This Day (Lagos)

Nigeria: Obama - African Leaders Must End Tyranny, Corruption

Abuja — United States President Barack Obama who yesterday in Ghana declared he has "the blood of Africa within me", warned that forces of tyranny and corruption must yield if Africa is to achieve its promise.

Obama stated this when he addressed Members of Parliament in Accra, as part of his long- anticipated first official visit to Africa, after his inauguration on January 20. The speech, which was seen by journalists via satellite located at the United States Embassy in Abuja; commenced at 12.45 Ghanaian time.

It was a wake-up call to African nations that have been battling challenges of bad governance and recurring conflicts.

He warned that the incessant 'failed' elections and the attendant security issues that come with not conducting free and fair elections will have to stop in Africa as they will not bring about "more prosperous, more stable and more successful" continent.

Dusting his campaign slogan "Yes you can," Obama also called upon African societies to seize opportunities for peace, democracy and prosperity.

"This is a new moment of great promise. To realise that promise, we must first recognise a fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: Development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa's potential."

He continues: "As we provide support, I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have the responsibility to support those who act responsibly and isolate those who don't, and that is exactly what America will do."

The son of a white woman from Kansas and a black goat herder-turned-academic from Kenya, Obama delivered an unsentimental account of squandered opportunities in post-colonial Africa. America's first black president spoke with a bluntness that perhaps could only come from a member of Africa's extended family.

"No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or if police can be bought off by drug traffickers.

"No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top, or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery.

"That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there," he said, "and now is the time for that style of governance to end." He added: "Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. "

Obama was on a 21-hour visit to the West African nation to highlight that country's democratic tradition and engagement with the West. His visit, his first to sub-Saharan Africa as president, was greeted as a "spiritual reunion" Saturday by Ghanaian legislators.

People lined the streets, many waving at every vehicle of Obama's motorcade as it headed toward a meeting at Osu Castle, the storied coastline presidential state house, before his speech to Parliament. "Ghana loves you," said a billboard. He also visited a hospital and a one-time slave trading post, joined by his wife, Michelle, a great-great grand-daughter of slaves.

Obama spoke of the indignities visited upon Africans from the era of European rule. He said his grandfather, a cook for the British in Kenya, was called "boy" by his employers for much of his life despite his being a respected village elder. He said it was a time of artificial borders and unfair trade.

But he said the West is not to blame "for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants." Nor for the corruption that is a daily fact of life for many, he said.

"Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war," he said. Yet for "far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.

"These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck," he said. Obama started his day with typical calm. Wearing a gray T-shirt and gym pants, he walked through the lobby of his hotel almost unnoticed at 7:30 a.m. local time on his way to the downstairs gym for a workout.

A short time later, his motorcade left the hotel, passed under hovering military helicopters and arrived for a delayed welcome ceremony with Ghanaian President John Atta Mills.

Obama avoided scheduling large public events, wishing to keep emotions in check in a singular moment in African-American diplomacy.

The president pledged America's partnership in Africa's growth. Specifically, he said he would make sure U.S. aid gets to the people who need it most, such as farmers and entrepreneurs, not Western consultants and administrators.


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Comments 1 to 5 of 5 Post a comment

  • Maazi Toochukwu
    Jul 12 2009, 19:57

    Fermentation of ideas for Africa political independence ist erupted in US.Obama administration to end/reduce corruption and tyranny in AFRICA most esp in Nigeria,efforts should be made towards causing mental revolution of the populace who can then overthrow this evil social system for a better one.i live to see it actualize.

  • Maazi Toochukwu
    Jul 12 2009, 19:57

    Fermentation of ideas for Africa political independence ist erupted in US.For Obama administration to end/reduce corruption and tyranny in AFRICA most esp in Nigeria,efforts should be made towards causing mental revolution of the populace who then overthrow this evil social system for a better one.i live to see it actualize.

  • Maazi Toochukwu
    Jul 12 2009, 19:58

    Fermentation of ideas for Africa political independence ist erupted in US.For Obama administration to end/reduce corruption and tyranny in AFRICA most esp in Nigeria,efforts should be made towards causing mental revolution of the populace who then overthrow this evil social system for a better one.i live to see it actualize.

  • upliftdarace_144
    Jul 13 2009, 14:23

    MATTHEW 10:26 DON’T BE AFRAID OF THEM, FOR THERE IS NOTHING COVERED THAT WON’T BE REVEALED AND THERE IS NOTHING HIDDEN THAT WON’T BE KNOWN.

    Remember the 120 ! in the Upperroom, Gideon’s 300, One(1) believer can chase 1,000 demons & Two (2) can make 10,000 run .

    How many will 1 million chase ?

    Here’s An abbreviated Spirit Bomb prayer that I’d like for us to say to God The Creator Of All :

    OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN , HOLY IS YOUR NAME, YOUR KINGDOM COME , YOUR WILL BE DONE, IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN .

    - In Jesus Name We Pray – Amen

    Pray twice per day once around sunset & once around sunrise .

    Have prayer lists which include Family, Christians, Truthseekers ,& Worthy Causes , etc…

    SOME OF OUR LEADERS ARE UNDER DEMONIC INFLUENCE , SOME OF OUR

    WORLD IS UNDER THE SAME,. OUR UNITED , CONSISTENT, CONTINUOUS

    PRAYERS WILL HELP US TO SEE THROUGH JESUS’ EYES. REMEMBER , HE’S

    THE HEAD, WE HAVE NO EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, ETC..WITHOUT THE

    HEAD. THAT IS WHY WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT, SOUND, TASTE

    OR ANY OTHER NATURAL DISTRACTION. WE ARE SPIRITUAL WARRIORS !!!

    Make a Habit Of Praying Twice a Day (Sunset / Sunrise). Have A Daily Prayer, Weekly

    Prayer , Monthly Prayer, even Yearly Prayer ; keeping persons, organizations and causes

    in mind that you’d like to pray for at these intervals of time ( Daily-Weekly-Monthly-

    Yearly).

    Some prayer list suggestions –

    (DAILY PRAYER LIST ) -

    Christian & Natural Family -

    TOP-PRIORITY Persons, Causes & Oragnizations

    (WEEKLY PRAYER LIST ) -

    MID-LEVEL Persons, Causes & Oragnizations

    (MONTHLY PRAYER LIST ) -

    - Persons, Causes & Oragnizations ( For Example – Heads Of Countries)

    (YEARLY PRAYER LIST ) -

    LOWER LEVEL - Persons, Causes & Oragnizations

    [God Bless You Readers To Want To Know And Seek To Know The Truth] - MAY GOD BE A HAVEN OF PEACE IN OUR TIME OF TROUBLE --

    [This inspiring poem was featuring in the movie “Coach Carter ”]

    Our Deepest Fear Is Not That We Are Inadequate, Our Deepest Fear Is That We Are Powerful Beyond Measure. It Is Our Light , Not Our Darkness That Most Frightens Us.

    We Ask Ourselves, Who Am I To Be Brilliant, Gorgeous, Talented, And Fabulous ?

    Actually Who Are We Not To Be ? You Are A Child Of God.

    Your Playing Small Doesn’t Serve The World.

    There Is Nothing Enlightened About Shrinking So That Other People Won’t Feel Insecure Around You.

    We Are All Meant To Shine, As Children Do.

    We Were Born To Make Manifest The Glory Of God That Is Within Us.

    It’s Not Just In Some Of Us; It’s In Everyone.

    And When We Let Our Own Light Shine We Unconsciously Give Other People Permission To Do The Same.

    And As We Are Liberated From Our Own Fear, Our Presence Automatically Liberates Others

    - Marianne Williamson -

    [NOTE – BEING AFRAID AND REFUSING TO GET INVOLVED WON’T STOP US FROM DYING. BUT BEING AFRAID CAN PREVENT US FROM LIVING]

    (Nkosi Sikeleli Africa )

    God bless Africa May her glory be lifted high Hear our petitions .

    God bless us, Your children God we ask You to protect our nation Intervene and end all conflicts Protect us, protect our nation, our nation.

    From the blue of our heaven, From the depths of our sea, Over our eternal mountain ranges, Where the cliffs give answer.

    Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land.

    [Enoch Mankayi Sontonga]

    [http://www.infowars.com/infowars.asx] / [gcnlive.com] / [http://alexjonesringtones.net/]

    WAKE UP ! STAY UP MY BROTHERS & SISTERS ! BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

    - Life Is a Game. Have Fun. [ Luke 18:17 / Isaiah 11:6 ]

  • rafil
    Jul 15 2009, 03:34

    Obama must have to explain to the African people the US,s role in the support and beefing up of corrupt African rulers instead of coming here to insult our sensibilities.It,s on record that America has only personal interests and whoever supports their interest is their friend regardless of if there is democracy or not.Thge American Govt has been a desbabilizing factor and a supporter of oppression on the African continent for so long that it,s completely ironic that Obama chose to insult Africans this way.The Americans supported Mobutu in Zaire,is still supporting Museveni in Uganda, paul Kagame in rwanda and the list goes on and on.Othere imperialists masterminding the destruction of Africa are the UK, France,belgium netherlands and others.They should learn to practice what they preach, idiots.Africans have had enough and will fiercely resist the impositon of illegal and coerrupt rulers on them.Obama divest yourself from hypocricy and you,ll be wholehartedly wellcomed into the fraternity of African brotherhood.