American Galaxy
Why the book; and what is it all about?
A detailed preview, origin, synopsis, chapter by chapter outline and description of the concept and contents of Ugonna Wachuku's new book: American Galaxy  Remembering the Union's Faith Foundation Celebrating the People and the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave A Loving Higher Purpose for the People Copyright © Ugonna Wachuku Origin of the Book: Notably, my uncle was, also, first Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations and subsequently first Nigerian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations - what Americans call Secretary of State Inspiringly, kindness and humane reception of people of the United States of America continued for one's uncle Jaja - during his 25 to 28 July 1961 visit to USA with Prime Minister: Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa - at the invitation of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy: https://youtu.be/__uzYcX1Efs A little after the clock struck noon, on a hot Nbawsi, Eastern Nigeria Wednesday 10 March, 1971, I was delivered into this world by my persevering, brave mom. And right from my early childhood days, my great and inspiring uncle, Jaja Anucha Wachuku took much interest in me. During my High School and University years, I spent a lot of time with him. My uncle passed on-to me worthy words of wisdom and uplifting stories about the people of the United States of America and their kindness, care and love for him and our historic Wachuku family. He kindly allowed me to use his awesome library – a library that according to African Media Houses, to this day, is the biggest one-man owned library in West Africa. Right from then, based on the American lessons and tutorials my uncle imparted in me, my fascination and respect for the people of the United States of America began. Naturally then, I resolved within my deepest soul and being to cherish, encourage and uphold every American and their breathtakingly beautiful vast land, as well as, importantly, those ideals and truth of liberty, freedom, peace, worth, human dignity, purposeful living plus trust in God Almighty and All-Sufficient – that gave birth to their Union and Nation.  Synopsis: 45 [c] Ugonna Wachuku | Excerpts from the Introduction and Epilogue of American Galaxy: I believe in my known creative awakening in relation to the betterment and merciful survival of all human beings and our earthly home. I believe that Richard Henry Lee’s, George Washington's, John Adams’, Thomas Jefferson's, Abraham Lincoln’s, Clara Barton’s, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, John F. Kennedy’s, Barack Obama’s and Donald Trump's dream plus that of their cherished compatriots must be kept alive and real for all Americans and the rest of humanity. I believe in the liberty and dignity of humankind – the elevation of the human soul into realms of valuable civility, purposeful servant leadership living and fulfilling progress enveloped within heaven's graceful eternity for you and for little me.
Accordingly, it is my humility to admit too that every other nation on earth has "flawed" and "fallible" people. So, perhaps, by seeing the good in ourselves, while confronting evil amongst us, we can well be on our hearty way to making this world a healthy and livable home for all humankind within God's will and unwavering love. My book, American Galaxy, while claiming not to know it all or have it all, is creatively all about seeing the very inspiring good in all of humankind, deeply, objectively and passionately using the liberty-clad, compassionate and brave people of the United States and their land as a favored and worthy microcosm.
Now, concerning the urgent need to compassionately help that wounded traveler on the road to Jericho, it is to America’s abiding credit that one of our empathetic own, in the person of Barack Obama, has long risen to the duty of making this promise a worthy, living reality for humankind by first starting on America soil. Reaffirming his unwavering resolve to actually do this promise, Obama, spoke of “Reclaiming the American Dream” in Bettendorf, Iowa on Wednesday 7 November, 2007. He declared: “America is the sum of our dreams. And what binds us together, what makes us one American family, is that we stand up and fight for each other's dreams, that we reaffirm that fundamental belief - I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper - through our politics, our policies, and in our daily lives. It's time to do that once more. It's time to reclaim the American dream.”
Unequivocally, then, with a kindly attitude, this on going American story of courage and purpose in prosperity and adversity, of humaneness, civility and bountiful freedom is what I have set out to view, explore, celebrate, cherish, encourage and uphold in this book: American Galaxy. Inspiringly, it is this same American story of courage and unwavering sense of dignified vision plus humane purpose that President Abraham Lincoln enthrallingly upheld and deeply proclaimed with these evergreen words: "In legal contemplation, the Union is perpetually confirmed by the history of the Union itself. The Union is much older than the Constitution. It was formed, in fact, by the Articles of Association in 1774. It was matured and continued by the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It was further matured, and the faith of the then thirteen States expressly plighted and engaged that it should be perpetual, by the Articles of the Confederation in 1778. And finally, in 1787, one of the declared objects for ordaining and establishing the Constitution was `to form a more perfect Union... I therefore consider that in view of the Constitution and the laws, the Union is unbroken, and to the extent of my ability, I shall take care, as the Constitution itself expressly enjoins upon me, that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all the states. Doing this I deem to be only a simple duty on my part, and I shall perform it so far as practicable unless my rightful masters, the American people, shall withhold the requisite means or in some authoritative manner direct the contrary. I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as the declared purpose of the Union that it will constitutionally defend and maintain itself..."
These eloquent and contemplative words were spoken by President Lincoln during his first inaugural address on 4 March, 1861. His reference to the "American people" as his "rightful masters" is an enriching lesson in humility, and is, amazingly, a lasting, yet simple definition of the true meaning of being a servant leader - the leader who serves – a stewardship creed that is so basic to my own life and being. And with a long-standing sense of commitment, C. William Pollard, in the Peter F. Drucker Foundation (now Leader to Leader Institute) published book: The Leader of the Future, described it this way: "Servant leaders seek to recognize the dignity and worth of all people because they have been created in God's image. Servant leaders listen and learn from those they lead. They work at making themselves available. Their door is always open. They are out and about talking and listening to people at all levels...They must be willing to walk a mile in the other person's shoes. As they listen, they learn. They become frantic learners and avoid the trap that so many so-called successful leaders experience - the arrogance of ignorance..."
President Lincoln strikingly comes alive in this description of a true servant leader by Pollard. It is therefore to America's cool credit that the Magnus Magnusson edited Chambers Biographical Dictionary creatively eulogized Lincoln by saying that he "was fair and direct in speech and action, steadfast in principle, sympathetic and charitable, a man of strict morality, abstemious and familiar with the Bible...His fame is established as the savior of his country and liberator of a race..." |