By Nze Nwabueze Akabogu (JP)
It was indeed a historic and absolutely remarkable event on Wednesday 20th January 2021, when President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jnr. was formally sworn in as the 46th President of the most powerful nation on earth – the United States of America in a solemn but impressive ceremony at the nation’s seat of power – the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C, marking the end of the darkest and inglorious era in American modern history.
President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were both inaugurated without the usual fanfare or pomp and pageantry associated with such high profile event even as thousands of spectators were barred from attending the historic occasion apparently, due to security concerns.
The American Military High Command (Pentagon) had earlier received credible intelligence report of a possible attack on Capitol Hill by irate and misguided supporters of former President Trump who had earlier on 6th January 2021 unleashed unimaginable terror and mayhem on America’s temple of democracy and civilization.
A large contingent of troops from the National Guard numbering about 25,000 (twenty-five thousand) in strength was deployed to the Capitol Hill to forestall any re-occurrence of the 6th January 2021 security lapses or breaches even as intelligence report had revealed that former President Trump’s supporters were more determined and prepared to march to the Capitol Hill to possibly prevent or disrupt President Biden’s inauguration on that historic day 20th January 2021, hence the deployment of American troops to forestall what was clearly a planned act of insurrection against the American Nation.
The historic event which was attended by three former US Presidents with their spouses namely: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barrak Obama was completely hitch-free and ended with the ceremonial laying of wreath by President Biden and Vice President Harris at the Arlington Memorial Cemetery some hundreds of meters away from the Capitol Hill.
A rather unique and remarkable spectacle was observed during the inauguration ceremony as thousands of American flags were mounted at the arena in honour of thousands of Americans who lost their lives to the ravaging COVID 19 Pandemic.
It would be recalled that President Biden in his inaugural address to the American people and the world in general had indicated his administration’s avowed determination and commitment to confront head-on the rampaging pandemic and hence the burning issue had taken the driver’s seat of the new administration’s domestic policy.
President Biden among his domestic policy agenda had proposed a whopping $1.9 trillion COVID 19 Stimulus package soon to be sent to Congress for quick approval aimed at mitigating the devastating impact of the pandemic on American citizens.
As a clear demonstration of his determination and resolve to quickly revive the American economy which had suffered colossal damage occasioned by the pandemic coupled with former President Trump’s unorthodox economic policy and isolationism,
President Biden on 22nd January 2021 signed executive order among others that would turn around American economy in his first hundred days in office.
On the deeply divided American Nation, President Biden promised that he would be the President for all Americans and appealed for unity among all Americans to overcome the myriad of political, social, and economic challenges confronting the American Nation.
To march his words with action President Biden quickly deployed his political sagacity and brinksmanship in the composition of his cabinet and other top aids in his administration which obviously reflected the American diversity. For the first time in the history of America,a Native American or Red Indian was appointed into the American cabinet. Similarly, for the first time in American history, an African-American or Black American, Retired General Loyd Austin was appointed US Defense Secretary. Equally, Latinos, Asians, and even a Gay man were all appointed into the cabinet by President Biden.
On the recent unprecedented political turmoil and attempted insurrection on the Capitol Hill, which was described as “uncivil war” President Biden declared that democracy had prevailed over terror and anarchy carried out by anti-democratic forces in the country.
On the diplomatic sphere, President Biden also signed executive orders for America to rejoin the Paris Climate Change Accord as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) among others.
The US now rejoining the WHO is very significant and timely indeed even as the new Biden’s Administration would immediately tackle the ravaging COVID 19 Pandemic in active collaboration with the World Health Organization which will readily make available scientific inputs in America’s fight against the deadly pandemic which had already claimed more than 400,000 (four hundred thousand) American lives and still counting.
President Biden had also promised to open up America again to the world, especially to her traditional and trusted allies who had collaborated with the US over the years to make the world free and a safer place. Former President Trump’s unrealistic foreign policy agenda- “America first” coupled with his myopic world view had isolated America from her allies thereby making the world practically unsafe.
and large, President Biden’s clear-cut foreign policy statement or agenda had offered a rare of hope not only for the Americans who would be looking forward to the quick recovery of American economy and restoration of her global powers and influence but also the world at large that momentarily lost American global leadership and influence as the leader of the free world and defender of democratic tenets and norms.
It is gratifying to observe therefore that world leaders such as Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany; Prime Minister Borris Johnson of the UK; President Emmanuel Macron of France; President Putin of Russia; President X1 Jing Pin of China; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada; and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel among others, had sent goodwill messages to President Biden and expressed their solidarity and co-operation with the new administration.
In the meantime however, former President Trump who had consistently refused to concede the Presidential election to President Biden and consequently skipped the inauguration event had left Washington DC in the early hours of 20th January 2021 for his new abode, a sea side restort at Palm Beach in Florida.
s instructive to observe in this piece however, that former President Trump was the first President in the past 150 (One hundred and fifty) years to skip the inauguration of his successor in office. Former President Trump will also be remembered as the first President to be impeached twice and left office in total disgrace and ignominy.
Trump’s Presidency will equally be remembered as despotic, tyrannical, and authoritarian which enabled him to place his personal ambition and ego above the nation and brazenly converted state apparatus or instrument of power purely for his self aggrandizement.
And to cap it up, former President Trump in his morbid ambition and desperation to hang on to power after his disastrous defeat in the Presidential election, committed a heinous crime against the nation by his blatant incitement of his irate and misguided mob to unleash unprecedented terror and mayhem on America’s temple of democracy and freedom – The US Congress on Capitol Hill which was described as show of shame and insurrection against the American Nation as well as the darkest moment in American modern history on that black Wednesday, 6th January 2021.
Former President Trump who currently faces a possible trial in the US Senate presently controlled by the democrats, will go down in history as the first American President that deeply and consciously polarized American society along political, racial, social, and religious divide and made the world more dangerous and unsafe during his inglorious four years tenure in office.
In the last days of Trump’s Presidency, Social Media Giants like Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram among others dramatically banned and shut out former President Trump from their platforms to avoid further use of their social media organizations by the out gone and deranged President Trump in his reckless and inciting messages of destabilization against the American Nation.
In his deranged mentality and power drunkenness, former President Trump in his last minute executive action granted Presidential pardon to his political associates serving various terms of imprisonment as well as some common criminals which was described as highly questionable and unprecedented in American modern history.
It is obvious therefore, that the challenges currently facing the new Biden’s Administration are enormous hence, President Biden is expected to hit the ground running from day one of his Presidency which he had already begun in earnest.
President Biden’s sincerity of purpose is unquestionable even as he had initiated robust policies that would quickly unite the American people after the most contentious, acrimonious, and divisive election in American modern history.
He had equally taken decisive action to mitigate the impact of COVID 19 Pandemic on American citizens and promised that science henceforth would be on the front burner and occupy the driver’s seat in all efforts towards mitigating the catastrophic impact of COVID 19 pandemic on American citizens.
This was clearly a complete contrast to former President Trump’s apparent disregard and contempt for scientific approach to COVID 19 Pandemic. President Biden also promised to quickly make available adequate COVID 19 Vaccines for millions of Americans who are in dire need of the vaccines at this most critical and extremely dangerous period in American history.
Finally, the Biden’s Administration had also promised to initiate sound economic policies that would quickly restore global confidence in American economy. It is no gain saying the fact that the outpouring of goodwill messages from world leaders as well as Americans to the new administration and the new dawn in America, President Biden is obviously poised to restore US legendary democratic ideals and norms and once again assume her global role as the sole super power and leader of the free world. Indeed America is back again. God bless America.
Nze Nwabueze Akabogu (JP) is a Regular Public Affairs Commentator and Analyst.
He wrote from Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State.
G.S.M: 08074942671, 07037256684
E-mail: nzenwabuezeakabogu@yahoo.com
25th January, 2021.