Where is my Obama?

By Daniel Assefa | June 10, 2009

“People get leaders they deserve” so the saying goes.

Often, I have wallowed in despair wondering why is it that my land is so barren? How is it I have asked myself, that some nations are blessed with a multitude of visionary leaders that have no equal? By what justification did the creator bless the USA with people like Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Ben Franklin, Hamilton, all together in that one narrow strip of time? And what did the Indians do to deserve Gandhi? Surely for every one of their Taj Mahals, we can produce ten Lalibelas! And shouldn’t Mandela have come from the “origin of mankind” rather than from some godforsaken dusty hill in Transkei? And if it can be said that war made Churchill, isn’t our land soaked with enough blood to paint the universe red? Aren’t we the people whose meadows are watered by Gihon, the river that once flowed through the Garden of Eden? Didn’t our ancestors walk the sands of holy land alongside the Messiah? And who but us can claim to be God’s favorites? The chosen among the chosen, keepers of the ark of his covenant! Wasn’t Ashma ibn Abjar (Al –Negasi) of Axum the King who gave refuge to the people of the Faith, a “Most just King” long before Saladin and Lincoln cut their path? So I ask, WHERE IS MY OBAMA?

In my desperate search for an answer I came across this delightful story. A respected and revered man of the cloth found himself in the hapless situation of having to fight for his life in the middle of a river. Apparently the boat that he was traveling in had succumbed to strong currents and sank. The man unflustered, placed all his trust in his maker and started praying to his God of countless miracles to save him. A struggling fellow swam by and offered to help. He shouted “Father hold onto my shirt, I will try to get us ashore.” Sensing how tired the man might be the priest wasn’t too sure if he should oblige him. So he said “My son. I worship the mightiest of the mighties. He will save me. You try to save yourself go, now go!” Few minutes later a raft overloaded with desperate souls passed by and offered to pick him up. But the priest seeing how dire the situation is for the people on the raft, replied, “No, thank you my children. Go and save yourselves. I have my Lord who has yet to fail me. Fear not, he will get me through this”.

Unfortunately his luck didn’t hold out for long. The priest drowned and died. He arrived at the gates of heaven angry, feeling terribly aggrieved and betrayed. “How in hell oops..How in heaven can this happen?” he kept on muttering, “ I am the Priest, the next Archbishop, and God’s right hand man. How can he let me die such a terrible death? Why didn’t he save me?” That day it was Jesus’ turn to greet the newcomers and was at the gate congratulating his flock as they came in. The priest upon reaching the gate confronted Jesus. Why did you forsake me? I prayed and prayed.. and you did not bother to answer my prayers. I served you all my life and is this what I deserve? WHY didn’t you save me?” Jesus gave him that long hard stare that surely must have said, “Did I even create this idiot?” He then replied… “You fool… I sent you my best swimmer…you refused his help. I sent you a boat with my best captain, I even saved you a room … and you said NO! How on earth am I supposed to save you then?”

Like those defining moments in history that others have been blessed with, I truly believe that Birtukan’s emergence as a key player in the political arena, mirrors those opportune coincidences in history that eventually prove critical in shaping a country’s destiny. It is interesting to watch how carefully the veterans of the Ethiopian political scene tread around her. When we observe the ruling party pulling out all stops just to stifle her voice, when they reorganize the penitentiary system so that they can control her influence, when they with their four hundred something robots in the parliament come up with an “antiterrorism” bill so that they can “legally” muzzle her support, when the might of arguably the most powerful military in the continent is used to try intimidate a single woman and her infant child, we should know that in Birtukan we truly have some thing special. Indeed she might just be that visionary leader that we have been waiting for. It is ours to seize the moment or choose to be the dumb priest.

How lucky is she to have found at so tender age some thing she is willing die for. And how unlucky she is for being surrounded by those that have not had the same revelation and even those that have yet to find their voices. In her speeches and writings I have found Ethiopia’s answer to “I have a dream” and the “Gettysburg address”. I did hear her words in Obama’s, Race, Nomination and Inaugural speeches. I was tempted to think may be he did borrow her lines! If it all works out as I hope it will, down the line, our children will be able to look at Birtukan’s legacy and proudly place her on the same footing as Aung San Suo Kyi and Mandela. Her house to house campaign at the time when the election was seen as a farce and no one took heed, Her prison ordeal, and her magnificent ability to articulate what is in our collective hearts, her impeccable arguments and gentle persuasions will be the scaffolds her legend will be built around.

I realize now that we have not been wronged at all by the creator. But like the priest we may fail to embrace his favor at our own peril. Yes, we have had our share of, ignorant, tyrannical, hypocritical, despotic, incompetent, mendacious, sadistic kleptomaniacs for leaders. But I am convinced that in Birtukan I have my OBAMA, Gandhi, Mandela and Aung San Suo Kyi rolled into one. That is why I feel it is imperative that we recognize this and spare no effort in securing her release. We must continue to work hard to bring her back to the forefront of our political discourse. I beg all to realize the “Gold in our hands”. I have finally got my answer. I know now that it is no longer a matter of us ‘not having leaders’ but rather the sadder reality of our leaders not having us. May the spirits of the worthiest amongst us be with her.

—
The writer can be reached at [email protected]