GOD SAVE OBAMA: Victory Celebrations And Reactions Around The World.: November 2008

Monday, 10 November 2008

In a Nilotic embrace; from Obote to Obama

Obama Girl: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D9lIUpP8B2Y

Kenya. Celebrating. (Unrelated to the article hereunder)

Barack's step-grandmother Sarah Obama in Kogelo ,

In a Nilotic embrace; from Obote to Obama

By PROF. ALI A. MAZRUI

When I started my career at Makerere College in Uganda in 1963, Barack Obama was two years old. His Luo father was about to win a scholarship to Harvard University, a temptation that made him leave his wife and son in Hawaii, almost never to return except for a short visit eight years later.

Uganda had won independence from Britain the year before my arrival. The basic divide in Uganda was between ethnic groups collectively referred to as the Bantu concentrated in the south of Uganda and ethnic groups collectively designated as the Nilotes (of the Nile), concentrated in the north.

Uganda’s most illustrious single ‘Bantu’ (or ‘Muntu’) was the King of Buganda, Sir Edward Mutesa, who became the country’s Head of State from 1963 to 1966. The most illustrious single Nilote was Apollo Milton Obote, who became first Prime Minister and later President. He was overthrown by Idi Amin in January 1971.

When I was growing up in colonial Kenya, the Luo were sometimes referred to as the Kavirondo because their flat terrain near Lake Victoria did bear that name. The Luo of Uganda were often referred to as ‘the Lwo’ or split into smaller ‘tribes’ much as Obote’s Langi.

Collectively, all the Luo were associated with the Chari-Nile (Eastern Sudanic) linguistic culture of the Nile-Saharan family of languages. Since Lake Victoria was the mother of the River Nile on its Uganda shore, the Luo or Lwo family of ‘tribes’ were widely referred to as Nilotes or people of the Nile.

In both Kenya and Uganda the Luo were major contenders for the post-colonial presidency of each country. In Uganda an alliance between the Langi and the Acholi did succeed in capturing the state in the 1960s. Obote became Uganda’s first Nilotic Head of State.

When Kenya became independent in December 1963, the most prominent Luo political figures were Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga, Raila’s father. Both Mboya and Odinga had their political eyes on the Kenya Presidency, but Jomo Kenyatta beat them to the State House. Mboya was assassinated in 1969; Odinga was deprived of the Presidency by both Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi.

The next Luo to aspire for the Presidency in Kenya was Raila Odinga. For a while, nobody even remotely considered the presidency of the US as being also a potential trophy for the role of the Luo in history. But by October 2007, I was able to pose a question to the Standard newspaper in Kenya: ‘Which country will be the first to have a Luo President: Kenya or the USA?’

If the Kenyan Luo candidate was Raila Odinga, the American Luo contender was, of course, Barack Obama.

In my thirtieth year of life, 1963-1964, I lived in the shadow of Milton Obote, who was on his way to becoming Uganda’s first Nilotic Head of State.

In my seventy-fifth year of life, 2008-2009, I am living in the shadow of Barack Obama, who has become the first son of the Nile to ascend the Presidency of the US. Obote had considerable political influence on my life in my Ugandan past.

By capturing the American Presidency, Obama in all likelihood will have considerable influence on my American future. Raila Odinga as Prime Minister of Kenya and potential Head of State is already having legal jurisdiction on my life as a Kenyan.

I first met Odinga in his new capacity as Prime Minister not in our mother country, Kenya, but in Obama’s country of birth, the USA. In his speech at a luncheon in his honour in Washington D.C., Odinga drew the attention of the large audience to my presence in its midst. I stood up to a thunderous applause.

Odinga then referred to my historic question as to which country would be first to elect a Luo President: Kenya or the United States. He gave his own witty reply with a broad smile.
“The question has actually been answered in Kenya’s favour. Kenya has a Luo President who has not been sworn in.” The huge luncheon audience burst into laughter and applause.
The US has now outdone Kenya by having a Luo President who will no doubt be sworn in.

Prof. Mazrui teaches political science and African studies at State University New York mailto:Yorkamazrui@binghamton.%20edu

The Monitor newspaper, Kampala. 8/11/8

Congratulatory Message to President-elect Barack Obama. (Luo Community Organisation, Sudan)

Opposite picture: Reactions at Obama's former school in Jakarta , Indonesia. (Unrelated to the congratulatory message herein).

Congratulatory Message to President-elect Obama

Submitted/Posted by Carlo James Chol

Barrak Obama Luo Community Organization. Sudan

6th November 2008

Congratulatory Message to President-elect Barack Obama.

We, the Luo Community Organization, on behalf of the Luo Nation in Sudan, profoundly grateful to God the Almighty, hereby send our bountiful heartfelt congratulations to Your Excellency, our son, Barack Obama for your election as the 44th and the first African-American President of the United States of America.

You made us, as a nation, singularly proud that you deservedly made it to be the Leader of the most powerful country on earth.

This is the fulfilment of the DREAM spelt out more than forty years ago by your fellow African-American, the Civil Rights Activist, Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

On behalf of our nation, we would like to extend our gratitude to the entire American people in its diversity for having proved to the whole world that America is indeed a land of opportunity and that the American dream knows no bounds for those Americans who are hard working, self-confident, persevering and with the will to do something for the common good of America and the world at large.

We also congratulate and pay deep appreciation to the Democratic Party for having chosen Senator Obama as its flag bearer in the presidential election. It is this tremendous trust and unflinching support all through the tough campaign that is the bedrock of today's victory.

We are confident that you can bring about the CHANGE you promised your fellow Americans and that America will, once more, lead the world consensually. May the Almighty God guide your steps and give you success in your daunting and challenging task. God bless all.

Dr Cleto Pasquale Madut, Chairperson,Luo Community Organization, Sudan.E-mail: mailto:cletopasquale403@%20hotmail.com

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it N.BThe Luo NATION in Sudan is comprised of the following tribes: CHOLLO (Shilluk), ANYUAA (Anyuak), LUO (Jur), ACHOLI, PARI (Lokoro), BWOR, THURI, CHATT and MABAAN.

Obama’s election has redeemed the Luo

Reaction to Obama's win in Manila Phillipines (Unrelated to the article hereunder)

NEW VISION ARTICLE.

Obama’s election has redeemed the Luo
Sunday, 9th November, 2008

Letter of the day

EDITOR— There is something about the election of President-elect Barack Obama that will appear as a mystery of Luos as rulers that many people, especially in Uganda, had not wanted to associate with. Recently, someone wrote a letter saying that when the Luo from Sudan invaded Uganda, the Baruli were scattered.

There was also talk in Uganda that the Buganda rulers are Luo, something that must have left some subjects of Buganda kingdom shell-shocked and disappointed because they did not want to associate with Luoness. Some people in Uganda had associated the Luo with being foreign even after living in Uganda for more than 700 years. All ethnic groups in Uganda today had their ancestors coming here from elsewhere in the continent.

In 1964 in Zanzibar, a Ugandan Luo ‘Field Marshall’ John Okello led a revolution that overthrew the Arab dynasty lead by the sultan. After that revolution, Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Okello was made to ‘disappear’ when he returned home to Uganda.

To this end someone could speculate that there is something about the Luo gifts to cause ripples in far away lands. We could speculate that there is something adventurous about the Luo continuing something that began in the Luo cradleland.

Some centuries ago in Uganda, the Luo from a country in the north fleeing the Arab invasion and religious intrusion, moved southwards to the western and central parts of Uganda to establish the kingdoms of Bunyoro, Toro and Buganda.

Others stayed in the north of the country, while yet others moved to the present-day Tororo district and continued to preserve their language and culture in the midst of Bantu south. Yet another group moved to western Kenya and northern Tanzania. However, over the years if you were of Luo background in Uganda and Kenya you were likely to face this silent hatred, cynicism and even ridicule because of your Luoness.

After the overthrow of Obote I, some people had to change their Luo names to make them look non-Luo. For example from Okobel the name was changed to Kobel to remove the ‘O’ to protect such a person from easy identification.

Luo names for men usually begin with an ‘O’ and an “A” for a woman.

Among the Luo speakers, it was reported that during one of the many unrests in the country and at some road blocks, people with names beginning with ‘O’ were singled out for persecution and possible arrest or death.

In Kenya, during the last elections there were attempts to eliminate names beginning with ‘O’ in Kibera area that was Raila Odinga’s constituency. Indeed, even Odinga’s name was among the ‘O’ names missing at first on the election-day.

My father seemed to be aware of the persecution of the people with those names and gave us proverbs for names. My own surname is a Luo proverb although it does not begin with an “A” which should have been the case. Luo names are given after ancestors, seasons, events, circumstances or sometimes the time of the day or night that someone is born.

Today in America a name beginning with ‘O’ is the most famous name that everybody is talking about. In East Africa, the election of Barack Obama brings home a revolution to not only all citizens, but particularly to those who are Luo who had felt despised for no apparent reason, except that they are Luo. Let there be healing.

Let us Ugandans be frank and tell ourselves that we have been guilty of marginalising the people of Luo background in our social relations. Barack Obama’s election should be significant and therapeutic to all, especially the Luo in Uganda and Kenya who had been suffering from the trauma of being invisible and isolated.

Jenn Jagire

Ontario, Canada

Obama The Uniter (Dangerous Thoughts)

Celerating Obama's win: Shanghai

Dangerous Thoughts

Obama The Uniter
Dan Gerstein, 11.12.08, 12:00 AM EST
Three ways Barack Obama can quickly prove his bipartisanship.

Watching George W. Bush greet Barack Obama at the White House Monday in a show of national reconciliation, it was hard to tell who was the more unifying figure. The president whom liberals and conservatives alike can't wait to expunge from Washington (if not history)? Or the president-elect who has incited outbreaks of multi-racial dancing in the streets and bipartisan graciousness at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue? Read the rest of the article via the link below.

http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/11/11/obama-transition-bipartisan-oped-cx_dg_1112gerstein.html

Obama; between race and civilisation (By Prof. Ali A. Mazrui )

Reactions to Obama's win: Athens , Greece (The picture is unrelated to the article.

Monitor

Obama; between race and civilisation

Prof. Ali A. Mazrui

When Barack Obama assumes the Presidency of the United States in January 2009, he will become the most powerful Black man in the entire history of civilisation. None of the above emperors of ancient and medieval Africa can compare in global scale of governance or in military reach with the powers of the President of the United States in the twenty-first century.

It is also worth remembering that by becoming a Black Head of State of the most influential Western country, Obama will have set a precedent of upward Black political mobility not only for the United States but for other Western countries with white majorities. It is now conceivable that the world may one day witness a Black Prime Minister of Great Britain, or a Black President of France, or a Black Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. By breaking the glass ceiling against Black ascendancy in the United States, Obama has increased the probability of Black Heads of Government in other Western countries before the end of this twenty-first- century.

Nobody had anticipated that the first Black person to be elected President of the United States would be a first-generation African American: somebody whose parents were not African Americans. Since Obama’s father was a Kenyan and his mother was a white American, it took him a while to be accepted by other African Americans as ‘black enough.’

At a conference to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade at the National Museum in Washington DC in January 2008, an African-American woman spoke passionately against the presidential candidacy of Obama on the grounds that he was not descended from survivors of the Middle Passage (the Atlantic crossing by slave-ships from West Africa to the Americas).

The majority of the audience at the conference was African-Americans. When my turn came to speak at the conference I referred to the days when white Americans regarded it as a mark of nobility to be descended from the passengers of the Mayflower in the seventeenth century. White Americans had once regarded ancestry from the Mayflower as the ultimate elite status for white folks.

I expressed at the conference in January 2008 the hope that African- Americans would not regard ancestry from a slave-ship as the ultimate elite status for Black folks. Rejecting Obama on the grounds that his father had not arrived in America on a slave- ship would be unnecessarily divisive and would risk conferring on slavery the quality of nobility.

The woman scholar was allowed by the Chairman to respond to me. She used the culture card in her reply rather than the ancestry card. She claimed that because Obama was brought up primarily by a white mother and white grandmother, he was not endowed with African-American culture. He was black in colour, but not in culture. The lady and I agreed to disagree, but I wondered at the time if her position on Obama was typical of African- Americans.

This concern of mine was deepened when I learnt that Ambassador Andrew Young, the distinguished African-American who had once served as US representative to the Untied Nations under President Jimmy Carter, had been heard to say at a party that former President Bill Clinton was ‘at least as black as Obama.’ The Clintons were very popular with African- Americans. Indeed, Toni Morrison, the African-American Nobel Laureate in Literature, had once described Clinton as ‘the first Black President of the United States.’

Genealogically, Clinton was not Black. Morrison was referring mainly to Clinton’s underprivileged family background and his remarkable empathy with Black folks. But those two qualities were abundantly shared by Obama who was brought up by a single parent and grew up in relatively underprivileged circumstances. He showed his desire to be accepted by the sacrifice he made for the Black community after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Harvard, and being elected the first Black President ever of the Harvard Law Review. He was virtually the top Harvard law graduate of his year in 1991. He could easily have obtained a job serving under a senior justice and inaugurated a spectacular legal career.

Instead Obama went to Chicago to serve in Black neighborhoods, organised and mobilised the underprivileged in pursuit of their rights and civil liberties. That is how he first got involved with the Pastor Jeremiah Wright, whose friendship nearly destroyed subsequently Obama’s bid for the US Presidency.

Prof. Mazrui teaches political science and African studies at State University New York

No Communion For Obama Supporters, Says South Carolina Priest

Jakarta , Indonesia

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."
The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote. Read on.. follow link below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/14/no-communion-for-obama-su_n_143804.html