Obama, the African Colonial

American Thinker ^ | June 25, 2009 | L.E. Ikenga

[neverdem]

Had Americans been able to stop obsessing over the color of Barack Obama's skin and instead paid more attention to his cultural identity, maybe he would not be in the White House today. The key to understanding him lies with his identification with his father, and his adoption of a cultural and political mindset rooted in postcolonial Africa.

Like many educated intellectuals in postcolonial Africa, Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was enraged at the transformation of his native land by its colonial conqueror. But instead of embracing the traditional values of his own tribal cultural past, he embraced an imported Western ideology, Marxism. I call such frustrated and angry modern Africans who embrace various foreign "isms", instead of looking homeward for repair of societies that are broken, African Colonials. They are Africans who serve foreign ideas.

The tropes of America's racial history as a way of understanding all things black are useless in understanding the man who got his dreams from his father, a Kenyan exemplar of the African Colonial.

Before I continue, I need to say this: I am a first generation born West African-American woman whose parents emigrated to the U.S. in the 1970's from the country now called Nigeria. I travel to Nigeria frequently. I see myself as both a proud American and as a proud Igbo (the tribe that we come from -- also sometimes spelled Ibo). Politically, I have always been conservative (though it took this past election for me to commit to this once and for all!); my conservative values come from my Igbo heritage and my place of birth. Of course, none of this qualifies me to say what I am about to -- but at the same time it does.

My friends, despite what CNN and the rest are telling you, Barack Obama is nothing more than an old school African Colonial who is on his way to turning this country into one of the developing nations that you learn about on the National Geographic Channel. Many conservative (East, West, South, North) African-Americans like myself -- those of us who know our history -- have seen this movie before. Here are two main reasons why many Americans allowed Obama to slip through the cracks despite all of his glaring inconsistencies:

First, Obama has been living on American soil for most of his adult life. Therefore, he has been able to masquerade as one who understands and believes in American democratic ideals. But he does not. Barack Obama is intrinsically undemocratic and as his presidency plays out, this will become more obvious. Second, and most importantly, too many Americans know very little about Africa. The one-size-fits-all understanding that many Americans (both black and white) continue to have of Africa might end up bringing dire consequences for this country.

Contrary to the way it continues to be portrayed in mainstream Western culture, Africa is not a continent that can be solely defined by AIDS, ethnic rivalries, poverty and safaris. Africa, like any other continent, has an immense history defined by much diversity and complexity. Africa's long-standing relationship with Europe speaks especially to some of these complexities -- particularly the relationship that has existed between the two continents over the past two centuries. Europe's complete colonization of Africa during the nineteenth century, also known as the Scramble for Africa, produced many unfortunate consequences, the African colonial being one of them.

The African colonial (AC) is a person who by means of their birth or lineage has a direct connection with Africa. However, unlike Africans like me, their worldviews have been largely shaped not by the indigenous beliefs of a specific African tribe but by the ideals of the European imperialism that overwhelmed and dominated Africa during the colonial period. AC's have no real regard for their specific African traditions or histories.  AC's use aspects of their African culture as one would use pieces of costume jewelry: things of little or no value that can be thoughtlessly discarded when they become a negative distraction, or used on a whim to decorate oneself in order to seem exotic. (Hint: Obama's Muslim heritage).

On the other hand, AC's strive to be the best at the culture that they inherited from Europe. Throughout the West, they are tops in their professions as lawyers, doctors, engineers, Ivy League professors and business moguls; this is all well and good. It's when they decide to engage us as politicians that things become messy and convoluted.

The African colonial politician (ACP) feigns repulsion towards the hegemonic paradigms of Western civilization. But at the same time, he is completely enamored of the trappings of its aristocracy or elite culture. The ACP blames and caricatures whitey to no end for all that has gone wrong in the world. He convinces the masses that various forms of African socialism are the best way for redressing the problems that European colonialism motivated in Africa. However, as opposed to really being a hard-core African Leftist who actually believes in something, the ACP uses socialist themes as a way to disguise his true ambitions: a complete power grab whereby the "will of the people" becomes completely irrelevant.

Barack Obama is all of the above. The only difference is that he is here playing (colonial) African politics as usual.  

In his 1995 memoir, Dreams From My Father -- an eloquent piece of political propaganda -- Obama styles himself as a misunderstood intellectual who is deeply affected by the sufferings of black people, especially in America and Africa. In the book, Obama clearly sees himself as an African, not as a black American. And to prove this, he goes on a quest to understand his Kenyan roots. He is extremely thoughtful of his deceased father's legacy; this provides the main clue for understanding Barack Obama.

Barack Obama Sr. was an African colonial to the core; in his case, the apple did not fall far from the tree. All of the telltale signs of Obama's African colonialist attitudes are on full display in the book -- from his feigned antipathy towards Europeans to his view of African tribal associations as distracting elements that get in the way of "progress".  (On p. 308 of Dreams From My Father, Obama says that African tribes should be viewed as an "ancient loyalties".)

Like imperialists of Old World Europe, the ACP sees their constituents not as free thinking individuals who best know how to go about achieving and creating their own means for success. Instead, the ACP sees his constituents as a flock of ignorant sheep that need to be led -- oftentimes to their own slaughter.

Like the European imperialist who spawned him, the ACP is a destroyer of all forms of democracy.

Here are a few examples of what the British did in order to create (in 1914) what is now called Nigeria and what Obama is doing to you: 

1. Convince the people that "clinging" to any aspect of their cultural (tribal) identity or history is bad and regresses the process of "unity". British Imperialists deeply feared people who were loyal to anything other than the state. "Tribalism" made the imperialists have to work harder to get people to just fall in line. Imperialists pitted tribes against each other in order to create chaos that they then blamed on ethnic rivalry. Today many "educated" Nigerians, having believed that their traditions were irrelevant, remain completely ignorant of their ancestry and the history of their own tribes.
2. Confiscate the wealth and resources of the area that you govern by any means necessary in order to redistribute wealth. The British used this tactic to present themselves as empathetic and benevolent leaders who wanted everyone to have a "fair shake". Imperialists are not interested in equality for all. They are interested in controlling all.  
3. Convince the masses that your upper-crust university education naturally puts you on an intellectual plane from which to understand everything even when you understand nothing. Imperialists were able to convince the people that their elite university educations allowed them to understand what Africa needed. Many of today's Nigerians-having followed that lead-hold all sorts of degrees and certificates-but what good are they if you can't find a job?   
4. Lie to the people and tell them that progress is being made even though things are clearly becoming worse.  One thing that the British forgot to mention to their Nigerian constituents was that one day, the resources that were being used to engineer "progress" (which the British had confiscated from the Africans to begin with!) would eventually run out. After WWII, Western Europe could no longer afford to hold on to their African colonies. So all of the counterfeit countries that the Europeans created were then left high-and-dry to fend for themselves. This was the main reason behind the African independence movements of the1950 and 60's. What will a post-Obama America look like?
5. Use every available media outlet to perpetuate the belief that you and your followers are the enlightened ones-and that those who refuse to support you are just barbaric, uncivilized, ignorant curmudgeons.  This speaks for itself.

America, don't be fooled. The Igbos were once made up of a confederacy of clans that ascribed to various forms of democratic government. They took their eyes off the ball and before they knew it, the British were upon them. Also, understand this: the African colonial who is given too much political power can only become one thing: a despot.

L.E. Ikenga can be reached at leikenga@gmail.com.

[Fred Nerks]

for the record:

Steve // Jun 29, 2009 at 6:20 am I don’t know if it’s just me but this photograph looks to have been altered. Tom Mboya looks like he has been added into this picture. Has anyone else noticed this?

SOURCE

and no, I hadn't noticed, but since 'Steve' pointed it out, once you enlarge the image somewhat, it certainly looks that way...is Mboya about to shake hands with someone who isn't there?

[bgill]

Anyone know the original source of the picture? What’s the scratch lines across the middle?

As for Myboya, he could be grabbing Hagberg’s arm. The only things that might be something would be everyone is looking at the camera’s left except Myboya. Also, the back of his jacket where it touches the person behind him looks a bit cut. The scratch marks obscure any possible facial discoloration.

[Fred Nerks]

image source:

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/magazine/-/434746/525930/-/item/3/-/a5ye5hz/-/index.html

[Fred Nerks]

FOR THE RECORD:

KENYAN BORN OBAMA ALL SET FOR SENATE former article:
http://web.archive.org/web/20040627142700/eastandard.net/headlines/news26060403.htm

AllAfrica.com — “Kampala — Ugandans have formed a group to mobilise support for Kenyan-born Senator…”
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802180051.html

SECURITY CONCERNS FOR TOURISM AS SENATOR OBAMA JETS INTO KENYA
As Kenyan born US Senator Barack Obama…(13th headline down)
http://www.africa-ata.org/ug_newsletter.htm

NPR …STORIES OUT OF AFRICA:
http://frontpage.americandaughter.com/images/kenyan-born-npr-page.jpg

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER:
http://oilforimmigration.org/images/screencapt3.jpg

THE GHANAIAN TIMES:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll1/BecJul/Go_Obama_Ghanaian_Times2.jpg?t=1255731958

Kenyan born U.S. Senator “exploring ways” of helping home province:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll1/BecJul/BBC_NEWS_Kenyan_Born_Obama.jpg?t=1259875484

[thouworm]

Red Steel, will you please add your graphic shots to this thread:

Sunday, June 27, 2004
Kenyan-born Obama all set for US Senate
http://web.archive.org/web/200406271...ws26060403.htm
and, the front page for the above article:
http://web.archive.org/web/200406270...astandard.net/

October 9, 2008
Trial and Triumph: Stories Out Of Africa
She also describes the stories that have been exciting, including the U.S. presidential race of Kenyan-born Sen. Barack Obama.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=95550177
http://frontpage.americandaughter.co...n-npr-page.jpg (screen shot)

US Presidential Polls:Obama, McCain slug it out today
The Kenyan-born Senator will, however, face a stiff competition from his Republican counterpart, John McCain who has taken the presidential battle to the finishing line with vigorous campaign strategies.
http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/...ews/news1.html
http://oilforimmigration.org/images/screencapt3.jpg (screen shot)

SECURITY CONCERNS FOR TOURISM AS SENATOR OBAMA JETS INTO KENYA
As Kenyan born US Senator Barack Obama jets into Kenya today as part of his African tour,
http://www.africa-ata.org/ug_newsletter.htm

Otunnu on Luo Tribe Member Being Elected President, Oct. 25, 2008
Olara Otunnu (Harvard Law, 1978) relating the remark of Kenyan historian Ali Mazrui on the oddity that a member of Kenya’s Luo tribe (Barack Obama, a Kenyan citizen and Luo tribe member from birth) may become president of the United States before a Luo tribe member becomes president of Kenya. “Town Hall Forum: An Examination of Race, Age, Gender & Religion in the 2008 Election,” Harvard Law School Reunions, Oct. 25, 2008, 9:15 a.m. (Austin Hall, 1st Floor, West), at 60:17 mark.
http://www.archive.org/details/Otunn...ntOct.252 008

Otunnu Remembers Barack Obama Sr., Oct. 25, 2008
“Olara Otunnu (Harvard Law, 1978) remembers Barack Obama, Sr., and comments on the similarities between father and son. “Town Hall Forum: An Examination of Race, Age, Gender & Religion in the 2008 Election,” Harvard Law School Reunions, Oct. 25, 2008, 9:15 a.m. (Austin Hall, 1st Floor, West), at 64:13 mark.”
http://www.archive.org/details/Otunn...aSr.Oct.252008

Nigeria: Clintonian Branding
“Little wonder then why Kenyan-born Barack Obama, America’s first Black President, converted his major speech at his recent Ghana trip to a scathing upbraiding of Nigeria’s irresponsible leadership!”
http://allafrica.com/stories/200908200781.html

Kenyan-born Obama all set for US Senate

Kenyan-born US Senate hopeful, Barrack Obama, appeared set to take over the Illinois Senate seat after his main rival, Jack Ryan, dropped out of the race on Friday night amid a furor over lurid sex club allegations.

http://web.archive.org/web/20040627142700/eastandard.net/headlines/news26060403.htm

http://web.archive.org/web/20040627142700/eastandard.net/headlines/news26060403.htm

http://allafrica.com/stories/200908200781.html

http://frontpage.americandaughter.com/images/kenyan-born-npr-page.jpg

http://www.wnd.com/images/misc/ghana1two.jpg

[thouworm]

9th July 2009 07:01:55 by Kofi Yeboah

US President Barack Obama is expected to announce a major foreign policy for Africa during his historic two-day visit to Ghana, beginning Friday, July 10, 2009.

Although Mr Obama has made foreign policy pronouncements for some parts of the world since assuming office in January, this year, he is yet to make one for Africa, and his visit to the country, which the White House describes as “one of our most trusted partners in sub-Saharan Africa”, is expected to be used as a platform to unveil his foreign policy for Africa.

“It is expected that President Obama will make a major foreign policy statement on Africa”, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, told the Daily Graphic.

For Ghana, Obama's visit will be a celebration of another milestone in African history as it hosts the first-ever African-American President on this presidential visit to the continent of his birth.

The Air Force One, carrying the 44th American President, his wife, Michelle and two daughters, as well as a retinue of senior US government officials, is expected to touch down at the Kotoka International Airport at 8:30p.m. tomorrow amid tight security by US and Ghanaian security agents.

A red carpet reception, spiced with rich Ghanaian cultural performance, awaits Mr Obama and his entourage at the Jubilee Lounge of the airport and that warm embrace will give him a foretaste of the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality that he will be served with during the period of his visit.

A host of White House correspondents and international journalists are expected to accompany the world’s most powerful personality; an ample signal that Ghana will come under global spotlight for the period of his stay in the country.

Ghana expects to take full advantage of the huge international exposure to boost its image, investment drive and tourist attractions, and rightly so, as the Foreign Minister has called on the international business community to take advantage of opportunities in the country to locate here.

Ahead of the visit, the National Security Council is co-ordinating a contingency security plan involving the various security agencies, but with the police as the key actors, to ensure success.

The Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Kwesi Ofori, said the contingency plan involved traffic control, road blocks at short notice, increased police patrols and a full presence of the police at vantage locations.

In line with the security measures, people carrying bags and unwarranted objects are forbidden from going near venues where Obama would be visiting, while indiscriminate motorbike riding and indiscipline by motorists on the roads would not be tolerated.

The recent exercise to clear the central business district and other parts of Accra of street hawkers and traders gives a vivid posture of official intolerance to general indiscipline before and during the visit of Mr Obama.

DSP Ofori appealed to motorists and the general public to cooperate with the security agencies to ensure the success of the visit.

The Ghana trip is the final leg of a three-nation tour by the US President, having breezed through Russia and Italy, where he attended the G8 Summit.

This will be the third time a sitting American President is visiting Ghana, after two similar visits by President William Jefferson Clinton in March 1998 and President George Walker Bush Jnr in February 2008.

The eight-hour visit by Clinton was the shortest, but by no means very significant, given the fact that he was the first sitting US President to step foot in Ghana, and as he later indicated, it was the most memorable foreign trip he ever made as President.

With two nights sleep and 36 hours stay in Ghana, President Bush’s visit glows into huge significance as the longest of the three visits.

Spending one night and about 24 hours in Ghana, Mr Obama will not be spending as much time in the country as Bush did; he is also not the first of the three to visit, but undoubtedly, the significance and historic nature of his visit will dwarf those of Clinton and Bush.

Prior to the announcement of the Ghana trip, it was widely speculated that Mr Obama’s first visit to Africa will be to Kenya, the land of his paternal ancestors.

However, Ghana’s political pedigree as the first independent country in sub-Saharan Africa and kingpin of Africa’s liberation struggle, as well as its recent exemplary strides in democracy, political stability and good governance, might have been compelling credentials that made it a preferred destination for Mr Obama, instead of his own fatherland.

That judgement by the White House will surely be greeted with tumultuous cheers by millions of Ghanaians on the streets of Accra and Cape Coast for a man they have so much affection for, even from the farthest distance.

Already, the anticipated euphoria is gaining great momentum with high patronage of Obama-branded clothes, T-shirts, various paraphernalia and even biscuits.

Mr Obama’s expected visit to the Cape Coast Castle will enable him have a sense of the symbolic ties between Africa and Africans in the Diaspora; a relationship that is expected to present an emotional memory of the slave trade.

Tentatively, the iterinary of the American President, according to information from the Foreign Ministry, includes a visit to a health facility at La and an interaction with Parliament.

According to the White House, while in Ghana, Mr Obama would look forward to strengthening the US-Ghana relations and highlight the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting sustainable development.

Coming at a time when the world economy is going through a downturn, President J. E. A. Mills and his guest are expected to hold bilateral talks on a wide range of issues, particularly the economies of the two countries.

Other issues likely to engage their attention include the review of existing US programmes in Ghana, such as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows Ghanaian businesses to export about 6,400 duty-free and quota-free commodities to the US market; the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), and the Africa Financial Sector Initiative, which allows Ghana to access facilities at the US Exim Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

Others are the President’s Malaria Initiative, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the African Growth Competitiveness Initiative aimed at supporting capacity development in international trade.

“The visit will afford us the opportunity to exchange views and explore ways of further strengthening cooperation in the areas of agriculture, health, education, infrastructure development, trade and investment for the mutual benefit of both countries,” Alhaji Mumuni indicated.

It is the expectation of Ghana’s Foreign Minister that President Obama would continue with the positive programmes initiated by his predecessor “in order to put Africa on the path of accelerated development”.

On the flip side, however, the discovery of oil by Ghana will be an interesting subject for Mr Obama, considering the large quantity of oil America imports from the Gulf of Guinea.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss threats posed to Ghana’s security by the activities of drug traffickers and measures to control them, as well as issues relating to peace and stability in Africa, particularly Darfur, Guinea Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea.

There are speculations that President Obama might push for the establishment of a United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Ghana after his predecessor had failed to do so, but the Foreign Minister said such a proposal had not been put before the government.

“Should this happen, the government will take a decision based on the supreme interest of the nation,” he remarked.

At the end of his visit to Ghana in 2008, President Bush announced a $17 million package for Ghana to fight malaria and also left behind a terminology that fascinated many Ghanaians for many days afterwards.

At a joint press conference with former President Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, President Bush denied rumours that the US wanted to establish a military base in Ghana and to make himself clear, he said “That’s baloney; or as we say in Texas, that’s bull”.

As President Obama makes his historic visit to Ghana, the question on the lips and minds of many Ghanaians is “What is he bringing to or leaving with Ghana?”

GraphicGhana.com

Screen grab of the same article appearing on a different Ghana website can be seen here

[Red Steel]

OK.

[thouworm]

usafricaonline.com

[thouworm]

Thanks; Do you have any more?

I hadn't noticed the Google ad from Fight the Smears in this one (below the 2nd parag):

[Red Steel]

Yeah, I probably have some more. I’ll give a look later on and post it when I find them. :-)

[Sisku Hanne]

bookmark.

[LucyT]

Obama, the African Colonial

Updated; begin at #437 and read through # 550.

[FlashBack]

Thanks for some great info...my head is splitting!!

[El Gato]

Can you imagine trying to Hi-Jack a plane full of 82nd Airborne troops? Be the shortest hi-jacking on record. Then they could just open up the rear ramp, and toss the perp into the ocean. Or they could just push him out one of the jump doors. No muss, no fuss. Only a little blood to clean up. :)

[El Gato]

if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."

He got that much right. The country would come to them, armed to the teeth.

[Red Steel]

I found another one for you. The Kenyan Standard saying, via the BBC Archives, that states Senator Obama is Kenyan-born from an article written in 2006. :-)

Here it is.

I probably have some more.

;-)

[thouworm]

Can you imagine trying to Hi-Jack a plane full of 82nd Airborne troops? Be the shortest hi-jacking on record.

lol; I didn't remember reading that!

82nd Airborne troops are part of North Carolina's State Sen. Larry Shaw's district, the new CAIR chairman

nor that...

[Red Steel]

And the last one here...I think. It’s a screen grab half way down the article:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll1/BecJul/AllAfrica_Nigeria_Kenyan.jpg

[thouworm]

thank you; nice to have as screen images; I’m surprised we collected as many as we did from the net.

[Red Steel]

I’ve found another one on my hard drive LoL! I think I’ll take inventory soon. :-) It is a BBC 3rd November 2004 article (from a Google cache snapshot) stating Obama’s last visited ‘his Kenyan home’ in 1992. It goes nicely with Michelle Obama’s statement of his home in Kenya.

I’ll have it posted in about 15 to 20 minutes and I’ll give you are ring when it is.