Transcript of Michelle Obama's remarks - KansasCity.com
I have not had the chance to watch the ongoing Democrats National Convention (DNC). I certainly did not have the opportunity of watching the first lady of the United States give her speech on the first night of the convention. I did have the privilege of reading at least an article and a number of comments on Michelle Obama's speech.
Eva Longoria posted on her facebook page that the speech brought tears to her eyes. I had previously seen a number of other comments along the same line. These comments prodded me into reading the full transcript, the link to which is above.
Michelle Obama expectedly came across as the very intelligent lady that she is. She told her and her husband's story and made us understand the story behind her husband's passion for healthcare reforms and cutting student loans. Her story told of the upbringing that taught she and her husband the values which is lacking in most of our societies today. It told the old and evergreen American story.
While the speech did not actually make me cry, it came very close to it. It gave me actual goose pimples and made me swell with love for Michelle and everything she stands for. It made both very proud and happy but also quite sad.
The sadness came from happenings at home in Nigeria. It made me wonder what comes to the minds of our various first ladies when their husbands tell them they are running for political offices. Does it give them the desire to help their husbands make the much needed difference in the lives of the majority of the people? does it inspire them to influence their husbands the work towards Nigeria attaining its much touted potentials? or do they see it as the opportunity to lord it over the rest of us, closing the air space while they fly alone and bringing untold hardship to ordinary road users while they are driven? does it perhaps present an opportunity to get money allocated to their non-existent offices that would have served to improve the lot of thousands of the citizens?
I surely will like to know the answers to these questions. I will like to know for instance, if the Dame has an opinion on the proposed introduction of the N5,000 and the conversion into coins of the N5, N10 and N20 notes? If she does, I will like to know what it is. I will like to know what effect she thinks the conversion to coins will have on the ordinary Nigerian, whether she cares that it will make the price of some of the seemingly things like "pure water" for instance beyond the reach of those at the very base of the societal ladder? I will like to know if she has the desire to see her husband as the genuine change agent for the better that Nigeria sorely needs or if she even cares that his actions so far do not cast him in that light. I sure will like to know. I doubt I will, I however do look forward to the day our first ladies will rather than struggle to be first ladies with miles-long convoys that drive the rest of us off the roads choose to be the inspirational figures that their husbands need to help Nigeria attain its much touted potentials
