Mankind cannot effectively measure the power of words, be they spoken or written. Word is peace, word is war. It is nothing, but words that cause war, and it is words that bring about peace in the human community. Words, depending on how they are used can either be forces for good or evil. If negatively spoken, they destroy, and if positively spoken, they build.
Words create. It is with the sheer force of creative words that God created the world. Words also depress, demoralise, demolish, etc. So also, they heal and inspire. Nigeria’s President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan seems to have realised the power inherent in words when during his campaign tours in and around Nigeria this year, he sought to narrate his story by telling his countrymen and women about his background, how despite that very humble beginning at Otuoke in the Nigerian Federation, he did not give in to the discouraging vicissitude of life- he did not stop at his background, but sought moment by moment to recreate, rewrite his story and that saw him sworn in on May 29th, 2011 as the 15th person to row the boat of independent Nigeria. And challenging his country men and women, young and old, he said confidently: “Fellow Nigerians, if I could make it,
You too can make it!”
The dominant aspect of his campaign speech, which probably had acted as his unique selling point (USP) in that campaign that led up to the presidential election of April 16th, 2011 has been poetically arranged by JOHN ODEY ADUMA, Editor, VIGILANCE-THE SECURITY MAGAZINE. It is as hereunder published, even as the world asks, “Can Jonathan be Nigeria’s Moses? Happy reading:
I was not born rich, and in my youth,
I never imagined that I would be where I am today,
But not once did I ever give up,
Not once did I imagine that a child from Otuoke,
A small village in the Niger Delta,
Will one day rise to the position of President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I was raised by my mother and father
With just enough money to meet our daily needs.
In my early days in school, I had no shoes, no school bags,
I carried my books in my hands
But never despaired;
No car to take me to school,
But I never despaired.
There were days I had only one meal
But I never despaired.
I walked miles and crossed rivers to school every day,
But I never despaired.
Didn’t have power, didn’t have generators, studied with lanterns
But I never despaired.
In spite of these, I finished secondary school,
Attended the University of Port Harcourt,
And now hold a Doctorate Degree.
Fellow Nigerians, if I could make it,
You too can make it!
***Arranged in poetic form by JOHN ODEY ADUMA,
Editor,Vigilance -The Security Magazine (www.vigilance-securitymagazine.com).
London, United Kingdom.