6 June 2008
(Page 2 of 2)
So potent is the Obama spell that a group of militant youths in Nigeria's Niger Delta were taken in by the tricks of a creative-minded security agent who, left with no answer to the fire power of the militiamen, decided to send them a message they could not ignore. He simply sent an e-mail purportedly from Obama, in which he asked that the militants stop the war in the area.
Surprisingly, the militants agreed and announced to the world that Obama had been requested to observe a ceasefire by a person they could not defy!
World oil prices were just starting to fall when the real Obama denied that he was the one who asked for a ceasefire. The young men of Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta returned to their trenches immediately.
Obama also enjoys huge support in Ghana, where Godwin Yaw Agboka, a columnist, tried to explain his appeal thus: "Obama appears to have a magic wand that appeals to the youth, independents, and liberals. For the first tim, in many decades, the expectations among voters, are reaching boiling point - call it a crescendo. Voters seem to want things to change in Washington. Obama represents the change they want. Forget about the fact that he is black. Obama has transcended race. He talks about hope, and believes that 'there is nothing false about hope'. He knows how to say the right things at the right time".
African initiative
With Obama now the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, one can expect the African Initiative for Obama group to swing into action - selling posters, caps, and other merchandise, all to support him.
The group has affiliates across West Africa, and plans to spread throughout the continent.
On Tuesday, its chairman and continental coordinator, Elvis Agukwe, told Daily Nation in Abuja that in about a week, they will approach church leaders and Imams to ask their congregations to begin special prayers for God to guide Americans in their choice of president.
Beyond the buzz, however, Obama has clearly touched something profound among many Africans. As Patricia Jebbah Wesley, a Liberian poet, puts it, "It is a good thing that I am alive to see all of this, and it is a good thing that you are reading this ,and you too, are alive to record this for your children".
Africa Insight is an initiative of the Nation Media Group's Africa Media Network Project
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It's about time the World can see that America is not the racist anti-Black Nation that the UN and our enemies have made us out to be for all of these years. There are many people and groups both in the US and abroad who make millions of dollars by portraying America as a racist nation. While the US does have some racist people and organizations, they are very small in relation to the millions of Americans who judge people by their character instead of by the color of their skin. The United Nations will attempt to make people believe America is a racist, white supremacist country, when that is completely false.
All American's are proud of our country for being mature enough to elect a black man as a major candidate for president. If Senator Obama doesn't win in November, it won't be because of his skin color, it will be because more American's disagree with his politics than agree with him. It is only a matter of time before America has a Black man or woman as president. You will never see Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, any country in the Middle East and/or Asia offer a Black Man such an opportunity to to be president of their country as we have here in America.