Obama invented one special thing during his presidency: allowing affordable homes in rich American neighbourhoods. To appreciate that policy, you need to understand that where you live determines the public school you attend, and that public school is largely funded from real estate tax in that community. So, naturally, affluent communities have better schools because they generate more tax money, to hire the best teachers and spend on school supplies.

That is the separation which comes after birth: if you are born in poor communities, your schools are likely going to be underperforming. Obama changed that by allowing apartments and all manners of affordable homes to be built in rich suburbs and communities. With that, a poor kid whose parents live on minimum wage, can live in the same zip code with millionaires, and those kids can attend the same school with millionaires’ kids (sure, most rich Americans send their kids to private schools). You get the idea nonetheless!

Trump liked that idea, but in the middle of his presidency, he flipped. Politico wrote,  “Trump is going to war on low-income housing in suburbs. He once embraced it.” The issue was alleged that “poor” families were making the suburbs “untidy”, “unsafe”, and President Trump wanted to save the “suburb women of America” from this paralysis. Politico again: “President Donald Trump is on a mission to save the suburbs, warning Americans that Joe Biden would bring chaos to their communities by promoting affordable housing.”

On that, and the issue of affirmative action, I decided to vote for Biden to preserve that ordinance (suburban women voted for Biden as  many Americans pushed for more opportunities for all). Ifeoma, my wife, did ask for voting Biden to be the best birthday gift from me, as I was ambivalent since irrespective who the president is, the institutions of America, will keep it going.

But right now, another decision is coming: Trump vs Biden for US Presidency. What should we look for as the campaign reason ramps up? 

Comment on Feed

Comment 1: Biden has been tested likewise Trump.

There’s no more blind choice here, during Trump the world knows peace and prosperity while during Biden the world is at war and in much disarray.

Children and our kids are endangered species, they are under attack and their innocence is being stolen from them.

For me I think the world needs healing and reformatting and Trump might be that button to commence the process.

Comment 2: Hi Prof. How did you vote in the last election in Nigeria? What was the main issue that swayed how you voted?

My Response: I did not vote because I was not registerred to vote. But largely, if I had been given the opportunity, any person that would enshrine a MERIT-based system in admission, employment, etc (I think is the #1 issue in Nigeria) gets it. Among the contenders, I would have voted Obi.

In 1999, I liked Obasanjo (a bridge to 2 worlds) . In 2007, I was for Yar’Adua (humility with empathy to Niger Delta during his campaign. He later won and voted for the largest budget in the history of ND which even GEJ reduced when he died). In 2011, I was for GEJ (I wanted him to continue the Yar’Adua policy which was superb, Nigeria had the highest GDP per capita on record). In 2015, I was for GEJ (I felt that Buhari did not have the intellectual capacity to run Nigeria). In 2019, I was for Atiku (anything but Buhari).

Comment 3: You made a brilliant point sir. But I think that is too little to make a choice of who is to be the president of the USA.

You are a very learned person because I follow you on both LinkedIn and Facebook.

I strongly disagree on this!

President Obama did brilliantly well in that policy but you and I know such policy did not and can not give automatic place to the poor in the suburbs. I believe even with that it is still going to be by merit.

Even with the policy I believe not all poor people can afford it except those who work themselves up.

I read most of your write up whenever I come across them.

I want to ask you a question,imagine Tinubu makes such policies for Nigeria willl he be your choice over Obi?

Allow the poor to access rich suburbs over economy policies? Over foreign policies ? For example, Trump have been saying if he was in office Ukraine war would not have started. He also said if in office he will end it in a short while.

We believe him because in his 4years in office no war. Obama’s govt Russia annexed kremia, Biden Russia at war with Ukraine again, also with Libya saga, leaving Afghanistan in an unprofessional way etc.

Both have ruled for 4years compare their foreign policies and the economy.

My Response: “I want to ask you a question,imagine Tinubu makes such policies for Nigeria willl he be your choice over Obi? ” Not relevant from my angle because that policy is not the most pressing factor in Nigeria. What is #1 issue for me in Nigeria is MERIT (i.e. who can enhrine a merit-based system in the nation on unemployment, admission, etc). If a lizard makes it, I will vote him/her/it over any human.

Comment 3R: Great! I believe your merit is going to be based primarily on economy, security and foreign policy beside others. If you use same parameters for USA you will discover Biden does not have a chance. I think this is very obvious sir.

My Response: As I noted, I am ambivalent to who runs America because they have institutions which cannot be broken by anyone. The Merit in my response is not who merits it, but who can reform Nigeria to be run on merits so that people can give their best at all times. The yardstick to determine who runs America is different for me for who runs Nigeria. Nigeria does not have a merit-based system, and until you fix that, nothing will work.

How many productive people have you connected with in the last 8 months of this year? Understand that to rise to the next level, you must deepen your capacity to connect with people closer to decision centers. Politicians keep recycling the usuals because those are the ones who are always around them. Yes, only the visible get rewarded most of the time. In the corporate world, it is the same thing: you need to be visible for someone to mention and recommend you in your absence!

In other words, your job performance cannot recommend you because jobs/performance do not talk. Only humans recommend people, and that means people need to know you, even as you do a great job.

Check carefully, from MTN to Zenith Bank to Dangote Cement, and beyond, most of the senior jobs are not advertised in any newspaper in Nigeria. But weekly and monthly, those positions are being filled. How? A networked system where the visible are tabulated, and seasonally checked, to see if they are open for opportunities, exist.

“Please who can run this new business for us”, the Chairman asked. Names will begin to fly. “Let’s call our recruitment consultant to check if s/he is available”, he responded.

Good People, #network yourself into a #productive system because only humans, NOT work, recommend people.