Barack Obama: Candidate of Africans

The skin color of the black senator of the Illinois Barack Obama, the candidate for the race for the White House leaves few people indifferent, especially in Africa. Numerous Africans see in his candidacy a chance for the future of the black continent. But this is not the opinion of the pessimists who believe that the nomination of Obama in the White House would be beneficial only to the Americans.

It is a real debate between the Africans pro-Obama and those who observe the behavior of the African leaders, and who do not hesitate to make the analogy.

In close past, the African continent has known shady periods and continues to undergo fatal consequences as a result of the elections required by democracy. Personalities, who just yesterday were in power, were demonized and seen prevented from running for the head of several countries.

Kenneth Kaunda, Allasan Dramane Ouattara and so many others bore the costs of not having the required nationality. Their previous history having been questioned, their candidacies were purely and simply rejected on base of constitutions made to fit the countries.

It is because the question of nationality raised many debates. To go for the presidency of the Republic in certain countries, it is necessary to have not only parents of the same nationality, but also grandparents. This is nevertheless a drift which no one had the courage to denounce. Even human rights NGOs did not raise the problem. Just like accomplices.

Today when Obama, candidate for the presidency of the Republic of United States of America holds favorable measures to succeed George W Bush, all of Africa is lined up behind him to support his candidacy.

Associations and groups of support have been constituted in Africa to say that Obama was their candidate, because of his African father. These groups of Africans thus remember his previous history and see in him, more of a Kenyan than an American.

Proof that if, just for fun, we asked these Africans to choose Obama as president of the United States, they will certainly not think twice to grant him their votes. But would it be the same if Barack Obama was trying to become the president of the Republic of Kenya? Here also, the answer would be spontaneous. Kenyan politics would have certainly rejected him for a single reason: the origin of his mother. The nationality would have been refused to him under pretext that he is not 100 % child of the soil. His candidacy would be rejected.

Today considered wrongly, or perhaps rightfully, as a héro, Obama transcent all the splits of colors or origin. That is the lesson that Africans have to learn from this American presidential election, even if the American Constitution is very different from those that African conceived for and by the strongest who do not hesitate to do everything to remain a president for life.

Whatever the results, the Africans should remember the example which give the United States are setting today by accepting the candidacy of the one that a good fringe of the population considers as a valid candidate for the future of their nation.

It is thus time that the African leaders understand that the people need only their well-being no matter who the person who would preside over their destiny is, provided that this one showed skill and credibility.

The criteria of origin, race or any other consideration hiding evil intent of those who want to perpetuate their power in African countries are behind the regression of the African people and of the whole of the continent while the others think of conquering space.