Add to favorites Examiner Bio

Obama's message to Africa

This past weekend President Obama made his first trip to Sub-Saharan Africa when he visited Ghana. It was the first such visit by an American president of African descent. As a son of Africa myself, it was a moment of great pride. It was a symbolic, emotional visit, and also one of hope. The tour of the Cape Coast Castle must have been really touching, seeing that “door of no return” that the ancestors passed through never to come back. And now, a native son, long lost daughter, and grandchildren had returned, what a moment.

But more important of course was his speech to the parliament. During his first visit to the continent, the speech he made was monumental, but not necessarily addressed to us. This time it specifically concerned Africa. And for me, the highlight point was when he said, “Africa’s future is up to Africans.” That was an important statement, but it also raised some questions in my mind. For example, would the rest of the World, particularly the West, allow Africa to map out its own destiny? They had been meddling in her affairs for quite a long time. Even after the independence of most countries there, a system of “neo-colonization” took root. On the other hand, I also asked myself whether some African leaders as well as the people were ready to take Africa into the future.

The de-colonization period was one of pride and joy for the continent. The European powers were leaving and the natives were about to take control of their own destiny, at least officially. Unfortunately, some of those colonial masters managed to set in motion a plan where they could somehow maintain some control. Either they succeeded in putting puppet governments favorable to them in power, or they found a way to keep the natural resources in their grasp. As a result, while official colonization was gone, unofficial neo-colonization took its place.
 

There were a few good leaders who came out of the independence era, men who tried to take control of their countries’ resources, and who had their own vision for their development. However, a few such as Patrice Lumumba of Congo (formerly Zaire) mysteriously got eliminated. He was replaced by the CIA backed dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

More recently, another “tactic” of dependency has taken shape in the form of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs), courtesy of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Designed to supposedly help bring debt relief, they have crippled a number of African countries (and other countries worldwide), sinking them further into debt.
 

And there are also unequal trade agreements that exist, forcing the continent to open her doors to foreign products while nations like the U.S. put high duty taxes on African products. As a result, cheaper American vegetables, for example, beat out the local ones in Africa, while African produce can’t compete with the subsidized American ones in the U.S.
 

Therefore, with all theses factors in play, will Africans really be able to take Africa into the future in their own way, or will outside influence always negate that hope? In order for his statement to work, Mr. Obama might need to look into this as well.

However, we cannot ignore the fact that the continent has had some bad leaders as well, leaders who have plunged their countries into despair. So while we have to be weary of the factors affecting us from without, we also have to look at ourselves in the mirror from within. Africa won’t be able to move forward if we keep allowing strongman rule, corruption, patronage, and all the negative characteristics that continue to destroy us. We need to put pressure on our leaders, make them more accountable for their actions.

As for the people, there needs to be changes in attitudes as well. The inter-tribal/ethnic strife that continues to ravage many of our nations needs to stop. Our differences can perhaps make us stronger. Let’s learn to live amongst each other, and be more responsible for the good and advancement of our continent.

We need to be more united as well. For example, the North Africans tend to focus more on what happens in the Middle East than in the rest of their own continent. They need to start caring a bit more about their sub-Saharan brothers.

Obama’s trip was an important one indeed. A lot of people probably wondered why he didn’t visit other countries as well. But, in choosing Ghana, he was showcasing an exemplary African nation. In his speech he exposed Africa’s weaknesses and told us the tough truth about ourselves. We need to adopt his campaign slogan and make changes if we are to move forward in the right direction. In addition, we have to believe in ourselves because like he said, “yes, we can” do it.

Furthermore, we need to cherish this opportunity to work with the United States for our betterment. We should not be naïve and think that just because we have a president of African descent in this transaction that everything should run smoothly. He has his own country’s problems to think of also. Nevertheless, he may be the best chance we will ever have and so we should take the opportunity now. And in the process, not only can we uplift ourselves, but we can also make him proud of his motherland, as well as the millions in the Diaspora.