'If Obama Is a Messiah, He’s Not Our Messiah'

Some curious opinion out of Africa.

Obama is not a descendant of slaves, a fact that initially seemed to rankle some black leaders in the US, until he started winning, and then they embraced him with shameless alacrity. Not all black leaders have embraced him. Some were for Hillary Clinton, others like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton et al have been wary of him. His election, if it comes to pass, will truly be historic. In a uni-polar world where the US wields untrammeled power,his election will put a different cast and complexion on world affairs.

The palpable thrill, especially in Africa, at the prospect of an Obama presidency is therefore understandable. Africa often tends to behave a bit like an unwanted orphan who suddenly discovers a famous uncle, who’ll hopefully wipe away the tears and provide a protective arm. It doesn’t always work that way. I don’t seem to remember what Kofi Annan achieved for Africa at the United Nations-except the carnage in Rwanda which happened on his watch-despite the exuberance that greeted his elevation.

Barack Obama’s success should come with a healthy warning, so to speak, lest we be disappointed. Despite his African-sounding name, Obama is an American as apple pie, or baseball. He’s going to bat for nobody else but America.

Because of his tenuous association with Africa, we will feel entitled to offer our sage advice and allow ourselves to be disappointed, insulted almost, at what we view as his faults or failures. We should relieve ourselves of such burdens. He’s not ours. He doesn’t speak for us. He doesn’t have to. He doesn’t owe us anything. Not a single butut.
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Obama will serve the interests of humanity better if he does his job well,running an efficient and compassionate administration. First,he will prove to be doubting Thomas’s that competence, or the lack thereof, has nothing to do with colour. Second, as the recent past has shown, an American which feels secure and comfortable in its own skin is crucial to world peace. The question is whether Obama could have come this far, dazzled the world, if he had been an insurgent African politician in Africa? My honest nswer [sic] is: probably not.

He would be cooling his heels in jail(with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch feverishly calling for his release),tortured or even killed.

There’s a sobering thought.