Obamarama in Ghana

OBAMAMANIA INVADES GHANA

By Jennifer D. Gladden

ACCRA, Ghana _ On the streets of this seaside capital, many locals have taken to sporting T-shirts emblazoned with Barack Obama’s image.

Cars covered in ‘Obama 08’ bumper stickers, and pedestrians sporting handmade bracelets boasting the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s name are often in full view.

One radio personality, and reggae recording artist, Ahmed AbuBakr, known as ‘Blakk Rasta’ routinely keeps his listeners updated with CNN stories on the Obama campaign

AbuBakr scored a massive radio hit here when he released a single ‘Barack Obama’ that has had Ghanaians singing along everywhere since last spring.

According to AbuBakr, “Obama is even more popular than our own President.” Even though Ghana is in the midst of its own fiercely contested presidential campaign with elections to be held this December, many are focused on America’s impending election where a candidate with strong African roots has made history.

In an interview at the popular Ghanaian radio station, JOY FM, AbuBakr described a new wave of politicians who call themselves the “Obamas of Ghana.” The People’s National Convention presidential candidate, Edward Mahama, adopted the Obama change mantre, claiming to offer “real change, real hope, real choice.”

As Obama’s contagious message of change and hope spreads across the Atlantic, Ghana has developed an Obama obsession.

AbuBakr wrote the song “Barack Obama” as both a message of support and of warning for the presidential candidate as he prepares to enter the White House.

The song includes the refrain “Barack beware,” cautioning him against the Ku Klux Klan as well as the divine judgment facing America. One verse rhymes, “9/11 was the beginning of Satan in time, baptizing black Americans in a bitter juice of lime.”

AbuBakr explains, “who is that Satan? It’s the Bush man who is in power right now.” Highlighting atrocities committed in Afghanistan and Iraq, AbuBakr feels that Bush’s wars have bred hatred towards Americans.

According to AbuBakr, “War is not a solution to these things..” AbuBakr believes that Obama’s heritage and his Muslim middle name, Hussein, will allow him to improve relations with the Middle East through dialogue and communication.

AbuBakr admits, “I’ve never been interested in an American election before. I don’t even see this Obama thing as politics, it’s a grassroots kind of thing; the voice of the poor people, the voice of the downtrodden.”

However, many Ghanaians are interested in Obama’s politics. For instance, Emmanuel Broni-Bediako, a 29-year-old entrepreneur who trains youths through an international NGO, Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship, hopes Obama will bring change to Africa through education, instead of focusing on short-term material aid programs.

“There is no point in giving money to people who don’t have the right mindset, and Barack Obama has the potential to change people’s mindsets,” Broni-Bediako says.

Unlike Broni-Bediako, AbuBakr cares little for Obama’s policies. Aware of Obama’s liberal campaign supporting civil unions and abortion, AbuBakr explains that his backing of Obama is not based on politics.

Instead, AbuBakr simply sees a need for some “spice” in the White House. He explains, “A black man in the white house; that’s a change in itself.”
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Check out the following link for a video snapshot of my interview with the legendary Blakk Rasta. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWv8udVug8A

To listen to the song, click http://truepanther.com/mp3s/03%20Barack%20Obama%20Crunk.mp3