Many Americans sincerely believed Obama was the redeemer they long wished for.. A leader that prides himself as the change the people seek. He stood his grounds amidst the many critics that came his way and those who believed it was impossible for him to win the democratic parties primary against the great Clinton name- which is Hilary Clinton. It was a long battle that saw him emerge as the presidential nominee of the democratic party and subsequently the President of United states of America.
For many Americans who supported Obama; he was a vibrant revolutionary leader, he spoke with sincerity and most importantly, he put himself out as the change Americans wanted- It did not matter if he was black, it did not matter if his father was an African immigrant from Kenya and to many, it did not matter if the likes of Donald Trump accused him of not being an American- they looked beyond the accusation and went for the man- Barrack Obama.
4years into Mr Obama's Presidency, many of those that voted for him began to lose hope in the change the man- Obama had promised, what they saw was just another politician playing the script of the many strong lobby groups in America but for the rest of his supporters, Obama remained indeed the leader they expected- They believed that to fix a country does not take just one magic word- it took years of hardwork to clean up a system that many powerful groups and individuals had a strong grip on and this was why his supporters stood with him and handed Mr Obama his second tenure.
7years later, whether President Obama indeed met their expectation or Not? That is debatable and for Many Americans; they remained divided on it. Some would argue he did exceptionally well, while others insist he did far below what they expected. From this frustration- A divided America was born which saw the rise of Donald Trump; an individual that had mastered the art of tapping into the frustration and anger of many Americans for his own benefit.
Just like President Obama, President Buhari came with the change slogan; he put himself out as the knight in shining armor ready to rescue Nigeria from the many evils that had held her hostage.
For many Nigerians that had been abandoned by the system; to those many victims of bokoharam attacks, to the many unemployed youths and to those many Nigerians that had lost hope in a better tomorrow- The slogan of the then APC presidential candidate was not just appealing to them, it gave them strong feeling that indeed all hope was not lost and against all the criticism, against all the accusation and against a powerful incumbent President; Mr Buhari emerged the President of Nigeria and alas; came the celebration of a lifetime for many Nigerians who believed that a new chapter had opened up in the Nigerian story that had remained stagnant for years.
1year and 6months down the line, many of his supporters had slowly began to lose hope- The new president was suddenly not what they expected him to be but for another set of his supporters, he was exactly what they wanted, they believed it takes years of hardwork to salvage a nation like Nigeria and that those who feel disappointed in the President are only expecting magic from a President who had none to offer and whether most Nigerians still believe in Mr Buhari's change agenda and whether they would hand him a second tenure just like Americans handed Mr Obama; that is a new page in the story yet to be discovered and a new twist many eagerly wish to learn about.
The feeling of disappointment from many Nigerians gave rise to many frustration and anger; with some seeking succession and others left unsure of the future and whether a Nigerian Donald Trump would emerge to tap into the many anger and frustration of this Nigerians- That again is a twist unknown.
Written by Eedris Ngene
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