Afrocentric Obama book cover
A book written about America’s first black president, Barack Hussein Obama, by a Ghanaian Dr Etse Sikanku, has been launched in Accra Saturday.
Many are the books written about him, by him, but none connects with a comb, the African heritage which gave Obama not only an identity but a global figure status.
A researcher that he is, Afrocentric Obama and Lessons on Political Campaign-the title of the book- is Dr Etse Sikanku’s own contribution in filling the gap in the literature and telling a profound story of the towering figure whose name belonged and so he belonged.
After a global launch of the book in the US , and an illuminating book reading sessions across some Ivy League schools, the British Council in Accra became the spotlight for the Ghana launch.
With the man behind the book, others who reviewed it and a guest speaker equally gifted with the power of oratory all sharing the lessons of what Obama stands for, and why Ghana, Africa must begin to assimilate these lessons for the growth and development of the country, continent.
How Afrocentric Obama began
Until Afrocentric Obama came, Dr Etse Sikanku was many things but a writer. He is a lecturer, a researcher, a journalist, political analyst and lately a show host.
While conducting one of his research, incidentally on Obama’s African identity, his supervisor tossed that little idea of a book into his mind. That idea was mixed by a little dream he had of his late father handing a book over to him and that stimulated a powerful urge and a burning motivation to add authorship to his long list of careers. He added it and birthed a book of great global importance with lessons for all.
In his colourful batakari, on top of his long sleeved white shirt, Etse as he would have his students call him, shared with his guests how the African values shaped Obama’s style of communication, campaign and the political lessons of communalism, decency, empathy that can be learnt by other leaders.
Dr Sikanku said while Africa gave Obama the unique identity he needed, his ascension into the White House, gave Africans a pride of place in global politics which resulted in over 54 babies being named after Obama and a national holiday and prayer meeting declared in Kenya to herald Obama’s feat.
Guest Speaker’s Oratory
With an enduring fondness and deep abiding lust for American politics Kwaku Sakyi Addo, who was Guest Speaker on the night situated how relevant Afrocentric Obama is to the extraordinary story of the Obamas.
Slow in speech, as if each word was of equal importance, and it was, Kwaku Sakyi Addo narrated how unfathomable it was for a man with an African first name, Muslim middle name will enter the symbol of global authority and manifest what Michael Dukakis and others like him with strange names tried but failed to do.
Sakyi Addo dramatised how Obama did it with a great fight, surmounted an unbelievably long odds which saw him topple none other than a colossus, a Clinton, and a war hero, McCain to become America’s president; the one who after two terms, never once had a scandal which a great many detractors were waiting for, to tear him apart.
Obama run a politics of heart, not of pocket, a politics of communalism, not sectarianism, a politics of fundraising, not fund giving which inevitably will end in fund grabbing, Kwaku Sakyi Addo emphasised.
The Telecommunications Chamber CEO challenged Ghanaian and African leaders to learn the lessons of Obama, captured in the Afrocentric Obama, and live a legacy in their modest places of work.
Deputy Education Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said whilst Obama’s success remains a feather in the cap of all Africans a lot still remains to be done.
He cited a poll put out by CNN which revealed that 54 percent of Americans believed that race relations had gotten worse under Obama which has manifested in attacks on Black people and vice versa.
He said the effort by Etse should spur others on in helping to build a global society in which there is mutual respect for all, no matter the colour or creed of the person.
The launch of Afrocentric Obama would not have been complete without the presence of the American representatives,
Press Attache at the US Embassy in Ghana Sara Stealy and Jennifer Hasty, Professor of Anthropolgy, University of Pennsylvania, USA were present at the launch to support the Dr Sikanku cause.
Afrocentric Obama and Lessons on Political Campaign was auctioned by Kafui Dey and was well patronized by the guests.
