Forty years ago, there lived a preacher and a civil rights activist named Martin Luther King (Jnr.). he stirred the hearts of people everywhere with his I-have-a-dream-speech. He dreamed of a world where men would be judged not by the colour of their skin but the content of their character; where people, irrespective of gender, race or religion would have the equal right to lead. At the time, dreams seemed far-fetched; many could not conceive it but his dream lived on…

He was only a boy when King shared his dream with the world. He didn’t know it then but he was the fulfilment of that dream. From a remote part of the world, raised by a single mum and later by his grand mother, he understood the challenges of racial discrimination first hand;he knew what it was to be disadvantaged because of the color of his skin, the pains of growing up in lack,and the struggle to stand out in the world with the odds stacked against him.

Still, like King, he dreamed…

He dreamed that one day, he would lead the greatest nation; that he would transcend the racial divide, conquer the steep and biased political terrain and overcome tremendous obstacles to become an icon of hope to his world…

And against all odds he prevailed

Barrack Obama is the ultimate embodiment of that dream of not just the American dream but the ideal that guides success and achievement in life.

IF YOU CAN CONCEIVE IT, YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT!

Culled from Daystar Excellence in Leadership Conference 2008 Bulletin