Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANAUARY 29, 2013— 19
, American democracy and President Obama HE text of President Barack Obama’s second inaugural speech delivered January 21st, 2013 at the National Mall of the Capitol, Washington DC is similar in tone, gravity and perennial lucidity and clarity to any of the chapters of Moses’ Deuteronomy in the Holy Bible. It is fascinating to see in Obama’s speech the match between incidents in American political history and the anthems of praise constructed from these incidents;thus the history provides orchestral material for composing soul stiring oratorical prose. Where else but America do we find such celebrative worship at the national political altar after the most scathing no-prisoner-taken spend-it-all-for-the-vote demonisation of the opponent as was televised in the ObamaRomney presidential race? All the instant rewriting of the immigrant ethnic “up from poverty, and from rag to middle class self-help patriotisms” constructed to divide the American electorate along party lines are swept under the rug not to be remembered until the next elections. In a way the parallel between
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the United States of America and Abrahamic Israel is a striking one. Both are deliberate beginnings entailing the going out of a country to found another; both are experiments requiring re-experimenting; both witness to the enduring strength look back to a past available for of our Constitution. We affirm the refashioning to accommodate promise of our democracy. We new recasting of the Dream; to recall that what binds this nation accommodate new members together is not the colours of our bringing to this reconstructing skin or the tenets of our faith or their own peculiar tones and the origins of our names. What accent as they make the makes us exceptional- what American Dream their own makes us American- is our narrative of the becoming of an allegiance to an idea, articulated American. How genuinely and “in a declaration made more than original is this First Generation two centuries ago. “We hold these American. Obama’s father went truths to be self-evident, that all to America in the same late and men are created equal, that they early sixties as we did; he excelled are endowed by their Creator and got the highest academic with certain inalienable rights, honours that the best of that among these are Life, Liberty, America’s Ivy Leagues reserved and the pursuit of Happiness”. for their best graduates. This son Today we continue a never ending of an African who did not stay to journey to bridge these words be the first generation is this New with the realities of our time. High Priest of this “Novus Ordo or history tells us that while Seclorum”, “Ex Pluribus Unum” these truths may be selfAmerica. See in the following evident, they have never been selfhow naturally and flawlessly American he begins the re- executing; that while freedom is enactment of the American a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Saga: “Each time we gather to Earth. The patriots of 1776 did inaugurate a president, we bear not fight to replace tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few
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For Emeka Udemezue, a tribute BY SAM EKPE
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E was full of life at the second Igu Aro ceremony of His Majesty Igwe Ralph O. Ekpeh, Eze Enugwu Ukwu na Igwe Umunri on Saturday January 5, 2013. He was dressed in his Ozo regalia as a member of the Igwe’s cabinet, the mmilinaezoluora Enugwu Ukwu na Umunri - benevolent rainfall for the masses. Later in the evening, we sat together at the reception hosted by my younger brother Barrister Dozie Micah Ekpe who was one of the five personalities honoured with chieftaincy titles that day. As usual we discussed intimately about family/village matters and politics of the town. In the morning of Saturday January 12, 2013, Engr. Chidozie Chiejina Onwa Iguedo called to inform me that our mutual friend had died in a motor accident in Abuja the previous night. Shock, disbelief, bewilderment. The sad news later spread throughout Enugwu Ukwu and Enugu where he resided. Chief Emeka Chukwudi Udemezue was one of the finest gentlemen in our midst. A catalyst in any group he belonged without any noisemaking, he was a shining example of industry, hardwork and visioner of an ideal society. Born 59 years ago in Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Emeka attended St. Luke’s Primary School Ogui Enugu and Colliery Comprehensive Secondary School Ngwo where he passed his West African School Certificate Examination in Grade I in 1975. He studied Biochemistry at the then University of Ife
(Obafemi Awolowo University) from 1975 to 1979 and later obtained Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Port Harcourt 19801982. He did his National Youth Service with the North Brewery Limited, Kano 19791980, after which he worked with FGN Okoye and Sons Ltd from 1983 to 1984 as Operations Manager. He served their sister company International Aviation Services Cargo Airlines (IAS) from 1984 to 1985 as Station Manager and later as Assistant General Manager from 19851986. He left the company at the end of 1986 and established his own firm Aeromine Freight Forwarders Ltd. Aeromine soon became a very reputed company in the
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It is evident that this celebration of the malleability of American Nationality, a trait quite different from the resilience of that nationality, would not have been featured in the inaugural speech of a Tea Party Republican President
Standing at a very safe distance opposite the National War College, Abuja he was knocked down by a drunk? motorist. He died on the spot. And we lost a jewel of inestimable value
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industry which cleared and delivered various cargoes imported by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources Abuja as well as those of over 30 Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) projects located in 30 states of Nigeria, sponsored by the various state governments and the World Bank. He managed the partnership with Agricultural Systems of Australia and Agrivisual United Kingdom in their various procurement activities by International Development Association (World Bank) procedures.
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The late Chief Emeka Chukwudi Udemezue
or the rule of a mob. They gave us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed”. It is the genius of the American Nationality for it to be metaphysically and politically malleable. The Republic called into being by Obama was once of a Republic fitted only for White Anglo-Saxon America. In 1857, Chief Justice Taney of the American Supreme Court did define the boundaries of the citizenship in racially exclusive terms. “The question is simply this: Can a negro, whose ancestors were imported into this country, and sold as slaves, become a member of the political community formed and brought into existence by the Constitution of the United States, and as such become entitled to all the rights and privileges and immunities guaranteed by that instruments to the citizens? The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people; and are constituent members of the sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included and were not intended to be included under the word “citizens” in the Constitution and therefore can claim none of the rights and privileges which the instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States”. Mirabile Visu (wonderful to behold) it is this same Constitution, this same Republic, this same people that have refashioned themselves to elect one that belongs to the class of persons” that are not included and were not intended to be included under the word “citizens” in the constitution”. And Obama in good conscience can “bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution” that has affirmed the remarking of the American Republic on nonracialist terms. It is evident that
meka later founded Christy Daniels Nig Ltd with which he executed several projects for Federal and State governments’ parastatals. Some of these were the Ondo State Afforestation project, National Seeds Service of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and some rural electrification projects in Enugu, Abia and Imo States. In 2006, he co-founded Konz Consulting
this celebration of the malleability of American Nationality, a trait quite different from the resilience of that nationality, would not have been featured in the inaugural speech of a Tea Party Republican President. Obama’s presidency indeed is a witness to the enduring strength of “our Constitution”- in a very personal and institutional way for the ownership of the American Constitution has been recovenanted”. Obama can legitimately and truly speak for the people as one of the peopleseverally he raised odes of praise to “ we the people”, for they are his people now and forever. “For we the people understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and growing many barely make it”. ·“We the people still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity”. ·“We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity”. ·“We the people still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. ·“We the people declare today that most evident of truths-that all of us are created equal- is the star that guide us still; just as it guided our forebears through Senecan Falls and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women sung and unsung who left footprints along the great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul an Earth”. The people have earned the right to be eulogized by one of the people in the spirit of all Americans defined by their being in truth and in politics citizens of a New Order of the World (Novus Ordo Seclorum).
with his wife Gozie. Two years later he became the Vice Chairman of the Healing Hearts Widows Support Foundation, an international Charity founded by his wife. His wife and three children, many brothers and sisters survive him. Uruekwo village, Enugwu Ukwu community and Anambra State will definitely miss this enterprising young man. When we established the Enugwu Ukwu Friendship Association (EFA) and Ekwo Progressives following the creation of Anambra state in 1991, he was one of the movers. EFA speedily put up the Enugwu Ukwu Sports Club and arranged for the town’s civic centre to be used as the Anambra State House of Assembly for some years before it moved to its present location in Awka. Emeka availed us of his intellectual and financial resources. The political future of Enugwu Ukwu was a cause of concern for him and he was ever ready and willing to use his contacts to do whatever was required to move the town forward. It is a matter of deep regret that this shining light of Anambra State and Ndigbo was suddenly dimmed on the night of Friday January 11, 2013. Standing at a very safe distance opposite the National War College, Abuja he was knocked down by a drunk? motorist. He died on the spot. And we lost a jewel of inestimable value. As his remains is interred on Thursday February 7, 2013, the good people of Enugwu Ukwu, his numerous friends and well wishers all over Nigeria can only pray and wish that the good Lord receive his soul.
*Mr. Ekpe, a media consultant, wrote from Abuja.