What if Obama wins? What if he loses?

A recent survey conducted jointly by Quinnipiac University, CBS News, and the New York Times showed that Barack Obama was leading Mitt Romney in three key states viz. Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Early on in Obama’s tenure, his popularity plummeted, and this engendered concerns as to whether he would win a second term or not. I do not intend to analyse his merits or demerits as a leader, but to ponder the effect of his loss or victory on the psyche of African Americans, and Blacks all around the world.

I remember vividly my first cognizance of Barack Obama. In February 2008, Obama swept primary after primary, and all of a sudden, an African American candidate began to assume the role of favourite. I followed the Democratic primaries with intense fascination, sometimes staying up till 5a.m. to hear the results of a primary.

After winning the candidature for the Democrats, the world held its breath as Obama pushed for the presidency. It ceased to be an individual’s pursuit of the highest office in, arguably, the most powerful nation in the world. Would an African American ascend to the most coveted office?

But more crucial questions that formed in people’s minds were; what would the victory of this African American mean for the future of all African Americans, and to a lesser extent, Africa? Would that victory prove the innate equality of all races? Would it mark a new era of inter-racial acceptance and minimal racism?

Almost four years into Obama’s reign, we’ve had our answers to those questions, albeit we might not all agree as to what those answers are. Some Africans that were hopeful that having a son in the White House would transform the fortunes of the continent were rudely awakened by Obama’s “negligence” of his homeland. But this is not the crux of this write-up.

For many, Obama’s election to the White House represented an opportunity for Blacks to show that they could provide visionary leadership at the highest level. His election to office was not just another instance of an American elected to be president, but a Black given an opportunity to “show the White slave masters that the Negro can do it too!” These symbolists maintain that this election would show whether or not Obama’s presidency is a successful or erroneous experiment, namely, giving a Negro the opportunity to lead a great nation. What ought to be a case of another American presidential election has suddenly become a trial of competence of Blacks.

I beg to differ. If Obama wins, it would mean nothing for the Black race, and ditto if he loses. At best, if he wins, his victory would be a testament—of a sort—of his leadership abilities; and at worst, his loss would be a reflection on his own abilities—albeit, a morphed reflection.

The competency of African Americans and all Blacks to be effective managers of their—and others—destinies is independent of the failings or successes of any of its number!