Well written article by Father Kukah as always; you hit the nail on the head. Point Blank.

Well written article by Father Kukah as always; you hit the nail on the head. Point Blank.

With deep sense of humility and respect i would like to celebrate the fact that Nigeria still have the like of Fr Hassan K. I do not have any better way of saying that he is a right thinking mind. I want to begin appreciating his positions by asking some few questions that I qualify as important. Why are Nigerians taking medication for the headache that America is going through? The desire to host president Obama, the claim that Nigerian electoral system that brought president Yaradua to power if fraudlent, and the whole idea that Nigeria will be the greatest country in the continent if president Obama sets his foot; these are neither practically verifiable nor economically or politically viable! this is chiefly because, in as much as the US president is claimed to have belong to the continent, president Obama is an American. And the guiding principles and values that sustain America must be maintained by any American and i would assume that president Obama might not be the one who would like to violate any of their (American) standards. Claims around elections as have never been sponsored with evidence, may at this point be necessary to be dropped as one of the reasons why the US president did not want to visit Nigeria. This is because, as Fr Hassan holds, president Obama is never on a tour to either affirm or falsify african countries different electoral processes. And president Obama did not run out of America when former president George W Bush and presidential candidate Algore Tangled in Florida! so I want to admit that it might not necessarily be on election excellence. if at all it is, South Africa may be top on the list for transparency and violent-free elections so far in Africa but US president has never visited SA. This is my opinion. So, the idea of Nigerians leaking their wounds over American president's vist to Ghana is to me shameful. Why would Nigerians find themselves in a desperate need to host US president? Nigeria is not the only country in West Africa neighbouring Ghana if we want to use the barometre of neighbourhood visit. President Obama like every other president in the world is actually looking for ways of delivering on the promises he made to his people and i would advise my fellow Nigerians to invest effort in getting president Yaradua to start seeing himself in the presidential category and possibly acting as such than wanting President Obama to visit without reason. In as much as the accounts available on world political screen suggest that US president is interested in interstate relationship across the globe, let us not fall short of the knowledge that any president with good intentions and genuine commitment towards national and international common good would receive the same attention. Personally i admire president Obama's International Relations strength and recommends that other Presidents find their strengths and live them. America is not deep seated in corruption so it would be pointless for president Obama to start fighting corruption in America.

You Know, Nigerians are very good at justifying the unjustifiable and like Fela said "doing magic- turning white into green.." This whole write up is nothing more than heaps of consolatory jargons. The truth is that President Obama would have choosen Nigeria if it is not sooo morally and otherwise corrupt. The President represent change. Nigeria of today is anti-change! As it is written, "how can two walk together unless they be agreed?" Ghana had seen some corruption as well, but it has consistently trod the path of progress and positive change in the last decade. All that Obasanjo and his gang bequeathed to Nigeria was total collapse of infrastucture, institutionalization of corruption, and a country where "nothing works". Moreover, even if President Obama were to choose Nigeria, the US security apparatus would have deemed it too risky - you never know if the various militant groups would succeed in breaching Presidential security. In Nigeria, you never know for sure!

"Ultimatley Africa is for Africans" said Obama. Let us hope that Nigeria will learn one or two from his choosing Ghana over it. Let us know that no one will do it for us but us. Africa has the potential to be bigger than any country if it is pulled together and it's resources managed well. 50 years ago Nigeria could have been bigger than the UK just by share size and resources, but it cannot anymore because of squandered resources nad mismangement. Today Nigeria can only be strong if it is linked up with Benin, Togo, Ghana, Libya and South Africa both economically and politically. That is the great reality of today and neither Ghana nor Nigeria can run away from it.

When Obama visits any of the countries constituting European tails of the American hegemon, it is not considered by informed sentiment and cognition as a big deal. Yet, when the dude decides to visit Nkrumah land, it is a big deal?

Here is what the American STATE fears the most: the emergence of a 'sub-saharan' African power house state that it cannot control, as it controls Egypt.

The candidates for such a slot are precisely two: the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa. Obama knows this. And, since blood does not determine culture, and even less ideological prejudices (Obama is a naive bourgeois universalist liberal ideologue), Obama is in Africa to promote the interests of the American Bourgeois State now controlled by the bourgeois Democratic Party.

America is not interested in the emergence of an African POWER STATE. It is obvious that Ghana will never be an African POWER STATE, one that does not rely on the 'generosity' of the West now dominated by the European and American bourgeoisie.

Accordingly, Mr. Obama's visit is meaningless to the only countries that matter in "Africa on the world scale."

It would be demeaning to Nigeria and South Africa to become "Obamaland."

The author of this article is either un-informed or dishonest. He needs to know that it is simply silly to argue against facts.

Obama in his own words has given the reasons why he choose to visit Ghana - an example of a sound and established democratic institution IN THE MAKING with honest and committed leadership, a complete opposit of the corrupt ridden political institutions/leadership in Nigeria. If it was possible to bribe the way through and influence Obama to visit Nigeria instead, there is no doubt that Nigerian leaders would achieve this easily because as is their area of expertise.

It is time that Nigeria acknowledges its low estate and continuous decline in the league of nations. A country that exports energy but cannot generate and distributed the most common utility - electricity. Leaders waging war against his own people because they voice out genuine concerns. Untill there is a genuine resolution of the problems in Niger Delta (remember you cannot bite the finger that feeds you), committed governance devoid of deep seated corruption, a return to true federalism, Nigeria will have no respect internationally.

So, Obama chose Ghana instead of Nigeria - and why shouldn't he when Atta Mill's Jan election was a historic milestone in African democratic stability. The US President’s Ghanaian choice is clear. Obama is committed to establishing a just society and wants to encourage Mills in his fight against the corruption so prevalent in Africa.

Obama’s visit should be a cause of joy in Africa and should deeply encourage our continent’s spiritual and moral leaders such as Prophet TB Joshua of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations, Lagos, Nigeria, the man who Atta Mills openly describes as his mentor. Joshua famously prophesied Atta Mill’s peaceful and surprising victory against the opposition in Jan 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzR1poV0r04 http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/feb/08/national-08 -02-2009-02.htm

As the third consecutive visit, plus huge amounts of money previously given from the United States, what other assurance do you need? Africa is very rich and even full to the brim with natural resources but failure to appreciate, value and manage them properly. That is the main problem Nigerians are having they fail to appreciate their own. Even when something is good instead of embrace it they will abuse it like Prophet T.B. Joshua who has ben helping people coming to visit him from all over the world including presidentS (the capital S is on purpose) from other countries that he's been helping even to get to their position in the first place - come on - time to CHANGE.

Your pneumatic riffs will not play here. As Nietzsche said once: "There has only been one Christian in the world, and he was crucified."

So, in the spirit of the nihilism of the Englightened West, keep your religion in your pocket.

Substantively, to condemn Africa as "corrupt" by the same Obama whose home state, Chicago, is the seat of corruption in the USA is hypocritical at best, evil, at worst. My money is on the proposition that Ghana is just as corrupt as Nigeria---both bastions of bourgeois hegemony in Africa.

You miss the point.

Mr. Obama is not in Ghana to promote African interests, but US interests, which are not in conformity with African interests. Your misplaced nationalism, itself a bastard child of the implosion of the European ancien regime, is for theoretical donkeys, for if you think that Ghana is a 'nation', you must be out lunching: a territory conquered by British Invaders, emphatically yes; but a nation? Hell no.

Anyway, this is a silly discussion, for it is obvious that the generations since 'independence' from INVADERS have wasted their lives on earth.

They all, this generation inclusive, shot snake eyes.

As a Nigerian I don't feel spurned by President Obama's choice of Ghana as the first visit to Africa in his official capacity. America has a lot oil interest in Ghana and it makes all the sense in the world that Obama secures lucrative deals for his country. It has nothing to do with Ghana as the model of democracy. That honor can go Tanzania, South Africa and other countries. Ghana has only been a bit stable after a series of coups and is not necessarily out of the woods yet. The test will come when petro-dollars starts rolling in. That will be the true test of stability. Personally, I think Obama first visit should have been South Africa where a visit to aging President Nelson Mandela would be less controversial and very symbolic. If Mr Mandela had not shown by example how to work with the whites who jailed him years I doubt if white America would have voted for him the way they did in 2008. Mandela in a way created a template of reconciliation that made Obama election possible. Mandela is a living legend and modern emancipator of the Africa. Besides the man is aging and is not likely to travel that much and may not visit the White House again before his passing. I hope Obama sees Mandela anytime soon, otherwise should the man pass away without both meeting in person, he would have lost a great opportunity to meet an African giant and not introducing his wife and children to this man will be irresponsible. For Nigeria, it's time to mind your country and stop playing big brother to most African countries in times of need. Contributing the most number of troops to assist UN and USA sponsored activities should revised. Previous help to needy African counties be it the liberation of South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and so many others have not really paid off. Economic support to Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and so many other countries has not really paid off for Nigeria. Instead of getting the respect as the most populous black country in the world that has done a lot in her power to assist other African countries, Nigeria is often seen the prism of a few rotten apple who are notorious for scams. Nigeria is a force for good to so many countries in Africa and needs to be respected but President Obama's visit is the wrong way to protest shabby treatment from America. An inaugural visit to Ghana by President Obama and his family should celebrated by all Africans as the home coming of a son. So as Nigerian and African I join millions in welcoming President Obama.

Let's see: Mandela is an icon because he is cool with what you call "whites"?

Precisely, "blacks" who get along with "whites" who have kicked their butts are called by AFRICAN-AMERICANS (a category that makes mince meat of your self-characterization as a "nigerian-american"---and is not encoded in the Census Bureau as a category, by the way) are called "house negroes" (Malcolm X).

As applied to your uninformed praise of Mandela, Mandela is the worst example of an African icon and, concretely, of a condition of possibility of the election of Mr. Obama. A similar obscurantist claim was recently made by the arch obscurantist, the so-called Reverend Sharpton, namely that Jacko, who some think liked to be with (in the Biblical sense) with children. Of course, that you are both wrong needs no demonstration, but an explanation, which I defer.

Now, the mendacity of Mr. Obama is phenomenal: he embraces the soupist coupist and murderer Jerry Rawlings and praises liberty, democracy---all at the same time---in his, by now, sleep inducing rhetorical style, the style of the cleric, Martin Luther King: mountains of aspirations and valleys of bones of practicality, peppered with the now familiar "but it will not be easy."

Mandela, according to some South Africans, is a "sell out," a "house negro," and I agree. You are free to make your own deduction about Mr. Obama, since I am not an Obamist, and you apparently are.

The point of this thread, moreover, is meaningless: "Matters arising." There are no "matters" arising from Mr. Obama's sales tour of his version of America: notice that the political representatives of the European bourgeoisie ain't buying into Obama's rhetoric, a result, I suppose, of a perception that the political and economic interests of America and those of Europe, though not antagonistic, are not compatible.

Instead of delirious and romantic celebrations of a mere visit, Africans should determine whether the collective socio-economic and political interests of the American hegemon conform with an approximated formulation of the socio-economic and political interests of Africa,

MR OKONKWO,IF THAT IS REALLY YOUR NAME,I CAN SEE THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY CANVERSING FOR SOUTH-AFRICA FOR MR OBAMA VISIT.KINDLY LET SOUTH-AFRICAN FIGHT FOR THEMSELVES,APATHEID IS OVER,NIGERIA /NIGERIANS SHOULD STOP PLAYING USELLESS BIG BROTHER,SOUTH-AFRICA/SOUTH-AFRICANS DONT CARE A HOOT FOR NIGERIA/NIGERIANS,THEY HATE US WITH A PASSION,U NEED TO LIVE THERE TO FEEL IT.OBAMA HAD BEEN TO SOUTH-AFRICA BEFORE AS A SENATOR IN JAN 2007,HE WAS IGNORED BY SOUTH-AFRICAN GOVERNMENT{TYPICAL OF THEM}.SO NIGERIA/NIGERIAN MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

Well put! I am of mixed and consider myself 100% African. About time someone spelled out the facts to Nigerians and give what is due to Caesar. Africans contribute to the world in different ways with each country making it's own political stand in the world. All these bickering (known as our main trait in the western world) never helps our common causes. We should learn to be happy for each other.