This is your president speaking

I never cease to be amazed how often world leaders save their best speeches for foreign soil. For example, late John F. Kennedy’s most memorable speech as president of the United States of America was delivered in Berlin, Germany on June 26, 1963 when he spoke in German at the Brandenburg Gate: “Ich bin ein Berliner”, meaning “Me too, I am a Berliner”.

On June 12, 1987, another US president Ronald Reagan spoke at the same Brandenburg Gate and delivered the unforgettable line: “Mr. Gorbachev, bring down this wall.” Shortly afterwards, on November 19, 1989, the Berlin Wall duly crumbled! That was the beginning of the end of communism. This was right in the midst of the Cold War.

In more recent times, President Barack Obama’s best speeches were delivered at the beginning of his first term in Cairo, Egypt at Cairo University on June 4, 2009 when he declared as follows: “I am honoured to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt’s advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalaamu Alaykum.

“We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world – tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own inspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalisation led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

“Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11th 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights. This has bred more fear and mistrust.

“So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

“I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and dignity of all human beings.”

Equally memorable was Obama’s speech when he addressed Ghana’s parliament in Accra on July 11, 2009.

Therefore, it should not come entirely as a surprise that President Goodluck Jonathan chose Magdalene College, Cambridge University, England, to deliver his most brutally frank address. His chief host was The Rt. Rev. Rowan Williams, who recently retired as the Archbishop of Canterbury and as is now Master of Magdalene College, one of the most prestigious positions in the British Establishment. President Jonathan’s address, titled “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE”, read as follows:

“The entire Nigerian society (not the nation) has failed, hence the country is experiencing killings, kidnapping, and cultism, among other crimes. We have lost our moral values and principles. Much has gone wrong in the family life, schools, churches and society in general. It would appear we have the society we deserve. Indeed, the teachings in some churches have turned the Bible upside down.

“We have every reason to be disgusted as we witness schools that have failed as well as teachers who are not committed to teaching. We are equally disappointed with the escalating reports of sale of handouts by lecturers before students could pass examinations and asking favours from students to award them pass marks. I used to be a lecturer and that is still my constituency. Our priorities are misplaced. The values of hard work, respect for elders, truthfulness, contentment, humility, patience, compassion, fairness, love, justice, obedience, etc are all lost.

“The whole society has failed. That is one reason we have incidents of cultism, armed robbery, murder, ritual killing, drugs, sale of babies, kidnapping, sexual immorality, etc. Proverbs 22:6 says train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Have we as parents done that? No! Proverbs 1:8 – listen to your father’s instructions and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Do our children always listen to their parents? No!”

“We therefore need both moral and spiritual transformation. We need to return to God, study and obey the word of God, which is able to cleanse us (1 John 15:3). There is a great responsibility placed on the church to lead this return to our values and morals and to bring about the much needed transformation in our society, so we can try to be like Jesus: meek, never spoke an angry word, frequently in prayers and always doing good.”

The chief host’s intervention was both subtle and discreet. “My wife Jane joins me in welcoming you all. Africa (especially Nigeria) is always in our prayers. We commend to you the sanctity of the Bible: ‘Where two or three are gathered, the Lord would be with them.’ May the Lord be with you as you gather here to pray for your country. We also commend to you with all humility the words of the Greek philosopher who observed that disappointment is not getting what you want or what you hope for – it is losing what you have. Africa (particularly Nigeria) must not lose its innocence.”

Randle is a former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and former chairman of KPMG Nigeria and Africa Region. He is currently the chairman, JK Randle Professional Services.

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