Barack Obama - Africa’s Gift To The World

Tuesday July 14, 2009
By Times Reporter

As news of the visit of President Barack Obama of the United States to Ghana still vibrates around the globe, a new book has just been published drawing attention to the immense benefits Africa could draw from the occupation of the first African-American tenant of the White House.

Compiled and edited by Daasebre Oti Boaten, Omanhene of New Juaben, with forward by Mr. K.B. Asante, a retired diplomat and a regular columnist of the Daily Graphic, the book seeks to inspire Africans to draw a lesson or two from the rise of Barack Obama from humble background to become the President of the world’s only super power.

The book is dedicated to the historic visit of the first African-American President to
Ghana.

The author acknowledges the contributions of three renowned journalists.

“I would like to thank Alhaji Razak El-Alawa, Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai and Mr. Ebo Quansah and all other contributors who in one way or another made it possible for this to be completed. publication”.

A full-page picture on Page three puts the reader in a state of expectation.

It is an artist impression of the President of the United States, President Barack Obama, resplendent in a rich Kente cloth sitting in state.

It paints a vivid picture in the mind’s eye of the leader of the free world’s African roots.

It puts the 48-page publication in context.

Barack Obama, Africa’s Gift to the World, according to the editor/compiler is “a compilation of pictures and narration of what has been described as ‘An Unlikely Journey by an African-American to the White House.

It points out that his election is an important step towards a desirable change and gives suggestions on how to deal with the extraordinary expectation or hope generated world-wide.”

In his introduction to the book, Daasebre Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben and one-time Government Statistician in Ghana states that the meteoric rise of the son of a Kenyan man and a white American woman from Kansas is no accident of history “but history unfolding.

Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, is, indeed, Africa’s precious Gift to the World, a man who stands for unity and peace in a divided and war-torn world.

“He is a staunch advocate of unity and peace in a world of diverse racial, religious, cultural and political differences.

This is exdemplified by his speeches before and his inauguration as the President of America.”

Taking a cue from the ‘Yes We Can’ theme of President Obama, Daasebre Oti Boateng suggests to African leaders to help stimulate critical thinking on how best to build the economies of the various countries battered by years of mismanagement and corruption.

With over half a century experience of statistical analysis in international and local governance, Daseebre Oti Boateng is calling for the setting up of continental and countrywide think tanks as well as public debates on how to move society forward in Africa.

“The time has surely come to change the mindset which suggests that trade must be a one-way traffic between Africa and the rich countries to the new thinking that more trade must be done among African countries themselves.

African leaders must assist the African Union to promote improved intra-African trade which will yield enormous economic benefits for the continent.

This will require the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks in several countries and the establishment of a simplified business code of conduct for intra-Africa trade purposes.”

The book traces the various steps Barack Obama, born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii took to the White House – from birth to the Presidency- and uses some of his important speeches as illustrations.

His father, Barack Obama Snr, hailed from Nyangoma-Kogelo in Siaya District of Kenya while the mother, Ann Dunhum was a white American from Kansas, United States of America.

There is a feature too on the First Lady who was born Michelle Robinson on January 17, 1964 in Chicago Illinois.

There is useful information for students of statistics, geography and population studies as well as officials of the various states in Africa on the population explosion on the continent which would be a key factor in the development of the continent.

“In the ‘state of Africa African Population Report 2006,’ the population of Africa is projected by the African Union to grow to 1.35 billion and 1.99 billion by 2025 and 2050 respectively on the basis of a natural increase of 2.3 percent per annum.

The report adds ‘interestingly, by 2050, the African Union will have overtaken both India and China in population size whose population size will be 1.63 billion and 1.44 billion respectively.

“The above statistics depict the reality of Africa today and tomorrow with which President Obama is to forge an enduring partnership.

Development starts with people and ends with people who are the beneficiaries of any development initiative,writes Daasebre in the book.

In his foreword K.B. Asante says Obama’s visit to Ghana “is an inspiration to all downtrodden people. His ascent to the Presidency of the great United States tells us that apparently impossible developments are possible.”

He recalled an event in 1961, when Ghana’s Finance Minister, K.A Gbedema, was refused service at a restaurant in the United States because he was black. “It seems only a few days ago when

I was elated by Martin Luther King’s dream.

I believe the dream would come true but not in my life time.

And here I am seeing an African –American inaugurated as the President of the most powerful United States of America.

And here I am expecting this most powerful President to visit a small struggling country like Ghana.

Obama epitomizes a revolution. He tells us that the world has changed and we must change with it.”

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