Editorial Column
Biden’s Phone Call In Appreciation Of Illinois-Based Nigerian Family: 1st Step In The Restoration Of America’s Soul
On Tuesday, January 19th, 2021, a viral video emerged of a phone conversation between U.S President-elect, Joe Biden and a Nigerian family based in Springfield, Illinois. According to media reports, the Yoruba family of of Oyo ancestry whose name is yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report had pitched in a donation to the tune of $12 dollars to the former U.S Vice President’s presidential campaign.
During the phone conversation, the President who was sworn in yesterday, January 20th, 2021 said that the most decisive factor behind America’s greatness is its open door policy to immigrants, a disposition which has made it all embracing to everyone regardless of race or creed. He noted that much of America’s greatness has stemmed from the bits and pieces of the contributory roles played by these immigrants.
On the face of it, one may consider a paltry contribution of $12 to any cause as infinitesimal or perhaps negligible, but perhaps it is little details like this that has made the new President of the United States of America hugely successful in his career in public service; but then, one may view this from a perspective that Joe Biden’s appreciation to this Nigerian family echoes as an aggregate of the invaluable contributions of the Nigerian-American community to the socio-political space of their various geographical milieux.
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As earlier reported by Eko Hot Blog, Atlanta senator-elect, Jon Ossoff in another viral video had expressed his appreciation to the Nigerian healthcare workers group and indeed the generality of the Nigerian-American community which played a crucial role in tipping the scales during the Atlanta senatorial election and creating history in the process.
It is no new knowledge that Nigeria as a country has been greatly smeared amongst the comity of nations given the degree of involvement of its citizens in organized crime and different shades of criminality across the globe, but there would also be no denying the fact that a good number of Nigerians in the diaspora are also hoisting the green flag high with useful contributions and accomplishments in different endeavours and capacities. This perhaps explains why more Nigerian-Americans are making giant strides in politics with regard to winning elected offices and securing political appointments.
There is also the significance of this gesture by President Joe Biden, whose character in taking out time to personally appreciate a paltry contribution of $12 speaks volumes of the kind of America one should expect under his direction. During the conversation, the 78-year-old had said that the primary motivation behind contesting the election was to heal the soul of America, with particular reference to a subtle racial tension which had rented the air over the course of the past four years; and with a gesture like this, there is a glowing indication that the doors of racial inclusion and tolerance which has massively contributed to America will be swung open once again to allow a convenient playing field for the black community to secure a sense of belonging and will allow them contribute positively and bonafide members of the State.
Martin Luther King in his ‘I have A Dream Speech’ said that he longed to live in a nation where sons of former slaves and sons of former slave owners would one day sit down at the table of brotherhood. This dream was never going to become reality via an Act of Parliament of any grandiose political declaration. It was going to become reality via simple humanity, and President Biden’s gesture to this unknown black family in many ways has all but brought to bed the wish of the great activist who had pictured the America which is gradually unfolding before us.
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