He went about his campaign the way he believed was the best strategy needed to win an election. His rambunctious and brash style left the world in awe. He was accused of everything under the sun, including but certainly not limited to his widely reported sullied salacious appetite. The media was also awash with his mistreatments of the female folk and how he sexually assaulted them.
But all these paled into insignificance as he waltzed his way into the White House in a blaze of glory, leaving many confounded, astounded and with mouth agape.
Since he won a poll that he was dismissively tagged an outsider, America has become a subject of discourse everywhere. There have also been protests in various cities in the United States over the unexpected victory of billionaire businessman, Donald Trump in the November 8 presidential poll. To these protesters, the ‘wrong’ candidate has won. They all rooted for former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. She did not win hence their protestations. So, will their rejection of Trump upturn whatever happened on November 8? By no means. Perhaps, one would have nursed such possibility if it were to be in our clime. It’s true. Here, the unbelievable happens almost every day. Is it surprising that we are yet to conclude some elections conducted in 2015? How about the gale of inconclusive polls?
Today, Donald Trump’s remarkable triumph has left many political analysts, academics, top professionals and soothsayers in astonishment. They all expected Clinton to win the poll with aplomb, but their prognostications were dashed. Even the media are yet to come to grips with this clear reality that come January 20, 2017, a man who outgoing president, Barack Obama, branded as unfit to govern America will be sworn in as the 45th president of the most powerful country in the world. For the next 8 years, the Oval House will have a man whose experience politically prior to his historic triumph was significantly and grossly low in rating.
With all his seeming disdain for blacks, immigrants and all, Trump is the President of the United States of America. Radical in his speeches and recklessly unsparing and unpolished in his choice of diction during the campaigns, Trump drew public opprobrium across the globe. He was seen as a divisive figure - unrefined and lacking the poise, comportment and character that befit one who wants to rule America. He was given virtually no chance of winning one of the most hate-ridden pre-presidential polls in the history of the country. But the man gave no hoot to all that. The way he was seen by analysts bothered him not. At a point, even his campaign team lost faith in him vis-à-vis his ambition. He carried on with stoic composedness. He brooded no opposition.
His speeches reeked of war and division. He was not given to euphemisms. He had no different name for a spade. His forte throughout the riotous campaigns was saying it the way it is irrespective of whose ox is gored. For this, many despised him to no end. In the other hand, he won the hearts of those who proved that on Election Day. They spoke with their votes much to the consternation of all.
The fact that all living former presidents of the country worked against him did not detract him from being himself. Where he drew inspiration and such cocky confidence to soldier on in spite of the opposition against him left many analysts and bookmakers’ alike startled. He refused to wear the garment of pretence and delusion. He remained boisterous and uncontrollably ruthless.
Such public conducts and issues relating to his sex life and all that cut no ice with his diehard supporters. In Trump, they saw a man that would ‘bring back’ their country. They saw a man that will not play ball with those they see as enemies. They saw a man that will use his iconoclastic stance and extreme views to restore the seeming lost glory of America. All these and many more made Trump the choice of majority of the populace. If it were to be on character, public relations acuity, refinement and all that, Clinton would have been an easy pick. Trump would have scored zero. But the voting public looked beyond oratorical prowess and political correctness to vote for the most despised presidential candidates in any known election in the world.
In the three debates that were held prior to the poll, Clinton floored Trump in all. Her charisma, poise and alluring smile, powered by uncommon gutsy carriage got the world to sit up and pay attention. She simply won the hearts of many. But Trump, being who he is, went on the offensive. To him, the debates provided a unique opportunity to say to her face all he has been saying at various fora with barbarous indignation. He was temperamental and warlike, both in comportment and the way he addressed issues. No word was too heavy for him to use on Clinton and her backers. He spared no body with his acidic invectives. He used them freely and owed no one any apology.
The way he was going about the whole process raised doubts over his willingness to accept the result if it went the other way. Again, he was vague with his response. Having already raised the alarm that the election will be rigged against him, Trump responded by adding that he will only accept the result if he wins. Such crass pigheadedness! The man was overly confident of winning this election. Despite the world’s view about him, he refused to toe the path of playing to the gallery. “I will not change my style,’’ he literally told who ever cared to pay attention.
Today, he is president, not on account of his superior intellectual astuteness over Hillary Clinton, but he won because he told Americans what they wanted to hear. “We will make America great again,’’ he enthused. “Jobs belonging to Americans taken over by immigrants and their cohorts will be retrieved for Americans,’’ he boasted. He is reported to have also promised to send Nigerians packing if he becomes the president. So, now that he has won, will he carry out his threat? I doubt, but with Trump, nothing is impossible. After all, he won an election no one ever gave him a chance.
While political enthusiasts and watchers have felt deeply disappointed with Trump’s victory, especially Nigerians who followed the election with religious inclination, I have chosen to look at Donald Trump’s victory from a different perspective. For one, if it were to be in Nigeria, Trump would not have defeated Hillary Clinton. No way. In a country where a shadowy cabal reigns supreme, they would have ensured that their preferred candidate won. Everything would have been employed. Security operatives would have played ball. INEC would have been coerced to do the bidding of the Clintons. No expense would have been spared to make sure the pendulum swung the way of Hillary Clinton.
With a sitting president backing her, it would have been a walk in the park for the former Secretary of State who worked with Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013.
At any rate, the Election Day would have been a mere formality. And as usual, we would have mocked God by attributing the success to His divine help. To boot, a lavish party would have been held with tax payers’ money. A huge donation would have been made to the church where the thanksgiving would have held. The long suffering, oft manipulated and impoverished populace would have trooped in to cheer their godsend leader to the high heavens.
To make sure they get something for their support, rice will be provided very plenty. Alcoholic drinks of all sizes, shapes and tastes will be copiously made available. As take home, money will be released to them via the group leader who will in turn share it across board the way he deems fit. And that will be that. Everybody will head home feeling a sense of satisfaction for eating and drinking plus being given N1000 as transport fare. After that day, their godsend leader leaves them in the lurch. He no longer needs them.
Having given them ‘fish’, he feels a sense of self-absorption. To him, he has done enough for them hence no one should knock on his door again. Soon, the people whine and grumble for being neglected. When the pressure becomes much, he will organise a party, a ‘thank you’ soiree where, again, food will be available aplenty and thereafter, as a parting gift, some money will be shared. Not that sharing of money is altogether bad. No. But how much is usually shared? Do such amounts have the potency of helping a jobless youth set up his life and assume the responsibility that befits his age and status? Not at all.
Little is given so that one will remain perpetually beggarly and loyal to the oga on top.
All these are by-products of a system that gives no room for people to emerge leaders on account of their intellectual prowess, ability and capacity to improve the lives of the people. It is a system that pays undiluted loyalty and benumbing reverence to a clique that determines who gets what. It is one of the reasons we are here. Here, leaders don’t engage in debates where they sell their manifesto to the electorate. Even when such platforms are provided, some candidates fail to show up. But there is need to toe this part if we must get it right in our electoral system. Dogged and sincere efforts must also be made to dismantle a system that sacrifices merit on the altar of nepotism and blind loyalty. It stifles progress and allows a cabal to remain in power in perpetuity thereby foreclosing any possibility of people with fresh ideas and ideologies assuming leadership positions.
Trump won against all odds. He stood against a cabal. He maintained his principles and refused to pander to popular opinion. He literally told a bewildered world that “this is my character, vote me if you wish, but I won’t change.’’ One is not in doubt that majority of Americans voted for him on this premise.
He may not be the president many wanted for America, but he wormed his way into the hearts of those who voted him due his single-mindedness, gusto and the promise of making America great again. Clinton waxed with confidence all through the campaigns especially her smiley face during the debates; but all that were missing while making her concessional speech. She called on her supporters to jettison party and work for America. Vintage Clinton! Elections are over; Trump has called for unity after a divisive campaign. Let peace reign in America. They need it.
Meanwhile, has Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka torn his Green Card? While we await this epic drama from a dramatist, has anybody heard from Prophet T. B. Joshua recently?
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