The world is a stage. If you fail to understand that, you will disappoint yourself. Tomorrow, Trump moves and Biden takes over. That is how it is. Do not take things too seriously, because at the end of everything, nothing is permanent. I witnessed two unbelievable scenes in Texas on two different occasions: a then-current GMD of NNPC, Nigeria’s oil corporation, was arriving for the annual oil industry OTC conference; everyone followed him, with a legion of aides.
On January 20, Donald Trump’s era as the US president ends, and Joe Biden’s begins with a mammoth of challenges to confront. Trump’s four years in the Oval Office has been one of the most contentious and scandalous in the history of the United States, dividing the country in millions along political and racial lines.
In 2016 when Trump became the 45th president of the United States, the world’s most powerful nation was leading the world on many fronts; economically and otherwise. The pacesetter in global affairs just had eight years of leadership that most of the world didn’t scorn and frown much about under Barack Obama. From its great depression, America rose to economic figures that did not only bring the jobs back, but also set the country on the path of a great economic future.
Simply, it was like a big masquerade was coming to the village square. (In southeastern Nigeria, some money-miss-road men will demand you address them in plural: “They have arrived; I am honoured to welcome all of you” even when one man is standing before you!) Three years later, I saw the same man (no more the GMD) arriving for the conference. Before me was a man struggling to carry his three bags, and few noticed!
The effervescence of power should make us humble. It should help us to appreciate the vanity of time because everything has an expiration date. Do not make people respect you primarily because of your position in the society. Desire for them to respect you because of you being you, even in the midst of that power.. That way, even when the power is gone, some young people can help you carry one of those bags.
We wish Trump the best, and hope Biden can lead the world to a more hopeful one for all.
On January 20, Donald Trump’s era as the US president ends, and Joe Biden’s begins with a mammoth of challenges to confront. Trump’s four years in the Oval Office has been one of the most contentious and scandalous in the history of the United States, dividing the country in millions along political and racial lines.
In 2016 when Trump became the 45th president of the United States, the world’s most powerful nation was leading the world on many fronts; economically and otherwise. The pacesetter in global affairs just had eight years of leadership that most of the world didn’t scorn and frown much about under Barack Obama. From its great depression, America rose to economic figures that did not only bring the jobs back, but also set the country on the path of a great economic future.
Well, the tide turned from 2016. There was a new sheriff in town who came with unpopular ideas and gospel that turned things around, and consequently set the country on four years of upheaval that will need many years of healing.
Outside the US, many countries were forced to reckon with the new dawn of not leaning on America, or following her leadership. It was birthed under the “America First” mantra, which changed the status quo which had kept many of her allies close.
The popular immigration ban on selected African and Islamic countries was the first punch on a global stage, but it was a warm up to other events that left the world in bewilderment. Trump had promised to build a wall along the US-Mexico border during his campaign, a promise which was appealing to many of his supporters. It was part of his immigration policy aimed at keeping terrorists, criminals and illegal immigrants away from the United States.
But it went further than that; Trump attempted to end theDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a first-time applicant program that protects immigrants from deportation and grants work permits to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children. He also made executive orderblocking the H-1B visas for foreign skilled workers, and L visas, for managers and specialized workers being transferred within a company. He was widely regarded as anti-immigration – a foundation American strength was built on.
Then there was a spike in racial conflicts, fueled by Trump’s white-leaning rhetoric that somehow reignited white supremacy activism. The death of George Floyd, a Black American who was suffocated by the police, among many other similar cases was seen as indications of racist upsurge in Trump’s era.
Amidst the chaos, America was battling with COVID-19, a novel virus which originated in China and swept through the rest of the world unprecedentedly, becoming a pandemic. It was tightening its grip on the United States, putting Trump’s leadership to the test.
In the early days of the disease, while other nations were taking safety measures to curtail it, the president was downplaying it, disputing scientific recommendations, making unfounded claims like touting hydroxychloroquine and bleach as a cure. Trump encouraged anti-masking and mocked those who sought to wear masks. COVID-19 thus got on a transmission spree in the US, overwhelming hospitals and filling the morgues.
By April 2020, the pandemic had claimed more than 50,000 American lives; a milestone many thought would force Trump to change his approach. He did change it anyway by attacking China and the World Health Organization. He used the phrase “China virus” to indicate China’s culpability and accused the WHO of bias toward China.
In one of Trump’s most bizarre decisions as American president, he severedWHO’s relationship with United States and halted its funding, just as he did earlier pulling the US out of the Paris Accord, a line of action approved by world leaders against climate change. The decision shocked the whole world as it happened in the middle of a global health crisis.
Toward the end of his presidency, COVID-19 had claimed more than 400,000 American lives. His complacency in tackling the pandemic is believed to be a major reason he lost the Nov. 3 election. However, Trump wouldn’t accept the result of the election, claiming it was a “rigged and stolen election”, stirring agitation among his supporters based on conspiracy theories.
On Jan. 6, on the day his opponent, Joe Biden would be certified winner by the Electoral College, Trump instigated aninsurrection in the US Capitol in a bid to stop Biden from being certified and thus overturn the result of the election. The insurrection has become his greatest undoing as the president of the United States, and thus led to his second impeachment; he became the first American president to be impeached twice. Hisearlier impeachment had happened in December 2019, a development he described as political “witch hunt.”
As the clock ticks to the end of Trump’s four years in the White House, it points to an end to an era of controversies as never seen before in the history of American presidents, which is believed to have set a trajectory of gloom future for American democracy if it is not righted.
Though there were good records to Trump’s name; for instance, he brokered relative peace between Middle East countries, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar etc. can now punch in their respective international dialing codes and add their respective airports to their itinerary. But other events, especially during the final days of his presidency have overshadowed them.
Trump lost his re-election bid to Joe Biden
Trump’s parting style broke the tradition that has endured for ages. His decision to skip his successor inauguration is seen as the final nail on the coffin of the division he has fanned over the years. But to millions of his supporters, he is a hero, whom they would vote for if he decides to take another shot at the presidency in 2024. To others, Trump is an example of what no American president should ever be.
It is in this state of chaos that the incoming president Biden will begin his four-year job in Washington. His job, which topmost is saving the United States from the deadly coronavirus, also involves leading the country back to the corridors that put her in the forefront of global leadership.
Biden said he would begin his journey as the 46th president of the United States by rescinding many of the controversial executive orders of his predecessor. As Trump era ends in Chaos, Biden’s is beginning with hope of healing and restitution.
Join me to congratulate the blockchain oracle, Franklin Peters, the CEO of portfolio Bitfxt which controls cryptocurrency exchange, crypto-based BoundlessPay, and decentralized finance token, for raising funds today. Based in Lekki Lagos, Bitfxt is fully indigenous. Congratulations Team!
Well done Franklin Peters, continue to inspire, motivate and advance the mission. I want to ring a bell; they said the New York one sounds better. But I know that a new one has been ordered by Oscar Onyema, the boss of Nigerian Stock Exchange, in Lagos!
I expect our team to continue to execute as the trajectory is superb in Nigeria: “According to a recent study seen by Nairametrics, data retrieved from Usefultulips (a Bitcoin analytic data provider) revealed that the use of Bitcoin for peer to peer lending in Nigeria ended on a record high. Nigeria led the pack with about $352 million in P2P trading, while the closest rival, Kenya, had a transactional value of just $90.5 million during the last 365 days. South Africa came in third with a transactional value of $85 million”
Nigeria ranks among the heavy adopters of crypto in the world
How can you set a new basis of competition? There are many ways – and they must not always be technology-driven. The “Intel Inside” sticker shaped the industry, creating new perceptions in the minds of customers. It had no microprocessor in it, but it took down competitors. Tesla’s aspirational & evolutionary business model has made it a software company that sells cars. Yes, the car keeps getting better provided you keep paying for new software updates!
Across markets and territories, sometimes, besides the technologies, you need xfactors to separate yourself. As we push into this 2021, look for your xfactors.
I have noticed one thing: a simple refund policy could increase sales in Nigeria! That reduces the inertia for the customers to pay. And if you have a really good product, you will win more customers. Find ways to do better with what you have, right now!
Let me welcome, again, Soulmate Industries Limited to Tekedia Institute. For a manufacturing giant in its 29th year to show confidence is a moment for it. We have already worked with dozens of Soulmate staff, and are truly honoured that the Executive Management is sending more to us.
Upon attending our program, the team developed new frameworks, and Africa’s largest indigenous haircare brand is winning more markets and territories. The Chairman noted “very impressed on the transformation”.
TRANSFORM your team, send them to our business school: Tekedia Mini-MBA
