ago about the main mission of Obama and what has happened is exactly what I said. I said, Africa today is like Israel under Saul. We have become a laughing stock, we have been plagued by poverty, ignorance and disease and Obama will be an example unto us to establish a David’s kind of leadership to replace the hopeless Sauls we have had in Africa. In less than 3 months it has come to pass. Let our brothers, the Nigerians know that it is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God⁴. Obama’s visit to GhanaGhana. As you all know David did not become the King of Israel the day he was anointed, it took time. The leadership of Ghana that will lead Africa is not the present one; it will come in due course. The vision is for an appointed time, tarry even it appears to be delaying⁵. It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs but is of God who shows mercy⁶. I want my fellow Nigerians to understand this. was not just physical; it was divinely inspired to wake us up from our spiritual stupor and mental lethargy. God needs a point for this massive re-awakening. He has chosen Ghana His David; let us all see what unfolds in that little place called

Some have wondered why not South Africa, the economic powerhouse of Africa, well, in addition to the choice of little David over his older and bigger brothers, have you ever this phrase ‘’ O, little town of Bethlehem………’’? There were big cities, Jerusalem, Hebron, Judea but God chose Bethlehem to be the place. Accra is Africa’s Bethlehem. That is where the hope and the re-awakening will be born. Robert Sobukwe, founder of the Pan – Africanist Congress of South Africa knew this long ago that in 1961 when he founded his organization, he chose the map of Africa with a golden light shining from Ghana to every corner of the continent.

I have read Obama’s speech over and over again. It is a super speech over all. It is like the rendition of Apostle Paul before King Agrippa in defense of his Christian faith⁷. There is no doubt in my mind the speech was divinely inspired. Most of the things are known to many of us. Most of us know the problems facing Africa and their root causes. We know theoretically what to do to solve most if not all of them. The inspiring bit was how he connected the pieces to his personal story and how he connected our past to the present and the present to the future. That was extraordinary, but that was all rationalization.

Obama did more than economic rationalization and strategic reasoning, he was prophetic. He said one thing only the likes of Prophet Ezekiel, Marcus Garvey and those with the insight of such men could say. Hear him, ‘’ I am speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia, for a Summit between two great powers. I travelled to Italy for a meeting of the world’s leading economies. And I have come here, to Ghana, for a simple reason: the 21^st century will be shaped by not just what happens in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well.’’ To me this is the most profound statement of his whole speech and the number one reason for coming to Accra, Ghana, Africa. To mention the name of Accra in the same sentence with Rome, Moscow & Washington is the greatest thing to happen to Africa. To come from a man who knows how to defy the odds makes it not just credible but the certainty of it happening water tight. There shall be a performance of those things that the Lord had spoken about. We all know the corruption in Africa, we all know the tyranny in Africa, we all know the mismanagement in Africa, we all know the culture of mediocrity in Africa, those are the negative things we know about Africa. Obama reiterated them because we need to get rid of them, but that was just the icing on the cake.

The real thing is the potential we have as Africans and part of God’s creation. We have always seen ourselves as grasshoppers and others as giants, very much like the 10 out of 12 spies Moses sent into the land of Canaan. They brought an evil report to Moses, they said ‘’ooh, the land really flows with milk and honey but, Massa, there is a problem. We saw the children of Anak there (giants) and in our own eyes we were like grasshoppers and so we were in their eyes’’. Only Joshua and Caleb said, yes, the giants were there alright but we are able, YES WE CAN. They would be like bread for us⁸. We all know the wealth and riches of Africa, we know theoretically this should be a land flowing with milk and honey and not with human blood and misery as we have witnessed from generation to generation. We all talk about this great wealth but when it comes to action, we all turn and say ‘’ not us, we are not able, we cannot do it, only the white man can’’. Well, one of us, a Joshua, a Caleb has come to tell us that ‘’YES WE CAN’’. Sometimes, all we need is a kind of Joshua or Caleb to tell us that we are able to sit with the children of Anak. That Accra can and will sit with Rome, Moscow and Washington. We just need a few to get the message, not everyone because it has never happened before that everyone will get the message. Even the almighty Moses could get only 2 out 12. Even those who saw the Red Sea part into two could not manage more than 2 out of 12. We just need a few dedicated people and believe you me, Accra will sit with Rome, Moscow and Washington in this century. 

Africa will have his day and Obama, the YES WE CAN man, the man of possibilities said the time is the 21^st century and Accra will be the place. It is like Ezekiel saying, ‘’can the dry bones live?⁹’’. The dry bones eventual became a large army and did exploit for the Lord. Obama is saying the apparent dead ideas of Nkrumah, Garvey, Padmore, Du Bois, and King are our dry bones, and will be revitalized, will be re – awakened and will come back to life. With it will form a strong body of coherent ideas to take our people and continent forward. We shall be an unstoppable army, doing exploits for the good people of Africa and all the disadvantaged of the world. The seed for the formation of a moving army has been planted, the African Renaissance Movement will be gathering pace and very soon AFRICA SHALL BE FREE, very soon Accra will speak on behalf of Africa and the world will have to listen.

I put this part of the speech, the simple reason for coming to Accra in the category of inspired and prophetic passages by political leaders. The three other great ones are Nkrumah’s ‘’the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of Africa’’,  King’s ‘’I have a dream’’ and Rawlings’ ‘’ leave my men alone, I am responsible for everything’’. I included controversial Rawlings statement in this category because I believe those words saved him from certain death. They were words of great courage and leadership when facing a court martial with a charge of treason. I dislike coups and Obama minced no words on that, but nations start from somewhere. We do not know what Ghana would have been like if Rawlings had not come back in 1981. There could still have been another coup and Ghana could have gone the way of its neighbours in West Africa. What we know is that through his intervention, today we have a stable political environment which has made us the beacon of hope for the continent

Obama, said ‘’history is on the move’’. He more than anyone else, knows when history is on the move. He can see it. I can also see it. I have said several times that something will happen in Ghana which will change Africa forever. I may be a braggart speaking from an over-bloated ambition, but will Obama put his own judgment and credibility on the line in proclaiming that Accra will be on a comparable level with Rome, Moscow and Washington? I doubt very much. His speech I understand has been showing all day long on CNN. Every bit of it will be analyzed, the steady Obama will never say what he does not believe in on such an occasion. History is on the move, the real African Renaissance is on the move and there shall be a performance. I once asked, ‘’ who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed10’’? My report, Obama’s report, our report is: Accra will speak with the same force as Rome, Moscow or Washington in this century, that Africa will speak with the same force as Europe, Asia and America and Africa will turn its captivity captive. We are on the move. Africa is on the move. History is on the move. If you believe this report, the arm of the Lord, the working power of the Lord will be revealed to you. I BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Make no mistake, it is not going to be easy, there will be setbacks, there will disappointments, people of less faith and conviction will discourage, trusted ones will desert the cause, good friends will either not start the journey at all or if they do will not stay the cause, envy and jealousy will creep in, frustrations may come from unexpected places but the arm of the Lord is revealed, the working power of the Lord is revealed and there shall be no turning back. The mouth of the servant of God, Barack Obama has spoken it, the Jeremiah, the Ezekiel and the Samuel of our time has spoken it. He knows what is possible and what is not. He discarded all his pre-departure reasons for going to Ghana, he dribbled all the punters and commentators, he said the reason for coming to Accra was very simple: the voice of Africa in this century will be heard from Accra and will have the same potency as the one coming from Rome, Moscow and Washington. You can take it to the bank.

I once asked a friend who was at least very skeptical about my vision for Ghana and Africa, which was easier, me going into politics in Ghana and winning or Obama winning the US Presidency? I am not deterred by those who overly rationalize for if you observe the wind, you will not sow and if you observe the clouds, you will not reap, so says the wise King Solomon¹¹. You take the risk and do what you believe is right. I wonder the number of doubting Thomases on Obama’s own chance, but he believed and he did it. I have also learned from the story of Moses and the 12 spies he sent into the land of Canaan that, if you ask 12 people very close to you about your chances of such a huge move, only 2 will be positive. In that way, I will say so far I am not doing badly. I already have my Joshua and Caleb. My friend was forced to concede that it would be easier for me than it was for Obama. The thrust of Obama’s message was not for the present leadership, it was for the next leadership, the next generation, those outside of the present structure and WE ARE THE ONES. But as it’s said, many are called but few are chosen. We just need few dedicated leaders to take our continent forward.

Obama said, it is not his desire to impose any particular brand of democracy on any nation but history has taught us and the verdict is clear that governments which listen to their people and who do their will prosper. He believes that every nation can fashion his own form of democracy from its, culture, tradition and cumulative experience. This is more than honey to me. I have just finished writing up (about a week ago) my view of what our democracy should look like based on our history, social set up, believes and our experience of governance. It is called AFREMOCRACY from African Renaissance Movement. I believe it will change everything and give us our own voice. The world will learn something from us. The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.

Bob Marley said, ‘’Zion Train is coming our way’’ ( Zion, the power of God is coming our way). He said also, ‘’Exodus Movement of Jah people’’. Osibisa said ‘’Woryaya’’ (we are going, we are moving, Heaven knows where we are going and we will get there), Asabea Cropper said ‘’ wor maa ya dormi ’’ (we will get to the mountain top, we will arrive), Obama said, ‘’ history is on the move’’, I say the African Renaissance is on the move and we will get there. Accra will get to sit with Rome, Moscow and Washington. Tswa omanye aba.

Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika. God Bless Africa

REFERENCES

1. Matthew 12: 46 – 50
2. 1 John 1: 20
3. 1 Samuel 16: 1 – 20
4. Zechariah 4: 6
5. Habakkuk 2: 3
6. Romans 9: 16
7. Acts of the Apostles 25: 13 – 26
8. Numbers
9. Ezekiel 37: 1 – 20
10. Isaiah 53: 1
11. Ecclesiastes 11: 4