On April 8, 2015, around 6:00 pm, word was “The eagle has landed” and nail biting turned to jubilation — the visit was on! For a night and a day President Barack Obama was, per capita, the most hugged, kissed potentate — no queen or pope compares. He is suave, smart, can-do man clothed in the military might of the USA, and we loved him to bits. But it began 24 hours of indirect mendicancy as we Facebooked our greedy lists to catch his eye. On passing Heroes Circle he rose in his seat to greet the children’s flags and was memorialised in all smartphones. Our chests heaved with pride as the most powerful man on Earth swept past in chariots with firepower of an Armada. The most powerful black man to walk Earth, and for a trice all was level — black, white, rich, poor. Obama was in the house.

Yet the preamble to his visit was tawdry. Our normal selfless hospitality paled as most had an agenda. Some whiners berated spend on roads — did he smile as he watched the frenzied activity of verges, roads and crab lady on military satellite in his office? This is how we Jamaicans “fix-up” for a guest. This visit was not scalable — there is no small version of a presidential visit one size; “full hundred!”

My Mom set cloth napkins, four knives and forks for uncle Bob from England. He took our room; we tip-toed as in church, snagged school shoes from under the bed as he slept, and he was gone by evening — but left foreign candy and comics.

Andrew Holness whinged, others want visa, and business winced. Can New Kingston survive a missed day’s sales? Let’s shake down Obama? We sent dons and rancid minstrels to pervert his people. Did he say: “They build my America, but theirs is a shambles?” Obama likes us, and we him.

The term “black President” (is Portia black prime minister?) is not our culture, yet we mimic a racist “one-drop” rule and disrespect his white mother and our own motto. He was uncritical, gracious; a master of English, our patois and loved the jaunt. But behind painted smiles some asked, what did he bring? We treat tourists as our cash cows, so is Obama our brother and friend — just a # 1 tourist?

Obama’s visit was choreographed; every word has intent. On April 9, at UWI, he said: “We have a great stake in each other’s success.” A parable? They have major stake in us, but do we care for them? In 1962 we were “most likely to succeed”, but ran last. We had a large USAID office, projects, visas, Peace Corps. The US invested in us and lost to inept leaders and feckless, workshy people. In 1982 President Reagan visited, took our wishlist and an era of trade dawned — failed again! A deal-breaking Cabinet caused the IMF to shun us, yet the USA lobbied for us. What did we do for them? We sent them drugs, Buju, scammers, posses, Dudus, evil minstrels. His visit is déjà vu, but unlike Reagan’s. Obama gifts our needs — energy, enterprise — but some want a Marshall Plan, a boops to pay our debts. We still don’t get it.

Obama shames us. Born into overt racism, he mastered his demons, made history, and serves black and white. Blacks run Jamaica; whites own it. No one called us the “N” word; we were never put in the back of a bus or denied education. This is not our history or culture, yet we hug it up. Fact is, we are pushed to go to school and we push back; the high school diploma for adults is in communities, but only 5,000 enrolled. Why should an illiterate get a job unless he is enrolled at the Jamaica Foundation for Lifeling Learning, Sunday school, or community college?

The visit elicited a subtext of thinly veiled greed — “Ah weh him av?” We balk at his gifts as we want old-time consumables: “Weh de cheese an milk powder deh?.” The word to us and our leaders: Build your own prosperity and self-respect — bitter medicine, just remember you have a friend.

We ask, why did Obama visit? Jamaicans choose the USA (not Africa or the West Indies) as second home, and two million of us live there — he affirms it. He greets backyard friends and welcomes prodigal Cuba. Why ask? We are a conduit for Islamists via Caricom’s Muslim massive, but at US Border Control we say, “We come to cool out and visit friends”. Obama too! He affirms our austerity path to debt-free dignity and opens a gate for enterprise: “You sell crab, we can teach you to catch crab!” We are a culture force thanks to Bob — also of mixed race;and like Obama a product of self-reliance not State support. But Bob stayed in his comfort zone, while Obama boldly left his, took on big guns, and is now top gun. Obama is a role model; Marley??

Did “freeness mentality” goons think he came to cancel debts or pardon criminals? The visit woke a demon of entitlement, but Obama affirms the path of dynamic duo Peter & Portia. This visit is huge, more than money. Why visit? Portia had a part, his bucket list? We have signs all over his USA saying “Come to Jamaica”, and yet we ask its first citizen, a friend, benefactor, and neighbour why he visits us?

I wish he had said: “Don’t lust for what you don’t have; use what you do. You took 53 years to get self-sufficiency in potatoes — what?! But guys ,why set your mind on ganja? — illegal in 190 countries, but grown in 194 — Is trouble you love so? Your banana, coffee, cocoa, and pimento are unique, legal, and in demand; grow more! With ganja you can’t export; makes you work more than crops you can export, yet grow less than you did 20 years ago? We send BPO work to India, as you do not master English, yet you lotto-scam my old folks. Repent!”

He offers human development, yet some ask “ah weh it gud fah?” Recall how we diss’d Garvey and nearly killed Bob? — A strange pathology to hurt those we love. After multiple IMF bail-outs, a lifeline from Reagan, and 50 + 3 years of US aid we want more?

The visit was perfect. Portia was high drama; Andrew got his word in; we got the circus; Obama had fun. A ‘big-up’ to stay the course and a global brand boost was ours, yet only AJAS leverage Obama’s co-branding. Where is JAMPRO? Cabinet should appoint a “Griot of Popular History” like Arnold “Scree” Bertram to chronicle memorable events in small books for little people or gossip will choke us and the masses never get facts. Reagan did not change us, nor will Obama. We have to want to change. So, surprise me!

Obama, you need no reason to visit. Come anytime, come often. Maybe “Butch” has a villa just for you and the family. But thank God this visit is over, it was a big responsibility, but we did well. Exhale, please! Well done, Portia. Congrats, Jamaica. Stay conscious!

Dr Franklin Johnston is a strategist, project manager and advises the minister of education. Comments: franklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com