Obama Oyee! What next?

Ebenezer T. Bifubyeka (Ten),

Biafra, Mbarara, Western Uganda.

LIFE has never been meaningful to an African like it was on 5th of November 2008. This record has not only infiltrated into the history of America but also to the world at large - irrespective of age, race, tribe, religious affiliation or geopolitical sphere.

To begin with, I ask you, President Obama, to accept my moment of silence for your grandmother, who left us a couple of days back. May her soul rest in perfect peace! President Obama, I am sure this message will reach you since this medium is on the worldwide web, which penetrates any state, anywhere, including the White House.

Congratulations upon attaining the highest title today, ‘His Excellency Barack Obama, the first black president of America.’ By the power of happiness and excitement that circumstances entrust to me, I confer upon you a rank of the ‘Conqueror of the great American ‘Empire!’

Nevertheless, you owe us as Ugandans! We didn’t vote for you but we prayed for you. I therefore see reason to ask you to deliver. I’m not begging you for money; I kindly request you to encourage, persuade and advise your fellow leaders and the civil society to save Mr. Environment. This does not require people to incur costs of holding workshops or short courses; all they need is piety and focus. And the focus now should be planting trees. This needs your backing.

As change sweeps through the corridors of American government, you need to cross-pollinate American politics with Environmental Revolution. Developing countries have - for a long time - suffered the consequences of pollution at the expense of pollution from developed countries. The rich nations continue to develop as we the poor ones retard!

In this new political life that change has presented to the eyes and ears of the world, I lay my hope on you Mr. Obama. Please use your most powerful office to steer up the gospel of Global Warming and its twin brother, Climate Change, which are beginning to act as alternate passwords for every political speech of every state on the planet.

Your Excellency, I suggest you start with cleaning the air, regulating climate, controlling floods, landslides, droughts and filtrating water. I know you have a load of duties to perform, both in America and overseas. But let tree planting and controlling pollution be among the major tasks ahead of you. America is one of the most polluters - if not the number one polluter - in the whole world!

I therefore ask you kindly, to join and embrace the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s global tree-plating campaign whose target is to plant 7 billion trees by the end of 2009. Hike their target of 7 billion trees to 7 X 77 billion trees. We are talking about 539 billion trees here. Let this be our target figure and stabilise our climate. Yes, we can.

You must be already in the Guinness book of records as the first African-American president of America and at the same time - the most popular president of America ever - with the first black First Lady in America! Beef your profile with the fact of becoming the first American president to influence an Environment Revolution as far as combating the looming monster of Climate Change is concerned. Yes, you can. I hope my brothers and sisters in Kenya do support me on this.

You said in your campaigns that whoever wins this (2008) American Elections shall be tested. So be it! You also stated it in your victory message that, ‘Change has come.’ Welcome to the barracks of change, Barack. But this change will be subjected to a test. And definitely God shall test you too; after all, you are God-sent - as signs like your electrifying victory - clearly indicate.

I wish you the best!
I remain your black-brother and neighbour,

Ebenezer T. Bifubyeka (Ten), Uganda.