Michelle Obama, The First Lady of Inspiration

Mural by Dreph (ig: dreph_). Located on Dorrell Place, Brixton, South London.

Photocredit Darie Nani.

MICHELLE OBAMA

BECOMING

THE WORLD’S FIRST LADY OF INSPIRATION

By Dr Marina Nani

When my friend called me to say ‘We’re all going to Michelle’s book launch’ I didn’t ask ‘Michellewho?’, but I said ‘absolutely yes!’ unaware of the fine details. I love nothing more than getting in line, waiting with bated breath for a new author to sign my copy! This is when the magic happens, making that connection with the author and their story. I did not know which Michelle but it didn’t matter. I also forgot to ask about the book title, and little I knew that this was actually a ‘Christmas comes early gift’ not only for me, but for the entire City of London!

It was only a week later when I realised which Michelle we were talking about. By now, you must know that hundreds of thousands of people from Chicago to London are lined up to get their signed copy.

But if you are in London, and randomly drive through Brixton, like I did, you can see Michelle on this three story building mural, and, like me, you will be thinking ‘Welcome home, Michelle!’

Painted by Dreph, an amazing artist from Ghana, 43, Neequaye Dsane, who has gifted London with a collection of large scale street paintings, contemporary portraiture of “ordinary women who do extraordinary things” showing

his gratitude for ‘unsung heroes and heroines whose triumphs I seek to highlight, represent and pay tribute to’ as he says on his statement (http://dreph.co.uk)

If I imagine all these murals on one street, the street could only be called Love Lane, where Michelle belongs, as the new resident, as the World’s most Inspirational First Lady. Perhaps, Dreph is not the only artist who wanted to show Michelle that London is her home, and everywhere she goes, she is at home. Becoming a global icon, the first lady or an author, she became you and me, beyond colour, background or social status.

Reading her story, there is a deep sense of becoming into ‘the world of defining the undefined’, which preserves the value of ‘kindness and appreciation’ as she says in a recent interview with Jena Bush.

Becoming is the story to inspire women who struggle with their own identity, with their sense of purpose and Michelle is ‘no exception’, as after all she became, she is still saying to herself ‘I have to get this right, I can’t mess it up’. Soon to be an empty nester, ‘Michelle Obama is the most popular world public figure and the most famous.’ According to You-

Gov Ratings and data collected between 15th May 2018 and 31st October 2018 Michelle Obama is described by fans as: ‘Good Role Model, Genuine, Influential, Charismatic and Intelligent.’

Less than 24 hours after the tickets went on sale, BBC London News twitted: ‘Tens of thousands of people have been disappointed trying to get tickets for an audience with Michelle Obama at London’s Royal Festival Hall’

A local girl called Myriam, @ mazdem,‘born & raised in London town, world traveller’, replied ‘An evening with Michelle Obama & Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in London and I don’t get to witness it! Why not give them the whole O2 ( Arena) so we can all bear witness to this greatness?!’

Back to the office, I asked my son, Darie, to hold on to our December Issue and to take a picture of the Michelle’s three-story building mural in Brixton before we go to print.

I know that you, just like me, would love to line up and have your copy signed on 3rd December and even if we do not get that chance at least you know that, in more ways than one, Michelle is now a permanent resident on London’s Love Lane.