Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize is a farce

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By Iniko Ujaama
Courtesy of Zimbabwe Herald

BARACK OBAMA has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

I realise the discussion is out of focus and they have us debating about
the wrong things.

Perhaps the more peripheral issue, i.e. whether Obama deserves their
prize (assuming it is worth anything).

Had we not had so much respect and admiration for such awards we would
not be having the same discussion.

I think many factors would influence our response to this occurrence.

Many people are debating whether he "deserves" the award and I for some
time engaged in this debate also. But upon reflection much is overlooked
which forms the bases for even have such a discussion.

First, I think this discussion presumes a certain meaning and
significance to the award which must be clarified (or at least a common
ground established) before the discussion could be engaged productively.
Most people are going on the assumption and expectation that such
"honours" from Europe represent some kind of universal collective
standard (suitable and applicable to all) concerning the definition of
and the prerequisites to peace. (Justice has rarely been part of the
deal and it has rarely been the case that peace has meant anything but
adequate peace to the achievement of Euro-American agendas.)

As such we hold it to that standard. Similarly, we hold the West to
their word when they speak of things such as democracy, justice and
various other notions which if we are to be honest and circumspect we
would realise that we have no business putting our trust in their
integrity and commitment to such aims. As such some of us argue that
Obama does not deserve it, others engage in neck-breaking acrobatics to
suggest that he deserves it or "he has good intentions", etc.

On either side (specifically with Africans the world over) there is to
some extent an identification with Obama whether one is among the
sheeple who have fully drunk the Obama kool-aid or those who hold
justified suspicions of or dismissal of him as white power in a black
face or some variation of the same. One thing which is achieved by this
either way is that he is placed as a major distraction from African
liberation and the end of Western imperialism.

If one were to accept that there is a genuine commitment to holistic
peace (implicit in which would be justice and equal rights), I can go
with those who say that Obama does not deserve the award. A country at
war, as one commentator put it, is not a good contender for such an
award.

I would add to that, a country which stood by and permitted the
decimation of a thousand plus of Palestinians by Israel while continuing
to support this country economically and militarily; a country which
tacitly supports the coup in Honduras by refusing to make any real steps
to show objection to the actions of the coup-folks, etc, is not in a
position to receive such an award. But I also do not think that this
award merits my confidence where that is concerned. I do not believe
Euro-America merits my confidence where such things as peace, justice,
international morality and such are concerned.

Tonnes of papers, agreements, treaties and international organisations
(the League of Nations, UN) have been their legacy and yet their actions
historically and continuing today in the service of greed and arrogance
have been the greatest threats to peace in the world. Whether by overt
support or through silence, all are complicit. So based on my assessment
of Obama and of the award and its source, I think they deserve each
other. My issues are focused elsewhere.

The Nobel Prize is one such award but I am too familiar with such things
as the knighthood and others like the Order of the British Empire
granted by the Queen of England which we continue to honour.

Are such people worthy to honour others and are such honours really
honours? Who wants to share a knighthood which was granted to such
rogues as Francis Drake and John Hawkins and who knows the countless
other criminals who have been given such awards?

Their perceived right and legitimacy in giving such awards only feeds
their arrogance. Our admiration for such awards feeds it even more. But
it has a further and more dangerous implication or rather brings forward
a more serious issue. Who are we allowing to name our heroes and leaders
for us? Are they worthy? Is it in the interest of any people to have
others select their leaders or objects of admiration and preoccupations?

Barack Obama has been selected and elected by a white majority in White
America on the basis of their agendas and interests and many Africans
have drunk the kool-aid. He has been awarded by another group
representing white power and arrogance in the world and again our people
gulp.

Is Derek Walcott a more important or better writer to Caribbean people
than Earle Lovelace because the latter has not been and will probably
never be awarded by the Nobel Committee?

Is Ngugi wa Thiong’o less accomplished and less significant than Wole
Soyinka?

These are just some of my thoughts on this issue of this Nobel Peace
Prize business where US president Barack Obama is concerned and perhaps
the more salient issues which go beyond this little amusing episode. —
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